‘Whenever… Whatever!’ Iranian TV gets blasted over Shakira gaffe
“Whenever, wherever” Columbian singer Shakira is seen, fans usually get quite excited. This week however, the singer created a different kind of buzz.
Iran’s state TV on Wednesday was attacked by critics after broadcasting a glimpse of Shakira in the crowds during the Spain-Italy match in Brazil last week.
She had been wearing what was deemed by Iranian hardliners as a revealing top, which showed her bare arms.
Women in Iran are prohibited to attend national football matches with men. It has also been known that international games streamed from international channels in Iran are strictly censored.
According to a report from Britain’s The Guardian, attacks from Islamist hardliners were fired at the state television network after they showed the image of Shakira, who had been cheering for her footballing husband, Gerard Piqué, during the Confederations cup match.
Fans immediately posted her picture on Twitter saying, “Everyone tune in to [Iran broadcaster’s] channel 3, they're showing Shakira!!!”
"Last night they showed Shakira, tonight they shall show Jennifer [Lopez]," read another tweet, The Guardian reported.
The news was reminiscent of a similar incident earlier this year involving U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama.
In February, Michelle was given a quick makeover by Iranian media during her televised appearance at the Oscars.
Her shoulders and chest area were covered up by a speedy Photoshop snip of her Oscars dress while she appeared at the ceremony via a video link from the White House to announce that Iranian hostage thriller “Argo” had won best picture.
The Iranian audience watching the live broadcast was shown the “Iranian redesign” of Michelle’s dress, with the censor made to conform to the country’s restrictions on images of the female body in the media.
Fars, which is affiliated to the Islamic republic's elite Revolutionary Guards, changed the U.S. first lady's dress to stand by rules stipulating that Iranian women shown on Iran's state television should have a hijab that covers their hair, arms and legs.
