*t *r A pan-Arab television song contest is fuelling nationalist passions as Jordanians mobilise to win support for compatriot Diana Karzon, who will face a Syrian finalist in the show's closing segment Sunday.
Superstar, the weekly Arabic version of UK hit Pop Idol, has been broadcast for several months on Lebanon's satellite channel Future TV, taking Jordan and several other Arab countries by storm. But the heat was turned on Monday when results for Sunday's show were announced.
Lebanese contestant Melhem Zein, who made it to the top three slots, was eliminated from the race, and Karzon was left to face Syrian amateur singer Ruweida Attiyeh. Before leaving the stage Zein threw a bombshell when he asked television viewers across the Arab world who had supported him to back Attiyeh.
His remarks fueled widespread rage in Jordan and triggered clashes outside Future TV's station in Beirut, when Zein's fans stormed the station protesting that his defeat was unfair. Jordanians from all walks of life, as well as companies, state television and the press reacted by throwing all their weight behind Karzon to ensure she will make it to the top in the show's final segment Sunday.
Jordan's rival mobile phone providers - Fast Link and MobileCom - have decided to give their full support to Karzon, 19, who has won hearts across the Arab world with her magical voice, warm smile and simple demeanour. Both have dedicated a media campaign to her, with advertisements appearing daily in the press urging Jordanians to rally around the young singer.
The MobileCom ads shows her wearing a long traditional embroidered Jordanian dress and captions that read "A beautiful Jordanian dream" or "Give your vote to Diana for our happiness to be complete". MobileCom executive Hazem Massarweh said the company has set aside 20,000 dinars (35,000 dollars) for the campaign to promote Karzon "because we want to encourage our local talent".
Fast Link is also urging Jordanians, through SMS messages on their mobile phones, to vote for Karzon. It is also publishing ads in local newspapers saying: "Give your voice to the most beautiful voice". In the run-up to Sunday's final, Jordanian newspapers and state-run Jordan television have also joined the fray. The latter has dedicated a whole programme to Karzon and clips showing her asking Jordanians for their support.
"Never has a Jordanian artist shone like that in the Arab world," Hoda, one of Karzon's staunchest supporters, said in Amman. "Voting for Diana is a national duty particularly after the chauvinism expressed by some of the other contestants. Diana deserves to win," she said.
Another viewer, Wadad Adass, said she has been mobilising colleagues at work to vote for Diana by calling up a special number, sending SMS messages on their cell phones or through the Internet. "Diana's participation in the show helped promote Jordan, because she represents what is beautiful in our country and we must stand beside her," she said. However, the fuss surrounding the show has baffled some Jordanians like Mustafa Tell. "Is our social life so arid that a contestant in a song competition is the only thing that brings us together?" he asked_JER
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