
Yasmine Ezz (left) and Radwa al-Sherbiny (right). Credit: photos taken from their Instagram accounts
Every other Thursday, Nima invites a viral social media trend back to her place, and dissects it under a Middle Eastern ring light.
If you and I are on the same corners of the internet, then you’ve probably seen videos of Ezz’s televised talk show “Kalam al-Nas” on "MBC Masr" (Egypt’s branch of Saudi media group MBC). Known for her special blend of misogyny, Yasmine demands you call the man in your life “Pharaoh,” glorify him, and speak to him in dulcet tones only.
She can be provocative, I agree. Especially when compared to rival Egyptian TV personality Radwa al-Sherbiny, famous for the “block him” speech she gave on her own talk show, “Heya w Bas.”
This might give you the impression that Sherbiny is the feminist between them. In reality, the universe expands way beyond the world of morning talk shows.
Although they are portrayed as opposites and have consolidated this rivalry with at least one threat of legal action, I don’t see the two as such. In fact, I think they’re more like exes of the same guy: they share remarkable similarities but make so much effort to prove they’re different. Why? Mainly because an arch-nemesis is good advertisement. It's important to the plot, and it's an underrated strategy to up your views.
I used to like Sherbiny at some point. I remember she used to serve empowerment in calculated doses. She would tell you that you don’t need a man, while part of her talk show was on how to solve your problems with him. She would give you a pep-talk on how to build character, confidence and charisma, and you would feel the male gaze inspecting you.
She was microdosing feminism for a traditional crowd while maintaining enough shock factor with her spirited delivery to get the attention she wanted. A stark contrast to Ezz’s performance, who chose to stay calm and collected, speak in a dalaa’ voice, but maintain a patronizing tone.
Once you start to catch on to Yasmine’s very dry sense of humor, you’ll realise there is absolutely no way to prove she is being serious, so you are left to your personal judgement.
We are once again witnessing an audience trick. Although Ezz’s content clearly “teaches” women how to service and please their men, it is also talking to the men themselves.
The five men I polled on my personal Instagram (yes, that is enough for a sample study, don't question it) were all weirded out by her, not sure what she’s trying to do, and/or disapproving and angry at her message. This isn’t to say that they were all feminists, but it does mean she made an impression on all of them.
Ezz makes such a huge deal out of making men happy, making their lives easier, cherishing them and tattooing their names on your forehead, that she makes men uncomfortable. She skillfully toys with the male audience, hooking those who seek her out of curiosity, and very subtly, carefully, turning them into a punchline.
This game of hers has obviously increased her reach to over a million (I am personally responsible for half of that, for research purposes, of course), and flared up her comment section, where you will find as many people laughing with her as ones deeply offended by her.
Ezz has managed to create a persona of herself that is so ridiculously controversial, it brought traditionalists, misogynists and feminists all to one place. A real-life protagonist.