#SayNoToHBO - Somalis on Twitter take aim at K'naan

[Mckenzie]

They were protesting because they knew he was being used as a proxy by islamophobes like Kathryn Bigelow. He lied and said he had control of the narrative. It's now apparent he doesn't even have control over the casting.

I thought they protested because they refused to even have the show being run and now it's run they protesting why aren't Somalis in it?

 

[Duchess]

I thought they protested because they refused to even have the show being run and now it's run they protesting why aren't Somalis in it?

The protest was about the (non-Somali) people involved with the show. K'naan had a meeting with the youth after the protest to ease their fears and also was interviewed by Somali TV. Both times he claimed he was in full control, it was his show and he was calling the shots. That it was a show for and by Somalis. He said the show would bring opportunities to the neighborhood and acting jobs for the community. Then the cast gets revealed and the main character and lead is some unknown Ethiopian actor and the rest of the cast is mainly non-Somalis? What happened to 'for us, by us'?

For all those saying maybe there weren't any qualified Somalis, I call bs. He had several casting calls across North America where hundreds of Somalis showed up only for him to cast unknown Ethiopians in the end? Come off it. You know this is some bs.

 

[waraabe]

If you don't like it don't watch

 

[Duchess]

If you don't like it don't watch

They have a right to protest and do everything in their power to make sure the show doesn't even make it to air. This is the free world brother.

 

[waraabe]

I personally don't plan on watching it cuz it paints Somali people bad but hey, so did black hawk down, captain Philips and everything from Hollywood involving Somalis but I won't cry about knaan .

If you don't like something don't watch it, very simple

 

[waraabe]

They have a right to protest and do everything in their power to make sure the show doesn't even make it to air. This is the free world brother.

they can protest but HBO can make what they want, I doubt few refugees would change anything

 

[Duchess]

they can protest but HBO can make what they want, I doubt few refugees would change anything

They're American citizens and, as such, have a right to voice their opinion as they see fit. It's clear that you have not yet acclimated to Western culture and society.

 

[waraabe]

They're American citizens and, as such, have a right to voice their opinion as they see fit. It's clear that you have not yet acclimated to Western culture and society.

I support knaan

 

[Lord Flacko]

They have a right to protest and do everything in their power to make sure the show doesn't even make it to air. This is the free world brother.

The more you protest it the more attention it gets which means more viewers Drama and controversy is a big PR and marketing factor

 

[Duchess]

I support knaan

And you have a right to do so, but you don't have a right to try to silence those who oppose him. Welcome to the free world my tahriibi brother.

 

[SomaliSpotter]

The protest was about the (non-Somali) people involved with the show. K'naan had a meeting with the youth after the protest to ease their fears and also was interviewed by Somali TV. Both times he claimed he was in full control, it was his show and he was calling the shots. That it was a show for and by Somalis. He said the show would bring opportunities to the neighborhood and acting jobs for the community. Then the cast gets revealed and the main character and lead is some unknown Ethiopian actor and the rest of the cast is mainly non-Somalis? What happened to 'for us, by us'?

For all those saying maybe there weren't any qualified Somalis, I call bs. He had several casting calls across North America where hundreds of Somalis showed up only for him to cast unknown Ethiopians in the end? Come off it. You know this is some bs.

Are you sure the protests were about the non-Somali people involved in the show, and not the overall message the show was believed to portray the Somali community as? From the videos I've seen when the story was new, and the one I've posted below, it looks the protesting Somalis were angry about what the show is about, and not necessarily being part of the cast members:

 

[waraabe]

And you have a right to do so, but you don't have a right to try to silence those who oppose him. Welcome to the free world my tahriibi brother.

No one tried to silence anyone.

 

[waraabe]

The show will depict unfortunately the reality of the refugee community in Minneapolis. Lot of them go back for jihad

 

[Tramo]

I personally don't plan on watching it cuz it paints Somali people bad but hey, so did black hawk down, captain Philips and everything from Hollywood involving Somalis but I won't cry about knaan .

If you don't like something don't watch it, very simple

captain philips and bhd are actual historic events that happened

this is a narrative being drawn up from scratch by the same person who brought us Zero Dark Thirty, which is being promoted by a prominent somali. completely different ball game

 

[Bahal]

. Not like they can make a Ethiopian sitcom and call it a "somali drama"

 

[Bahal]

If you don't like it don't watch

In traditional Somali fashion, I will pirate it

 

[Duchess]

The more you protest it the more attention it gets which means more viewers Drama and controversy is a big PR and marketing factor

I don't know how things are in Sweden but the show has been receiving negative press in Minnesota. They barely got the approval to film in Cedar and these protestors have vowed to disrupt filming. If that happens, their permit to film will more than likely be revoked. This is just the pilot episode that is being filmed and, if it goes bad, HBO won't continue shelling out millions of dollars for a show they haven't even committed a full season to. It's not worth the hassle. Plus, it's not like any major actor/actress is attached to the show. It's just a bunch of unknowns so the show can easily be tossed.

Are you sure the protests were about the non-Somali people involved in the show, and not the overall message the show was believed to portray the Somali community as? From the videos I've seen when the story was new, and the one I've posted below, it looks the protesting Somalis were angry about what the show is about, and not necessarily being part of the cast members:

I think you're crossing some wires here. They're protesting the overall message of the show aka the narrative because they believe the narrative will be dictated by particular non-Somalis ( ie Bigelow, who is an exec producer on the show ). They believe K'naan is just a front. They believe the fact that non-Somalis were cast to play 2/3rds of the Somali characters (when K'naan explicitly said the show was for Somalis, by Somalis) displays the lack of control K'naan has over the show.

 

[Duchess]

No one tried to silence anyone.

You seem to think their only option is to not watch the show. Why can't they protest to make sure it doesn't even make it to air? Why are you trying to belittle and minimize their efforts by saying HBO won't listen to them because they're a bunch of refugees? These third worldly tactics of yours to silence them won't work. They live in the free world, not the backwater African wannabe country you were born and raised in. They will protest and they will succeed. Guul, Insha Allah!!

 

[SomaliSpotter]

I don't know how things are in Sweden but the show has been receiving negative press in Minnesota. They barely got the approval to film in Cedar and these protestors have vowed to disrupt filming. If that happens, their permit to film will more than likely be revoked. This is just the pilot episode that is being filmed and, if it goes bad, HBO won't continue shelling out millions of dollars for a show they haven't even committed a full season to. It's not worth the hassle. Plus, it's not like any major actor/actress is attached to the show. It's just a bunch of unknowns so the show can easily be tossed.




I think you're crossing some wires here. They're protesting the overall message of the show aka the narrative because they believe the narrative will be dictated by particular non-Somalis ( ie Bigelow, who is an exec producer on the show ). They believe K'naan is just a front. They believe the fact that non-Somalis were cast to play 2/3rds of the Somali characters (when K'naan explicitly said the show was for Somalis, by Somalis) displays the lack of control K'naan has over the show.

Well, I don't know how you come up with me crossing wires, but as I've said in my previous post, I was referring to the videos of the Somalis protesting right in front of K'naan and their own words and slogans. Are you talking about something else, like from another interview where he says the show is for Somalis, by Somalis? If that's the case, then I haven't seen that.

Here is also an interview of his after that incident by Minnesota Somali TV, and I haven't heard him alluding to the idea that the show is by Somalis:

 

[Gibiin-Udug]

It actually makes me laugh that people are bringing up Barkhad Abdi everytime, K'naan first came into the spotlight in 2007, Barkhad came into the spotlight 3 years ago, he's a well renowned actor. Award winning actor. A humanitarian. Yes he played a pirate and nobody had a problem with it because pirates are real, he actually played a particular pirate who even gave his blessings to him. K'naan is exploiting Somali people, he didn't ask permission, he lied to the youths. Somali youths are much more than what he is portraying, how come he's not doing a show about Nadira, the young MJ girl who got accepted to not only Harvard, Princeton, Columbia and many more, how about the aspiring film makers, the young business owners.



Haters keep hating on Barkhad Abdi. You will never amount to anything he is achieving. You're worthless compared to Barkhad Abdi.