Rather than pain and shock, ‘drole’ would be the appropriate sentiment with which to greet the latest edition of Saudi Arabian TV comedy Tash Ma Tash:

The central character takes four husbands, explaining herself using the conventional arguments Saudi men use to exercise their legal and religious privilege of marrying four times.

When she remarries for the first time she complains that her existing husband has stopped caring about his looks after five years, and is preoccupied with work.

The next marriage is for a dare with friends, and the fourth marriage, to a Syrian, she explains by saying that she is now bored with Saudi men.

Then she decides she wants to marry for a fifth time, making the four husbands draw lots to see who will be divorced and plunging them into a morass of jealousy. [Source]

Naturally, in true Pavlovian fashion conservatives have expressed their disdain with zest, peppering their vitriol with allusions to ‘prostitution’ and ‘insult to the faith.’

Otherwise, it sounds a delightful concept and it’s quite wonderful that the media is willing to explore such taboos in an entertainment framework.

And the fact that King Abdullah relishes it tickles even more.