For over a decade, Ramez Galal’s annual prank show – a Ramadan TV staple – moved unpredictably, much like the helpless gaggle of Arab celebrities finding themselves at its mercy.
At its best, it creates elaborate and bombastic set-ups that can leave the most ardent critics marvelling at its execution.
Who could forget the 2019 season of Ramez Behind the Scenes, where Egyptian actors Yasmine Sabri and Mohamed Tharwat were lured into what they believed was a cameo appearance in a Jean-Claude Van Damme action movie. With the Belgian star in on the prank – they briefly met him on set – they endured a hair-raising, fiery stunt sequence alongside a masked figure who they believed was the Muscles from Brussels, only to find out it was Galal himself.
Then there was 2021's Ramez Aqlahu Tar, in which actress Dina Elsherbiny arguably delivered her most expressive on-screen performance – as her furious real-life self. After being led to believe that an enclosed craft, suspended a few hundred metres in the air, was about to explode, she leapt for safety into a pool, only to emerge in a fit of rage.
Those high points were occasionally offset by missteps, when pranks veered from good-spirited fun into outright cruelty. The most glaring was 2020's Ramez Majnun Rasmi, in which guests were strapped into a gyrating chair before being submerged in a tank full of crabs – an ordeal severe enough to prompt a viewer advisory warning from Egyptian medical establishments.
Binding these ups and downs, however, is Galal. An irrepressible host who could charmingly defuse the most livid celebrities, from actor Mohamed Ramadan to Saudi footballer Ali Al Bulaihi. That disarming banter seems almost unnecessary in Ramez Elon Masr. It's not that the latest iteration of the show fails to put high-profile names through their paces – rather, the entire premise feels alarmingly average, signalling the ratings juggernaut is running out of steam.
Once again, we find ourselves in Riyadh’s leisure district, The Boulevard, where a space is transformed into a fake television studio for a talent quest. In each episode, a celebrity target is invited to the set as a judge, only for the experience to go disastrously wrong.
So far, so good – an enticing set-up promising plenty of mischief. The only problem is there’s no real escalation of tension. Instead, we spend nearly half of the 30-minute episode watching a parade of fake acts – from twirling planks of wood to manic dancing.
If this was meant to be a satirical jab at the abundance of talent shows today, I didn’t get it. The real action begins when the guest is strapped on to a stretcher for a supposed scientific experiment conducted by one of the contestants – only for the studio audience to disperse and the set to transform into an interrogation room.
It is then that Galal reveals himself from beneath an astronaut suit – launching into a recycled version of his antics from Ramez Majnun Rasmi, which remains a low point of the franchise. In that series, contestants were flung around the studio while strapped to a chair. This time, they’re jolted with low-current electric shocks while strapped to a bed.
The banality might have been forgivable if it had achieved its intended effect – the guests scared witless, followed by an attempt to assault Galal once freed, and concluding with a kiss and hug to signal all is forgiven.
Instead, they seemed too bored by the ordeal to muster a real reaction. Actor Ahmed El Awady simply shrugged and offered a half-hearted threat to Galal, while footballer Emam Ashour’s question – “how can you do this?” – felt more like disappointment than genuine anger. While Ramez Elon Masr, airing nightly during the holy month, is only six episodes in, the lack of variety and dynamism on offer is already making this season feel more gruelling to watch than entertaining.
Then again, perhaps the series is saving its best material for last. If not, it could be time to put the whole enterprise on ice – because nobody likes a joke that falls flat.
Ramez Elon Masr can be streamed on Shahid
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
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The biog
From: Upper Egypt
Age: 78
Family: a daughter in Egypt; a son in Dubai and his wife, Nabila
Favourite Abu Dhabi activity: walking near to Emirates Palace
Favourite building in Abu Dhabi: Emirates Palace
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
'THE WORST THING YOU CAN EAT'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
SQUADS
South Africa:
Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wkt), AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Wayne Parnell, Dane Paterson, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada
Coach: Ottis Gibson
Bangladesh:
Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Imrul Kayes, Liton Das (wkt), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wkt), Mustafizur Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Tamim Iqbal, Taskin Ahmed.
Coach: Chandika Hathurusingha
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Honeymoonish
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
More coverage from the Future Forum
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
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ASHES SCHEDULE
First Test
November 23-27 (The Gabba, Brisbane)
Second Test
December 2-6 (Adelaide Oval, Adelaide)
Third Test
December 14-18 (Waca Ground, Perth)
Fourth Test
December 26-30 (Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne)
Fifth Test
January 4-8, 2018 (Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney)
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
The%20specs
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
