The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) stirred controversy online Tuesday evening after airing a comedy sketch entitled “Real Housewives of ISIS.”
The skit, a parody of Bravo TV’s “Real Housewives” reality series, shows numerous Muslim women casually discussing everything from an upcoming beheading to their favorite Instagram hashtags.
“It’s only three days until the beheading and I have no idea what I’m going to wear,” one of the characters says.
The satirical piece sparked a wide range of reactions online, with some praising it as free speech while others labeled it as “Islamaphobic.”
“The humor is only funny if you look down on someone else and enjoy seeing them unhappy because they are not white and Christian,” one Facebook user said.
Similar disgust at the sketch was expressed by several Twitter users as well.
The fucking BBC made a programme “the real housewives of Isis” I am so mad. So so mad
— Jodie-mae (@jodiemae___) January 4, 2017
‘Real Housewives of ISIS’ will make Hijabis feel more isolated n targeted by Islamophobes. Thanks @BBC for adding to the negative stereotype
— aѕн (@AshKaneSkittles) January 4, 2017
‘The Real Housewives of ISIS’ is so distasteful. Lowest of the low from BBC2
— Lauren (@lonotralph) January 4, 2017
The real housewives of Isis “comedy” that the BBC is going to air just isn’t right. You can’t make a joke out of it… Cause it’s not funny
— Kayleigh (@KayleighA94) January 4, 2017
Others described the video as “brilliant” and “hysterical.”
This is brilliant — Real Housewives of ISIS – BBC 2 Revolting Episode 1 https://t.co/GV1YZhuFUR via @YouTube
— Toby Young (@toadmeister) January 4, 2017
It’s mocking terrorists, not Islam, but I guess that’s just too edgy, these days. https://t.co/1gkqpKOpQE
— DatNoFact (@datnofact) January 4, 2017
Hysterical! “The Real Housewives of #ISIS“. Can’t believe BBC would produce such hilariously un-PC sketch. pic.twitter.com/O9hcbz07Z0
— Eylon Aslan-Levy (@EylonALevy) January 4, 2017
The same people claiming The Real Housewives of ISIS is mocking Islam are the same people who claim ISIS is nothing to do with Islam.
— Chris Beale (@bealec1988) January 4, 2017
One of the more popular YouTube uploads of the sketch, which has over 20,000 views at the time of publishing, has received 945 up-votes and only 61 down-votes.
