by TChris

“Survivor” might be reality TV in the US, but it’s a way of life in Iraq. The invasion of Iraq has nonetheless given Iraq’s TV stations an opportunity to develop their own reality TV series. The bombing of homes spawned “Materials and Labor,” a show inspired by “This Old House” that might have been called “This Destroyed House.”

The same network also broadcasts a weekly show called "Congratulations!" featuring producers who help young, poor couples marry, and another that follows TV crews on road trips to hand out $1,000 to lottery winners.

This summer, a rival network, Sumeria, began running "Iraq Star," an amateur singing competition that bears more than a passing resemblance to "American Idol."

Here’s a sad commentary:

"This is the only good thing we've acquired from the American occupation," Majid al-Samarraie, the writer of "Materials and Labor," said as he watched the reconstruction of Ms. Ismail's home.