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Last update - 14:00 28/02/2009
Israel's Big Brother: Plenty of ethnic tension, but no sex
By Ruth Margalit
Tags: big brother, Israel News 

No one raised an eyebrow in Israel when Asher, the kippa-wearing contestant on the show, told the Russian-born openly gay Leon that he had always assumed "I'd be talking to people like you only if I'm armed with a baton."

And no one cried foul when Vanessa, the sexy émigré from France, told the beautiful Arab contestant Ranin that she "grew up with people like you, honey. Near the synagogue, all over. So don't tell me what's what."

Yet when the ratings-buster finale of Israel's version of reality show Big Brother aired on Channel 2 on Tuesday night, everyone had something to say about the Bublils.
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Thrust together for 107 days in a large house equipped with a swimming pool and cameras at every possible angle, contestants were surprised to discover that the producers had chosen a father and daughter duo - Yossi and Einav Bublil - to join the mix. No one was more surprised, however, than Einav herself, who stared dumbfounded at her father, praying to God he would not embarrass her.

Three months later, and the Ashkelon native Yossi Bublil has become a cultural icon. With his ludicrous parables and his short temper, and being twice as old as all the other contestants, Yossi was expected to be voted off first.

But on Tuesday night, Yossi was one of the two finalists competing for the top prize of one million shekels. The other finalist, and ultimate winner with an overwhelming majority of the votes, was 28-year-old Shifra Cornfeld.

One would be hard-pressed to find two starker opposites than Yossi and Shifra.

As an intelligent young woman of Ashkenazi origin, with a Bachelors Degree from Israel's prestigious Bezalel Academy for the Arts, Shifra was immediately branded by the Bublils as a "Friedman" - a vaguely derogatory term they seem to have invented, signifying something between a geek and an elitist.

She was joined in the "Friedman" camp by Leon, Ranin, and Tzabar, a handsome kibbutznik. The four quickly became a tightly knit group of friends, playing the same ethnic war game by branding all the other contestants on the show as "Bublils."

Tuesday night, therefore, was all about Bublils vs. Friedmans, or, to put it bluntly - the Mizrahi (Eastern) vs. the Ashkenazi. Interesting, then, that the Arab contestant should fit into the Ashkenazi mold.

Fifty years after the immigration to Israel of Jews of Middle Eastern and North African descent, and more than 60 years after the immigration of European Jews fleeing the Holocaust, and the ethnic divide is still ever-present.

Sure, it's only television. But even the producers of the show quickly realized they had an open can of worms on their hands in the shape of the contestants' ethnic stereotyping.

And so, on Tuesday night, before the presenters of the show (both of whom, incidentally, Einav has also branded "Friedmans") read aloud the results, they came out with a curious statement, saying the viewers at home should remember that the contestants "represent themselves, and only themselves." Whatever that means.

With over two million viewer votes, Israeli Big Brother had been the hot topic at water-coolers, in classrooms, bars, and even along the corridors of the Knesset. More people voted for contestants on the show than are registered to vote in this month's primary elections for all the major parties.

If there was one thing missing on this season's Big Brother, though, it was sex. They simply didn't have any.

There was some sexual tension between Vanessa and Itai, and sparks did fly between Shifra and Tzabar, but still - in complete contrast to the show's British, Dutch and Australian versions, which often turned into alcohol-infused soft porn - nothing much transpired.

It could well be that, caught up in their Bublil-Friedman fascinations, the housemates simply forgot to have some fun
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  1.   Thanks 13:45  |  Bruno 17/12/08
  2.   The Friedmans 15:42  |  Victoria 17/12/08
  3.   What tension? 16:09  |  Angel 17/12/08
  4.   sounds like israel 16:25  |  SD 17/12/08
  5.   I prefere the Simpsons 16:56  |  Yacob 17/12/08
  6.   I`d rather read the Haaretz talkbacks than watch that nonsense 17:12  |  Kenny 17/12/08
  7.   thank g-d it`s over 17:22  |  chelly 17/12/08
  8.   Kenny you are so right! 20:28  |  Tel Avivit 17/12/08
  9.   big brother, go home, Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 21:34  |  telaviva 17/12/08
  10.   Big Bro. 16:11  |  Evan 18/12/08
  11.   Big Bro. 16:16  |  Evan 18/12/08
  12.   #2????? DUH!! 17:01  |  David 18/12/08
  13.   Hi Angel, time to wake up a bit 08:41  |  gil62 19/12/08
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