Just When You Think it Can't Get Weirder

This blog's focus is on the War on Terror, which at present is most active in the Middle East. That's why so many posts involve events from around the east end of the Mediterranean to India.

And Venezuela isn't the first country you'd think of in connection with the War on Terror. Under the leadership of Hugo Chavez, though, Venezuela has become a peculiar player in the conflict between radical Islam and the west.

That's Odd: Chavez Honored in Tehran

For example, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez received the Islamic Republic Medal in 2006, from Iran's President Ahmadinejad, at Tehran University, for supporting Iran against nuclear regulators. President Ahmadinejad said: "He is the one who has resisted imperialism for years and has defended the interests of his and other Latin American countries," about the Venezuelan leader.

Despite that award, I don't think that Chavez' government is quite in line with the rulers of Iran, Sudan, and other countries whose rulers think they're defending Islam against the wicked west.

That's Weird: "The Simpsons" Banned in Venezuela

A television channel in Venezuela took "The Simpsons" off the air. They had a good reason. Televen TV station's Elba Guillen explained the situation quite clearly: "It had to be taken off," she said. "They consider it to be a series that isn’t appropriate for that time because it isn’t appropriate for children." (More at Chavez: 'No Simpsons For You Venezuela' " MiamiPress.net (April 8, 2008).)

Venezuela Replaces "The Simpsons" with "Baywatch Hawaii"

The Venezuelan regulatory agency that replaced "The Simpsons" with "Baywatch Hawaii" explained that airing the cartoon at that hour might violated national regulations regarding "messages that go against the whole education of boys, girls and adolescents."

I have to agree with the Venezuelan regulators, sort of. IMDB describes "Baywatch Hawaii" in quite bland terms: "Television series about a cadre of attractive lifeguards who patrol a crowded recreational beach." This does not do justice to the "Baywatch" televised drama and its cast, which includes outstanding performers such as:

• Jeremy Jackson
• Chris Fiore
• Brooke Burns
• Alexandra Paul
• Yasmine Bleeth
• Pamela Anderson

I submit that "Baywatch Hawaii" provides viewers with detailed views of the results of health exercise, as well as the exceptional tone and well-rounded talents of its cast.

Moreover, consider which leading character displays a more mature, fully-developed, woman: Marge Simpson, or Casey Jean 'C.J.' Parker?

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Although American mainstream news has been maintaining a polite reticence over Venezuela's programming choice, British news media has been having fun with the Simpsons/Baywatch choice:

"Venezuela swaps The Simpsons for Baywatch "
The Telegraph (UK) (April 8, 2008)