BAGHDAD — Reclining on a gold-rimmed purple sofa, the leader of the Islamic State extremist group mulls his social-media strategy as an overaffectionate sword-wielding dwarf looks on.
Here’s the town drunk, who has become a zealous follower of the Islamic State, beating those who consume alcohol — though he still drinks in secret himself.
And there’s the shop owner who is informed that vegetables with names in the Arabic language that are female in gender can’t mix with those of the male gender.
That’s right, a new weapon has been unleashed in this country devastated by Islamist militant violence — comedy.
A new 30-part satirical series, “State of Myths,” which started airing on Iraqi state television on Saturday, aims to expose the true nature of the Islamic State extremist organization — through slapstick and puns.
The show demonstrates the extraordinary ability of people in this war-scarred nation to challenge violence with humor. But making light of the group notorious for beheadings and massacres brings serious risks. Some of the cast members have not allowed their names to appear on the show’s credits, while the scriptwriter has insisted on remaining anonymous.
The comedy also shows something else: the jaundiced view that many Iraqis have of the countries that are coming to their government’s defense against the militants.
The original trailer for the series played into widely held conspiracy theories alleging that the United States, Qatar and Israel were responsible for the rise of the Islamic State. That idea was scrapped after executives decided that amid a U.S-led bombing campaign, ridiculing their allies had become too sensitive.
Set in a fictional Iraqi town that is taken over by the extremists, the show concentrates on poking fun at Islamic State rule.
The local drunk takes on the uncompromising passion of a convert, which doesn’t interfere with the hypocrisy of enjoying a few drinks on the side.
When the grocer learns that he can’t mix noun genders when it comes to vegetables, the show is making fun of the warped interpretation of Islam that the Islamic State espouses.
In the years since the 2003 U.S. invasion, satirical television has flourished in Iraq, though it comes under fire for making light of the country’s crippling violence. Other regional shows mocking the group have already been broadcast.
“We are giving the audience the real image of Daish,” said Khalil Ibrahim, an Iraqi actor who plays the town’s mayor, using the Arabic acronym for the fighters. “We are educating people, talking to the people who are supporting this group.”
Broadcast nationally, the show will be available in Islamic State-controlled land — large portions of the western and northern provinces.
The show is intended to be family-friendly, so brutal Islamic State actions such as beheadings and slaughter are alluded to but glossed over. Still, on the set in Baghdad, violence is at the forefront of people’s minds.
“For me, it’s personal,” said Alwan, who lost two children to extremist violence. “It might be dangerous, but we need to send a message of how ugly these people are.”
