You’d hardly expect Hollywood to make a great movie about life under Khamenei. Fortunately cable channels are more adventurous in avoiding teen-oriented junk and special effects in favor of outstanding casts, adult scriptwriting and capable directors.
The upcoming Showtime series to which I allude will not be about Khamenei directly. However, it will likely be seen by Iranians as having allegorical value. The series deals with Khamenei’s historical counterpart–a Pope whose family who acquired control of the Papacy during the Italian Renaissance.
Clothed in red garments and cap and clutching a crucifix actor Jeremy Irons stares out intensely at the reader of a magazine ad. To his left and right, equally sinister looking types stare at the reader. The ad reads, “Jeremy Irons Is Pope Alexander: Sex, Power, Murder, Amen.
“The Borgias: The Original Crime Family: premiers on April 9th at 9 pm EST on Showtime. New episodes will appear on subsequent Sundays at 10 pm. In case the regime censors spot the allegorical implications, you can expect a DVD release later.
The Borgia’s aim will sound familiar to Iranians–to turn the highest position in a religion into a hereditary, temporal and absolute monarchy, Khamenei would like to have his son–whom I’ve nicknamed Murderous Mojtaba aka Little Caligula–as the next occupant of a clerical throne. As you watch the series think of Mojtaba as a male Lecretia Borgia. Ponder its subtitle (“The Original Crime Family”) and notice how closely the “holy” men around Khamenei (Jannati, Ahmed Khatami, Taeb, Mesbah and Mohammed Yadzi, etc.) resemble the “holy men” around Alexander.
I know enough papal history to suspect Iranians and Arabs will find much of relevance. Too bad Iranians in 1979 lacked a similar background or they might not have been so easily conned by seductive promises that the guys in turbans would behave morally if given absolute power.
The muslim world owes Khamenei a debt for discrediting the dumb idea of allowing clerics to rule. Returning to their countries, long-time Islamists rush to reassure people, “We don’t want to make (name the country) into another Iran.” Likewise, Khoumeini returned from Paris and promised democracy, human rights and a regime that would listen to the people. Clerics! Don’t trust a word they say.
See my sub post for a link to the program and links to related goodies.
