CONTROVERSY AND TABOO: SEXED BODIES ON LEBANESE SOCIAL TALK SHOWS

Abstract

This thesis analyzes social talk shows aired on Lebanese television channels in the past decade, examining the themes they discuss with a focus on the homosexuality, a taboo topic in Lebanon that has been among the most recurring in these shows. The thesis explores the way these shows’ producers have chosen to examine this topic and their possible motivations behind giving more visibility to the queer community. The shows chosen for this study were aired on LBCI, MTV, and Al Jadeed, and presented by a handful of hosts, who, throughout the past decade, worked for all these three channels, changing employers but remaining loyal to the social talk show format. In this thesis, I demonstrate that the producers in charge of these shows most likely chose to focus on controversial topics in an attempt to have better ratings and prolongate the lifespan of their shows.