a danish comedian named omar marzouk has had both the audacity and the guts to create a terror cell sitcom. the first episode hasn't even been shown and already it's getting a lot of buzz. the program, which will be in danish, is called Cellen or The Cell. omar marzouk plays osama, the main character, and danish actor nicolas bro plays poul abdul, a danish convert to islam from the so-called "whiskey belt" where the rich live north of copenhagen. apparently poul abdul is the most rabid member of the group.

they will have adventures such as participating in the world championship in terror and a wine-tasting style sampling of explosives. apparently in every episode, the main characters blow themselves to bits in some or other terror action gone wrong. they are sent back every time from heaven and the 72 virgins because they never manage to blow anyone but themselves up.

it sounds to me like a hilarious opportunity to bring some humor to what can only be characterized as a touchy subject, to say the least (especially if you're in line at airport security - do NOT under any circumstances attempt any humor about it there). humor has a way of allowing you to get at the underlying meaning in things and it may very well be the only way forward after eight years of "you're either with us or against us" rhetoric from the previous US administration.

it strikes me as very danish to come up with such a concept, though of course there is a tradition for it elsewhere (think monty python's life of brian)...because one thing the danes excel at is laughing their way out of things, especially in an ironic manner. and after the mohammed cartoons that rocked the world and the recent absurdity of yale university cowards press publishing a book about them that does not feature the actual cartoons (talk about giving in to the terrorists), i think it's time to start laughing about this. it's the only way to really get things out in the open and deal with them. comedy has a way of getting at the true heart of things, if it's well done, of course. i'm looking forward to seeing this

apparently some british comedians have already stolen the concept and made a copy-film that's on you tube...here's their first episode. the danish episodes aren't yet available and they're even being filmed in some revolutionary new RED-camera technique, so they will be worth waiting for even tho' the concept has already been stolen by someone else.