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SPOILER ALERT! NBC’s ‘The Office’ Finale 
Six months after the NBC Universal-Comcast merger was completed, Ryan Seacrest, the reality king of the Comcast part of the company, is crossing over to the other side with a docu-series series for Bravo. Tentatively titled Shahs of Sunset, it follows a group of affluent young Persian-American friends who juggle their flamboyant, fast-paced L.A. lifestyles with the demands of their families and traditions.“The series will offer rich characters and relatable storylines about everyday life — love, work, friendship and family — steeped in a diverse culture, which is wildly entertaining and fun,” Seacrest said. Sounds like an upscale, West Coast version of Jersey Shore. While they have a big presence in a number of areas of Southern California, including the San Fernando Valley, Orange Country and Los Angeles’ Westwood area, the influx of affluent Iranian-American families in Beverly Hills has been a phenomenon over the past decade. They are the dominant ethnic group at Beverly Hills High, something reflected in the new 90210 series, and recently got their first Mayor, Jimmy Delshad, who served 2 terms. On Bravo, the new series is expected to fit with the Real Housewives franchise and Million Dollar Listing. Meanwhile, Seacrest has also been talking to NBC about a new music competition series leading to speculation that he may leave American Idol when his contact is up next year.
TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.
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At least it’s not more Armenian’s.
Fyi, if you are basing your opinion of Armenians on the Kardashians, grow a brain and realize that they do not represent an entire ethnic population with a diaspora all around the word who have a history that is thousands of years old. I guess online is the easiest place for people to show their true colors…
Really?….. http://tinyurl.com/3ch2p6o
Armenian money train….
Come to Great Neck!
worst people unkind inhuman and not friendly they think they are better than others and if you do not have money just like them they do not even talk to you even if your their first cousin or family
Some damn fine punctuation there, Anonymous. It took me ten minutes to figure out what you were trying to say with less than 40 words because you so cannily ran them together in one illiterate stream of thought.
Who is this girl that says she doesn’t like ants and “Ugly People” how much more “UGLY” can you get than someone who actually would say something like that!!! Persian Girl YOU ARE UGLY INSIDE AND OUT!!!!
Maybe you’re just slow. I understood them perfectly.Pretending to be stupid doesn’t make you look smart
all the persian in great neck think they have money but no class or education
Great Neck persians think they are better than others; women dress and wear make up like cirque de soleil disney’s circus clown looking
…30 years + of living with and around Iranians. Ethnocentric, sneaky, phony snobs. Although I might get a laugh or two watching this program; I think it would be best if I skip it altogether. Another nervous breakdown from these people, I don’t need.
Great – more reasons to hate people richer than me.
This will do nothing but perpetuate negative stereotypes. When I first moved to LA I thought all Persians were douche bags because this was the public persona I witnessed. However, after making a few Iranian-American friends, I realized that it applied to only a moderately sized subset of the population. Why do I think this is going to be “The Hills – Ethnic Style”?
As a Jew, I can say that every group needs to own up to it’s part in creating stereotypes, Persians ( or really Iranians) are no exception. This could certainly help them do a little introspection.
too bad that this show will be based mostly on Persian Jews, both stereotyping Persians and Jews! Double whammy.
Someone please explain to me why no one from Iran claims to be Iranian – they all claim to be Persian. Can someone explain why no one will claim Iranian? it’s like being from Italy (or of descent) and claiming instead to be Etruscan.
It’s not really something we say cuz we aren’t proud to be from Iran, it’s just something that has been said from the past due to the fact that we had an empire, and now, many people are saying it because they’re honestly embarrassed to say they come from a country with so much destruction and controversy in the government, I know I am.. but that’s where Persian comes in, because Persian isn’t saying we’re from the country, it’s saying we love and cherish the many traditions and cultural life of Iran. I hope that helps?
its because the greeks called us persians because there were a sub-set of the iranian whole and it stuck.
Hi everyone, in response to the question on the “Iranian” vs. “Persian” categorization?
I believe that the word Iran (Iranian in this case) was officially printed in 1941 in response to the Trans-Iranian Railroad project by Nazi Germany. I speculate that the word is related to “Aryans”, originally the Nordics that would migrate south.
As to why the insistence on being called “Persian”, I guess we’ll have to watch the show
I, personally have called myself Persian because of the harassment from Americans who don’t know geography. Say Persian, they smile. Say Iranian, they have only the media to thank for filling their brains with bad negative press. When a punk American comes walking in circles asking me “R U Arabic?!?!?” and my answer is “no” –because Iran is not an Arab state. It saved my life since he had a blade, pants hanging below his underwear, and all that other crap to scare me. Hmm, pants too baggy and hanging down. I don’t understand how that is supposed to scare me. Anyways, these examples make people speak of a country that was an empire from 6,000 BC. Not an old building 225 years old and expect people to say “wow, that is something old!” Not compared to things found there that are 2000 years BC or such. Also, add in there that the USA wants to change the Persian Gulf name. Like other countries called Persia to today’s term Iran.
If you live in LA, is it wrong to say you don’t like Persians? Is an Armenian a Persian? If so, then I would like to correct myself and say I don’t like Armenians. Because I don’t. They suck. Anyone who lives in LA knows what I’m talking about. Come on, who’s with me? Booo Armenians!
“Gypsys, tramps and thieves…”
Ok you are clearly a racist, and as an Armenian woman I continue to be appalled that the likes of you exist. If you happen to have met some Armenians whose company you did not enjoy, it doesn’t mean you should go online and make an insensitive and quite frankly stupid comment that clearly shows your ignorance. No, Armenians aren’t Persians because if they were they would be called Persians. Secondly, leave the United States because this should be a place of tolerance not a place where jackasses such as yourself reside.
Obviously you have not been victimized and ripped off by these people.
Is crime and criminal behavior something to be “tolerated?
Armenians, best known for being the shadiest landlords you’ll ever come across in LA! Proud culture…..
I’ve been victimized and ripped off by all sorts of people. I just don’t try to demean an entire ethnicity because of it. But I guess I’m just intelligent that way.
It doesn’t matter where you are or whether you’re talking about Muslims, Armenians, Jews, Persians, Christians, Europeans, Chinese, or even Purple People (sorry Mitch Hedburg.) It is always wrong to say you do not like a group of people as a whole. Period, end of story.
I don’t like certain dog breeds because of how they look or act (eff you boxers!). Maybe if I knew them personally that would change. Not sure if it’s “wrong” though.
butttt… he should at least give a reason.
Persians are NOT Armenian!
Armenians are not to be trusted.
You are beyond ignorant.
WOW, you are beyond ignorant. You’re parents did a great job.
is it going to be filled with blue carpets and gold curtain rods?
will ugly house decoration with full of junks they call antique
This will never work. The Persian’s I’ve met in Los Angeles, are people who overestimate their own importance and exhibits arrogant or pompous behavior as if they own this town. Which would not be an issue if they had charismatic qualities, charm and humor to get the audience to overlook their character flaws. But sadly they all lack charisma, personality and redeeming qualities. When you consider the given facts and consider that we are in a down economy, where the public doesn’t look too kindly on a person who built what they have with mommy and daddies money (and then call themselves self made), the shows is doomed. Now if he had done this show with Persians in London or New York, who are more assimilated, educated and savvy, that would be a different story.
First, they’re Iranians. Second, if they’re living in and around Beverly Hills, they’re rich Iranians (about the only ones who can afford to escape their homeland). Third, that leads to your point on why you see the behaviors you see. Now, take out the word “Iranian”, and what do you have left? Beverly Hills and rich. Which pretty much explains the behaviors of people you run into there, regardless of country of origin. Now, as for its viability as a successful TV show, perhaps Mr. Seacrest will have his first big flop.
Wasn’t Sunset Tan his big flop?
Why do all the “Persians” I have ever met claim to be just that, and not Iranian? It is like all Italians (and those of that descent) claiming to be Etruscans.
Unfortunately, this is exactly why the show will be a success: they will find those who best fit that stereotype because that’s who people are going to want to “love to hate”.
I WAS A GUEST CO-HOST ON AN IRANIAN-AMERICAN BASED SATELLITE TV SHOW CALLED ‘NEW YORK LIFE.’ My experiences and knowledge about communal life in the Iranian communities of Los Angeles and New
York are extensive and are also based on my strong knowledge of Iranian history before and after the revolution. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO HIRE A CONSULTANT AND OR CO-HOST WHO HAS EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT COMMUNAL LIFE AND HAS A STRONG NETWORK OF THE “WHO’S WHO IN BOTH LOS ANGELS AND NEW YORK I WELCOME YOU TO CONTACT ME. Furthermore, I can use my experience working on BRAVO’s ‘QUEER EYE FOR THE STRAIGHT GUY’ I would highly suggest branding this production much like ‘The Real Housewives’and have one specific to New York in itself. *(I INCLUDED MY CELLPHONE IN THE TAB FOR MY E-MAIL)
Unfortunately, I disagree with the statement: “Now if he had done this show with Persians in London or New York, who are more assimilated, educated and savvy, that would be a different story.”
The Iranian community in New York, particularly those living in the enclave of Great Neck are stereotyped among the Iranian communities in the diaspora, as being more conservative, and less assimilated with regard to social freedom, societal pressure,than those living in Los Angles.
For first generation Iranian Americans in New York, something as simple as being in a relationship is usually kept secret until the couple is engaged, where as those living in Los Angeles are more inclined and open to tell their friends they’re actually in a relationship and be seen publicly with them without being referred by others as a slut. It’s not to say that later doesn’t occur in LA, however, my statement does in fact refer to the majority. This example is just one of the many “more archaic” cultural reforms that have been integrated into the mindset of the New York Iranian community.
On a similar note, New York Iranians are perceived as overall being more sophisticated in demeanor and having old money vs. their neuvo-rich counterparts in Beverly Hills. However, as contradictory as this may sound, although they live in a “communal bubble”, being in a cosmopolitan environmental has allowed our constituent body in New York to engage in more internationally inclined and or “cultured” activities since we live in what is know as the capital of the world.
As for education, both men and woman in Los Angeles and New York are making strides, while going to some of the Nations’s top schools, Like UCLA and NYU. They are clearly making strides and becoming our countries future politicians, lawyers, doctors, artists etc. without necessarily going into the family business as much as it was customary during our parents generation. Although a few still do.
Unfortunately, I disagree with the statement: “Now if he had done this show with Persians in London or New York, who are more assimilated, educated and savvy, that would be a different story.”
The Iranian community in New York, particularly those living in the enclave of Great Neck are stereotyped among the Iranian communities in the diaspora, as being more conservative, and less assimilated with regard to social freedom, societal pressure,than those living in Los Angles.
For first generation Iranian Americans in New York, something as simple as being in a relationship is usually kept secret until the couple is engaged, where as those living in Los Angeles are more inclined and open to tell their friends they’re actually in a relationship and be seen publicly with them without being referred by others as a slut. It’s not to say that later doesn’t occur in LA, however, my statement does in fact refer to the majority. This example is just one of the many “more archaic” cultural reforms that have been integrated into the mindset of the New York Iranian community.
On a similar note, New York Iranians are perceived as overall being more sophisticated in demeanor and having old money vs. their neuvo-rich counterparts in Beverly Hills. However, as contradictory as this may sound, although they live in a “communal bubble”, being in a cosmopolitan environmental has allowed our constituent body in New York to engage in more internationally inclined and or “cultured” activities since we live in what is know as the capital of the world.
As for education, both men and woman in Los Angeles and New York are making strides, while going to some of the Nations’s top schools, Like UCLA and NYU. They are clearly making strides and becoming our countries future politicians, lawyers, doctors, artists etc. without necessarily going into the family business as much as it was customary during our parents generation. Although a few still do.
Show me ***ONE*** Persian or Iranian on welfare and then we can talk. I see thousands of people on welfare milking the system with extra babies to make more money. Everyone’s s*** stinks. You guys speak poorly about Persians/Iranians, but are you any different?
I’m not so sure if Bravo’s demos will completely relate to this insular world. The viewer will feel excluded, much like Iranians (there’s no such thing as Persia…these people are Iranians) exclude non-Iranians from their social circles.
The characters would have to have at least a few relatable values and/or emotions to the viewer and I don’t see that happening here.
And Iranian communities are not a curiosity in the U.S. because most communities in the U.S. do not have Iranian communities. The average viewer simply won’t care.
If they slapped a “Real Housewives of Iranian-American Communities” label on it, then that might help get viewers.
Ugh. Just fuckin’ kill me.
Nellie, as a reporter you could have used this opportunity to dispell the myth that there is such a thing as a modern-day “Persian.” There are no “Persians.” There is no country of Persia and there hasn’t been for about 90 years. These people are “Iranians.”
And yes, I’m aware that mosst of them identify themself as “Persian.” My theory is that they do this as a matter of PR because when the average person hears “Persian,” he thinks of cute kittens and nice rugs, whereas when he hears “Iranian” he thinks of suicide bombers.
Anyway, let’s be factually-accurate here.
HEY ANONYMOUS GET YOUR FACTS CHECKED.
Last time there was a suicide bombing in Iran, it was Pakistani terrorists. Iranian people aren’t savages. The only time people get killed there is when the government shoots them in the street for protesting to get their freedom back. You are a disgusting human being.
There is no “myth” to dispel that there are modern-day Persians, as though there’s some objective fact of the matter that people are getting wrong. It’s not like most people who use the term “Persian” actually think there’s a country called “Persia.” This is just how a group of people choose to identify themselves. In general, because many of their families were driven out of the country, they prefer not to identify with the political entity of “Iran” but rather with the ethnic/cultural heritage of the region. So they use the term “Persian.”
Don’t act like you’re clever or figured something out when you’re just being kind of racist and semantically dismissive of a community of people.
You clearly don’t know any of these people, because they refer to themselves as Persians. They are ethnic snobs who take every opportunity to inform the ignorant masses that they are not dirty Arabs. Yes, they are extremely racist people, also. They like to think of themselves as European – why, they believe that’s the superior race, I’m not quite sure.
Finally, if they’re focusing on the Persians of Beverly Hills, this population is primarily JEWISH, not Muslim.
Yeah i think the whole religion thing should be defined. Jewish and Muslim, totally different cultures. Not to say that one is better just very different from each other.
As an Iranian Historian, I can tell you the reason why the Iranian community calls themselves “Persian” to begin with is because Iran is comprised of different tribes of people. However, overwhelming majority are Persian.
Another moron I must educate.
You need to understand that calling them Iranians to most is offensive.
Because Iran is this new heinous regime which no one wants to associate with. That’s why they’re here in America now. And to call them ‘Iranian’ refers to this barabaric oppressive regime as opposed to the old style Persia where the people were free. Most Iranians scathe when someone calls them that…it’s the equivalent of calling an Asian oriental.
Yeah, let’s be factual. Probably since Americans will teach their kids to kick the s*** out of any Iranians. That happened to me in 5th grade. Why would a 5th grader beat me up and say “your f***’n Iranian, take that!” all while kicking, spitting, punching and hurting me. Same kid, today is in prison getting the same up his a** from guys–what goes around, comes around. I, saved up my own money. Didn’t go max out credit cards to “have fun”. I earned every penny and now, have multiple properties. I take good care of my tenants and take care of anything on my own or hire someone. I let my friends, tenants and co-workers judge me. So far, all is great. But make no mistake, your media teaches the wrong feelings. Every time there is some issue around the world in an airport, they blame Iran. Yet, it is someone from Saudi Arabia (an ally of the US), or some other ally country. Really, name one? 9-11, name one Iranian? So, bottom line….media teaches people to blame Iranians first. I’ve had the personal experiences even as a kid. I help anyone, I’ve risked my life doing Search & Rescue, I’ve given my lunch to a hungry person on the street to only wait a few more hours to go home from work to eat finally. Blame the person you see doing something wrong, not the entire culture or group. There are ugly things in America here like rape, but no one in Iran blames ALL OF AMERICA, just the person who committed the ugly crime.
I just wanted to say that I saw a preview of this on tv and it was horrible. This tv show is nothing like the average and normal iranian. The only iranian who live like this are the ones who are ashamed of their own backround and heritage. They should be proud of who they are. But I lives in Iran for 5 years and I loves it. My mother is american and my father is from iran. I started wearing a head scarf by choice and still do. These people are a disgrace to all true iranians and they are representing all iranians in a bad way. We are good people and just because the media and governmant says otherwise doesn’t mean you have to believe it. I think most iranians who see this will literally want to kill these fake animals who claim they are persian. Just hollywood and america trying to ruin iranians. If you don’t know about the culture and have never been to the country you can never judge based on what you hear and see.
The title of the show: “Keeping up with the Kardashians”, that’s not taken right? Oh.. it is? Fuck it, we’ll make the show anyways.
Someone stop Seacrest.
hmmm, looked over my globe on my desk, there is no “Persia”.
I guess in your halfwit mind there are no Native Americans, because your “globe” doesn’t have a Native America?
You’re not getting it. There never was a country called “Native America,” but there was a country called “Persia,” which has long since been called “Iran.” Hence, people from that country are “Iranians.”
Let me put it another way: when’s the last time you heard a German identify himself as Prussian?
good one. much better than my Etruscan example.
i like to identify myself as a “New Worlder”
lol stupid Iranians… the only real Persians are cats and rugs.
dont forget u have everything from iranians.i’m not iranian but i definitely say that they r the best in the world.i have gone 4 times to iran and i enjoyed there more than any other place.the best culture…best historical places…best people…
what u see in news r not real iranians
Again as an actual Iranian I’d like to apologize for all the ignorant Poorsians commenting here with no knowledge of their history.
Iranians are Persians, it’s the same thing, one is a Greek word. However, Persian is an ethnicity and a language, thus when referring to oneself you say Persian as that is your ethnicity.
Iranian is a nationality.
A COMPELLING SHOW ABOUT VERY INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE THAT I GRATEFULLY WORK WITH WHO I HAVE FOUND TO BE EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE OF ME OVER THE LAST 2 DECADES. ROOTING THIS SHOW DOES EXTREMELY WELL
Will they support you when you ask them how to un-do the ‘CAPS LOCK’ key?
will this be titled A DAY IN THE LIFE ON THE WEST SIDE OF LA? Good god this sounds like torture!
Will people outside of L.A. care?
I’ll think I will skip this fiasco of a show. As mentioned above, many of the people I’ve met that fit this demo in L.A., have no likeable or relateable qualities. However, I scratch my head everytime I see K Kardashian on the front cover a magazine.
will this be titled A DAY IN THE LIFE OF TACKY BEVERLY HILLS?
because Seacrest doesn’t have enough to do every day as it is! I want to produce a “day in the life” documentary about that man! It must be exhausting!
This show will probably do for Persians what Jersey Shore has done for Italian-Americans. And that is a damn shame. Of course there are negative stereotypical Persians. Just as every race and creed has them.
I’m fine if they call themselves Persians. People from the Middle East that are Arabs call themselves Arabs. Why? Because they are Arabs, whether they live in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, UAE, etc. Persians are not Arabs. They are Persians in what is presently known as Iran.
So, all the hate on the use of the name “Persians” versus “Iranian” I believe to be unfounded.
Whenever I see Seacrest, I always think of this monologue from “Broadcast News”:
“What do you think the Devil is going to look like if he’s around? Nobody is going to be taken in if he has a long, red, pointy tail. No. I’m semi-serious here. He will look attractive and he will be nice and helpful and he will get a job where he influences a great God-fearing nation and he will never do an evil thing… he will just bit by little bit lower standards where they are important. Just coax along flash over substance… Just a tiny bit. And he will talk about all of us really being salesmen”.
Wrong for three reasons. Many rich, westernized, Iranian women are very hot. If the public hates some of the characters on a reality show, that works too. Seacrest is a modern King Midas who could sell his own excrement for $25 an ounce.
Wrong for three reasons. Many rich, westernized, Iranian women are very hot. If the public hates some of the characters on a reality show, that works too. Seacrest is a modern King Midas who could sell his own excrement for $25 an ounce.
I’m an Iranian that grew up in the bay area and I have to admit the “beverly hills persians” are of a different breed than the community I grew up in. I’m sure this show will have guilty pleasure/entertainment value, but it will be sad if people outside of Los Angeles think this is what Iranians are like— especially after reading some of the harsher comments. Family is very important to the Iranian culture so maybe that will come across and make these people slightly more endearing/relatable. As for the wealth thing being tacky in this economy— The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is a HUGE hit for Bravo and those women are super rich (and super tacky). Everyone knows that people who lack any self awareness make the best reality TV subjects and I’m guessing that’s what we’re in for. That said, I will be watching. Seacrest Forever.
The cast they chose are a buncha washed up, had beens (and actually they weren’t even shit then) this is a true embarassment to their families as well as the “persian” community….
I agree most Americans are not familiar with Persians or Persian culture. This could either be really good for the community by introducing the culture to everyone, or really bad by perpetuating stereotypes that already exist… we’ll see.
Also just to clear something up it’s true that a lot of Persians try to distance themselves from Iran because the government there is an embarrassment to the people, but Persians are also proud of their history and culture which predates 1935 when then name of the country was changed to Iran, so that’s the main reason why it’s Persian not Iranian. Additionally, although most Iranians in LA are Persian, a significant number of Iranians in Iran are not Persian. There are Kurds, Turks, Lurs, Mazandaranis etc, so Persian is actually an ethnic group within Iran and saying you’re Persian is a just a more specific reference to your ethnicity.