Puppets in China and Pakistan Tackle Big Issues
CNN did a great job of covering the often unfairly ignored "world puppet beat" in its news lineup this week. China's puppets "go green" while puppets in Pakistan satirize government officials.
Master puppeteer Farooq Quaisar, also known as the "Jim Henson of Pakistan," is behind a weekly political satire television show with a mission to bring awareness to the people. Most recently, his puppets did a sketch about Pakistani parliamentarians with fake university degrees- a topic that traditional media has been banned from reporting.
While the tongue-in-cheek program is designed to make people laugh, Qaisar also feels a responsibility to inform his viewers about what is going on in the often-scandalous Pakistani political arena. Unsurprisingly, the parliamentarians weren't amused by the Quaisar's latest sketches. Nevertheless, the show has avoided any formal repercussions.
Meanwhile, in China, Guangzhou Television has a different goal in mind for their puppets: encouraging audiences to go green. This popular and successful TV show has an environmentally-friendly message, complete with dancing polar bears and penguins on ice caps. Whatever works!