Sign In
Register
Help
Pakistani talk show host Ali Salim regularly dishes about sex when he goes on the air -- despite the fact that such open talk is banned in his country. The best part: Salim presents his popular TV show wearing make-up and women's clothing.
When he was a child, he prayed
to Allah to make him a woman:
Pakistani talkshow host Ali Salim.
His eyebrows are covered in a thick layer of mascara, and his red lips are shining with lip gloss. His glamorous sari and glistening jewelry aren't enough to distract from the talk show host's perfectly made-up face. Ali Salim interviews celebrity guests on his " Late Night Show with Nawazish Ali" every week. The 28-year-old is bisexual, and the coquettish widow Begum Nawazish has been his alter ego for a year and a half.
While he breaks every taboo in conservative Pakistan with his provocative show, Salim has never been attacked by Muslim fundamentalists, the New York Times reports -- despite the fact that traditional Islam condemns homosexuality. Gay and lesbian Pakistanis have few possibilities for expressing their sexual orientation.
The TV star isn't bothered by the fact that his show is frequently criticized for its juicy content. He chats with celebrities from Pakistan and India, including top politicians. "Sitting senators have sent requests to be on the show," he told the New York Times. When the guests are male, Begum Nawazish Ali flirts away with them. When they're female, "she" competes with them over who looks better. But no matter whether the topic is politics, democracy or the latest gossip -- her questions are tough and probing. She openly criticizes the role played by the military that rules Pakistan, for example.
Full Story
MultiQuote