# Albasheer Show

Albasheer Show (Arabic: البشير شو) is an Iraqi satirical news programme, created and hosted by Ahmed Albasheer. It currently airs weekly on DW's Arabic language channel, with episodes also posted onto YouTube. The show first premiered on 30 August 2014 and until 2017 aired intermittently on various Iraqi television channels. Pressure from the Iraqi Communications and Media Commission has meant that the show is no longer broadcast in Iraq, although citizens are able to access the programme online. By 2015 the show had a recorded audience of 19 million, over half of Iraq's total population, and the show and its host has been called among the most influential in the country, with it being cited as playing a major role in the 2019-2021 Iraqi protests.

## Development and content

Albasheer was born in Ramadi, Iraq, and worked for eight years as a political commentator on Iraq's state-owned television channels. In 2011, after being injured in a suicide bombing in which his friend was killed, Albasheer left Iraq and moved to Amman, Jordan, where he set up his own production company, Lagash, in 2012.
The show has been likened to other satirical news programmes including The Daily Show in the United States and Al Bernameg in Egypt. Albasheer Show draws its satire from new stories, political figures, and media organisations, and often criticises the ongoing issues of corruption, sectarianism, extremism and terrorism in Iraq. Typical episodes open with a monologue from Albasheer, followed by exchanges between him and one or more correspondents, who adopt absurd or exaggerated takes on current events, against Albasheer's straight man persona. The final segment is often devoted to an interview with a prominent personality; this has included actors, musicians, writers, and political figures.
Albasheer, whose father and brother were killed during the Iraq War, and who was himself kidnapped and tortured in 2005, has stated his experiences heavily influenced the shape and content of the show, commenting "instead of getting revenge with a weapon, I try to fix the situation so nobody has to go through the things I went through. Instead of turning violent... I see this as the best way to respond to all the killing".

## List of episodes
### Season 1

| No. | Title | Native title | Original air date | Guest(s) |
| 1 | Sectarian Chicken | دجاج طائفي | August 30, 2014 | N/A |
| 2 | Presidential Circumsition | تطهير رئاسي | September 5, 2014 | N/A |
| 3 | Tallit | الطيلسان | September 29, 2014 | N/A |
| 4 | Fake Protests | مظاهرات وهمية | October 7, 2014 | N/A |
| 5 | Indonesian Eid | العيد الاندنوسي | October 11, 2014 | N/A |
| 6 | How To Fight ISIS | كيف نحارب داعش | October 17, 2014 | N/A |
| 7 | Know Your Ministers | تعرف على وزراءك | October 24, 2014 | N/A |
| 8 | The President's Alert | انذار الرئيس | November 7, 2014 | N/A |
| 9 | Khreetinious | خريطينيوس | November 14, 2014 | N/A |
| 10 | Tolerance | التسامح | November 21, 2014 | N/A |
| 11 | Us And The Emirates | نحن والامارات | November 28, 2014 | N/A |
| 12 | Alien Invasion | الغزو الفضائي | December 5, 2014 | N/A |
| 13 | We Are The Ones Who Nobody Can Touch Us | احنا المحد يندك بينا | December 15, 2014 | N/A |
| 14 | The Airplane Flies | الطيارة تطير | December 19, 2014 | N/A |
| 15 | Suspicious Puberty | مراهقة مريبة | December 22, 2014 | N/A |
| 16 | Conspiracies | مؤامرات | December 26, 2014 | N/A |
| 17 | Predictions | تنبؤات | December 29, 2014 | N/A |
| 18 | Predictions 2 | تنبؤات 2 | January 3, 2015 | Akhlad Raouf, Hassan Al-Falluji (UTN1) |
| 19 | Top 3 | توب 3 | January 5, 2015 | N/A |
| 20 | Dangerous Discoveries | اكتشافات خطيرة | January 9, 2015 | N/A |
| 21 | Their Signs | ابراجهم | January 13, 2015 | N/A |
| 22 | Young Men For Sale | شباب للبيع | January 16, 2015 | N/A |
| 23 | Haibat Haibeet | هيباط هيبيط | January 19, 2015 | N/A |
| 24 | A Stick In The Envier's Eye | الحسود بعينه عود | January 23, 2015 | N/A |
| 25 | The Budget's Solutions | حلول الموازنة | January 27, 2015 | N/A |
| 26 | Budget / Displaced | الموازنة / النازحين | February 1, 2015 | N/A |

### Season 1.5 (Season 2)

| No. | Title | Native title | Original air date | Guest(s) |
| 1 | Extortionater of Them | يا باهضهم | June 10, 2015 | Mark Critch |
| 2 | Liberation of Mosul | تحرير الموصل | June 20, 2015 | Khudhair Hadi |
| 3 | Episode 3 | الحلقة 3 | October 11, 2015 | Curtis Cook |
| 4 | Episode 4 | الحلقة 4 | October 20, 2015 | N/A |
| 5 | Our Leaders | قادتنا | January 15, 2016 | Haider Al-Mulla |

### Season 3.2 (Season 3)

| No. | Title | Native title | Original air date | Guest(s) |
| 1 | Technocrat | تكنوقراط | April 15, 2016 | Ali Al-Essawi |
| 2 | Mu'tasamada | معتصمادا | April 22, 2016 | N/A |
| 3 | Silencing The Mouths | تكميم الافواه | April 29, 2016 | N/A |
| 4 | The Extorted Parliament | البرلمان المغتصب | May 6, 2016 | Maamoun Al-Nattah |
| 5 | Media By The Ammo Sabah Way | الاعلام على طريقة عمو صباح | May 13, 2016 | N/A |
| 6 | What's The Topic | شنو الموضوع | May 20, 2016 | Aliya Nussayyif |
| 7 | Cut The Sound | اكطع الصوت | May 27, 2016 | N/A |
| 8 | Mithreedious | مثريديوس | June 3, 2016 | N/A |
| 9 | Metaphysics | ميتافيزيقية | June 10, 2016 | Shujaa Al-Khafaji |
| 10 | Th Red Wall | الحائط الاحمر | June 24, 2016 | Eva Kaili |
| 11 | Us And Bahrain | احنة والبحرين | July 1, 2016 | N/A |
| 12 | Karrada And The Detergent Detector | الكرادة وكاشف الزاهي | July 8, 2016 | Salim al-Jabouri |
| 13 | K-9 Took The Blame | كي ناين شال القضية | July 15, 2016 | N/A |
| 14 | The Legendary Hotness | الحر الاسطوري | July 22, 2016 | N/A |
| 15 | Massoum Where Is The Halqoom | معصوم وين الحلقوم | July 29, 2016 | Fareed Lafta |
| 16 | Abu Al-Kubba | ابو الكبة | August 5, 2016 | N/A |
| 17 | Repentance Only | توبة الا نصوحة | August 12, 2016 | N/A |
| 18 | Reputation And Oil | سمعة و نفط | August 19, 2016 | N/A |
| 19 | Five Clinks | خمسة كلينكس | August 27, 2016 | N/A |
| 20 | Hoshiar Park | هوشيار بارك | September 2, 2016 | N/A |
| 21 | Houthis Is Here | الحوثيين يمنا | September 9, 2016 | Claudia Roth |
| 22 | Al Maliki Show | المالكي شو | September 16, 2016 | N/A |
| 23 | Albasheer Show Emmy | ايمي البشير شو | September 23, 2016 | N/A |
| 24 | Affectionate Father | الاب الحنون | September 30, 2016 | Zainab Salbi |
| 25 | The Owner Of The Long Tunnel | صاحب النفق الطويل | October 7, 2016 | N/A |
| 26 | Take That, It's The Last One | هاك الاخيرة | October 14, 2016 | N/A |
| 27 | Best Clips Of Season Three | افضل مقاطع موسم 3.2 | October 21, 2016 | N/A |
| 28 | From Inside Albasheer Show | من داخل البشير شو | October 28, 2016 | N/A |

### Season 4

| No. | Title | Native title | Original air date | Guest(s) |
| 1 | The Mission Is Not Impossible | المهمة مو مستحيلة | April 21, 2017 | Dr. Sabah Al-Tameemi |
| 2 | Umm Ahmed Is Our Cause | ام احمد قضيتنا | April 28, 2017 | Awad Al-Awadi |
| 3 | Tomato Commission | مفوضية الطماطة | May 5, 2017 | N/A |
| 4 | The Land Is Sold | مبيوعة الكاع | May 12, 2017 | Ibrahim Al-Effendi |
| 5 | The Iraqi Experience | التجربة العراقية | May 19, 2017 | N/A |
| 6 | Angels And Clans | ملائكة و عشائر | May 26, 2017 | N/A |
| 7 | Number Seven Is The Reason | رقم سبعة السبب | July 7, 2017 | N/A |
| 8 | The Hidden Shield | الدرع الخفي | June 2, 2017 | Raad And Methak |
| 9 | Ramadan Competitions | مسابقات رمضان | June 9, 2017 | Joe Raad |
| 10 | Detachable Void | انفصال باطل | June 16, 2017 | N/A |
| 11 | The Poorest Party On The Planet | افقر حزب بالكرة الارضية | June 23, 2017 | N/A |
| 12 | Hot Clips | مقاطع ساخنة | July 14, 2017 | Larry Charles |
| 13 | The Shaded Train | القطار المظلل | July 21, 2017 | Sarwa Abdel Wahed |
| 14 | The Sad Week | الاسبوع الحزين | July 28, 2017 | N/A |
| 15 | Under The Razor | تحت موس الحلاق | August 4, 2017 | Maysoon Al-Damluji |
| 16 | Wak Iqbal | وك اقبال | August 11, 2017 | Joseph Saliwa |
| 17 | Anbar And Basra | الانبار و البصرة | August 18, 2017 | N/A |
| 18 | The Rice | التمن | August 25, 2017 | Rehab Al-Abouda and Razan Sheikh Delir |
| 19 | Buses | الباصات | September 8, 2017 | N/A |
| 20 | Albasheer Show Emmy 2 | ايمي البشير شو 2 | September 15, 2017 | N/A |
| 21 | Kurdistan Referendum | استفتاء كردستان | September 22, 2017 | N/A |
| 22 | The Big Plot | المؤامرة الكبرى | September 29, 2017 | N/A |
| 23 | Religious Or Civil Parties | الاحزاب الدينية او المدنية | October 6, 2017 | Mohamed Masoud Jomaa |
| 24 | Friday The 13th | الجمعة الـ13 | October 13, 2017 | N/A |
| 25 | The Time That We Messed It | زمان لعبنا به | October 20, 2017 | Hussam Al-Rassam |
| 26 | Our Stages | مراحلنا | October 27, 2017 | N/A |
| 27 | The Most Beautiful Clips Of The Season | أجمل مقاطع الموسم 4 | November 3, 2017 | N/A |

### Season 5

| No. | Title | Native title | Original air date | Guest(s) |
| 1 | Am Back For Them | راجعلهم | March 30, 2018 | N/A |
| 2 | Electoral Circumcision | طهور انتخابي | April 6, 2018 | N/A |
| 3 | Service | خدمة | April 13, 2018 | Falah Almashal |
| 4 | We Can Do This | احنا كدها | April 20, 2018 | Laith Aldilamy |
| 5 | What Have You Done To Us ? | شسويتولنا | April 27, 2018 | Dr.Ali Alrufaie |
| 6 | The Person That's Been Chosen Doesn't Chosen Again | المجرب لا يجرب | May 4, 2018 | Hamad Al-Mosawi |
| 7 | That's Enough | كافي | May 11, 2018 | Shorouq Alabaiji |
| 8 | Tuk Tuk | تك تك | May 18, 2018 | N/A |
| 9 | Gloating | شماتة | May 25, 2018 | N/A |
| 10 | Cook | طبخة | June 1, 2018 | Ali Almansory |
| 11 | Iraq To Where ? | العراق الى اين | June 29, 2018 | N/A |
| 12 | The Clean Episode | الحلقة النظيفة | July 6, 2018 | N/A |
| 13 | Heat | حرارة | July 13, 2018 | N/A |
| 14 | Country Demonstrations | مظاهرات وطن | July 20, 2018 | N/A |
| 15 | How We Demonstration ? | كيف نتظاهر | July 27, 2018 | N/A |
| 16 | Corrupt Ministry | وزارة مضروبة | August 3, 2018 | N/A |
| 17 | The Miracle Child | الطفل المعجزة | August 10, 2018 | Husam Alhaj |
| 18 | We And Iran | احنا و ايران | August 17, 2018 | N/A |
| 19 | Wonders And Marvels | عجائب و غرائب | August 24, 2018 | Bassem Khashan and Fares Haram |
| 20 | Contamination | تلوث | August 31, 2018 | Mohamad Alfaras |
| 21 | Ferris Wheel | دولاب الهواء | September 7, 2018 | N/A |
| 22 | Soleimani And McGurk | سليماني و ماكغورك | September 14, 2018 | N/A |
| 23 | The Young President | الشاب الرئيس | September 21, 2018 | N/A |
| 24 | My Resignation | استقالتي | September 28, 2018 | N/A |
| 25 | Wiiiii | ويييييي | October 5, 2018 | N/A |
| 26 | The Last Meeting | اللقاء الاخير | October 12, 2018 | N/A |
| 27 | Everything Behind The Scene | الكواليس كالوس كالوس | October 19, 2018 | N/A |
| 28 | The Season Clips | مقاطع الموسم | October 26, 2018 | N/A |

### Season 6

| No. | Title | Native title | Original air date | Guest(s) |
| 1 | The Republic | الجمهورية | July 19, 2019 | N/A |
| 2 | Punishments | العقوبات | July 26, 2019 | N/A |
| 3 | Government Of WhatsApp | حكومة الواتساب | August 2, 2019 | N/A |
| 4 | The Dreams | الاحلام | August 9, 2019 | N/A |
| 5 | The Court | المحكمة | August 16, 2019 | N/A |
| 6 | Achievements | الإنجازات | August 30, 2019 | Zahra Habib Ben Mime |
| 7 | The Guessing | الحزورة | September 6, 2019 | N/A |
| 8 | Crimes | جرائم | September 13, 2019 | N/A |
| 9 | The Speed Era | عصر السرعة | September 20, 2019 | N/A |
| 10 | Iraq Is Rising | العراق ينتفض | October 4, 2019 | N/A |
| 11 | Dictatorship | الدكتاتورية | October 11, 2019 | N/A |
| 12 | The Arguments Of Adel | تركيعات دلدل | October 18, 2019 | N/A |
| 13 | The Final Report | التقرير النهائي | October 25, 2019 | N/A |
| 14 | awakening of people | صحوة شعب | November 1, 2019 | N/A |
| 15 | Scapegoat | كبش الفداء | November 8, 2019 | N/A |
| 16 | Not That Much | مو هلثوخون | November 15, 2019 | Olena Sotnyk |
| 17 | Pistachio Government | حكومة فستق | November 22, 2019 | N/A |
| 18 | We Are Where We Are | نحن حيث نحن | December 6, 2019 | N/A |
| 19 | Punishments 2 | العقوبات الجزء الثاني | December 13, 2019 | N/A |
| 20 | Treasury Demonstrations | مظاهرات الخزانة | December 20, 2019 | N/A |
| 21 | The Cassettee Revolution | ثورة الكاسيت | December 27, 2019 | N/A |
| 22 | We annoyed them | ازعجناهم | January 3, 2020 | N/A |
| 23 | The Great Generation | جيل الطيبين | January 10, 2020 | Bilal Wahab |
| 24 | Duldul and China | دلدل والصين | January 17, 2020 | N/A |
| 25 | Psychological Problems | مشاكل نفسية | January 24, 2020 | Joey Hood |
| 26 | Hear and Obedience | سمعاً و طاعة | January 31, 2020 | N/A |
| 27 | The Republic Scenes | مشاهد الجمهورية | February 7, 2020 | N/A |
| 28 | Behind The Scenes | كواليس الجمهورية | February 14, 2020 | N/A |

## Critical reception

The popularity of Albasheer Show amongst Iraqi audiences has been attributed to both Albasheer's comedy, which includes utilising dark sarcasm, local stereotyping and sexual innuendos, alongside his relatability due to public recognition of losses he experienced, like many Iraqi citizens, during the Iraq War. Albasheer's outspoken nature, and in particular his holding the Iraqi government to account, has been cited as empowering many Iraqis to speak out in protest, and he and the show have been cited as major influences over ongoing protests in Iraq.
The show's content has led to threats being made to Albasheer, who no longer lives in Iraq. One consistent target for mockery on the show has been the Islamic State, which controlled the city of Mosul between 2014 and 2017, who made several death threats against Albasheer as a result. Attempts have also been made by various groups to ban the broadcast of the show; the Iraqi Communications and Media Commission successfully stopped Iraqi television channels from broadcasting the show, while in Albasheer's hometown of Ramadi, the show was criticised as being an "apostate" programme, meaning anyone found watching it could be flogged.
The government of Iraq has been critical of the content of Albasheer Show and launched a criminal prosecution against Albasheer for producing the programme, which led to him being imprisoned for four days and delaying the premiere of the third season. While the show continues to be broadcast into Iraq, multiple attempts have been made to attempt to block the programme, although more recently some Iraqi politicians have appeared as guests on the programme.