1 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:24,960 Speaker 1: Afghanistar Episode one, light camera action. Welcome back to Afghanistan. 2 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: Please put your hands together for the host, the director, 3 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 1: the producer, the. 4 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 2: Man who built this show, Daoud Zidiki. 5 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 3: It's around eleven o'clock. I'm so thirsty, I'm so angry. 6 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 3: I'm so exhausted that I can't think about anything. 7 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 1: It's September two thousand and five, just a few years 8 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: after the Taliban were driven out of Afghanistan, and Daoud 9 00:00:55,680 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: Sidiki has barely slept in days. He's been pulling all 10 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 1: nighters to get the first episode of a new TV 11 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 1: show out. It's called Afghanistar, and nothing like it has 12 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 1: ever aired in Afghanistan before. But right now daoude is 13 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 1: so exhausted he's about to pass out. So instead of 14 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:25,680 Speaker 1: sticking around to watch the show. 15 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:30,400 Speaker 3: Go live, I just drove to my house and went home, 16 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 3: and my mom opened the door and I just went 17 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 3: to the bit with my offsclots. 18 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: Daoud collapses into a deep sleep and he doesn't wake 19 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 1: until late the next morning. 20 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:47,199 Speaker 3: At that time, he didn't have the electricity at Cobble 21 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 3: that much like I didn't have a chance to listen 22 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 3: to radio or TV or anything. 23 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 1: But as soon as he's up. He's in a panic. 24 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: He has no idea how the show's been received. Are 25 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 1: there people cheering in the street? M are calling for 26 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: his head? He spent two sleepless months of his life 27 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:15,919 Speaker 1: on this thing. Did anyone even watch? Also, he's late 28 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: for work, like really late. That would throw some clothes on, 29 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:24,919 Speaker 1: jumps in his car, his hand shaking as he turns 30 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 1: on the radio, the chimes of the clock playing at 31 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 1: the top of the hour, and then the. 32 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 3: Headlines against afghanst Star. 33 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:45,079 Speaker 4: Afghanstar is one of the most shows in the country. 34 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 2: This is a new type of show and the people 35 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 2: are watching it, following it intensely, seeing only this time. 36 00:02:51,680 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 3: Hours during generators long and starts. Oh my god, what happened? 37 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:12,240 Speaker 1: The answer to that question is going to define his life. 38 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:15,520 Speaker 1: It will take him on a journey from the back 39 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 1: rooms of a makeshift TV station in Cobble all the 40 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:21,519 Speaker 1: way across the globe. 41 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 3: I was a celebrity of the country everywhere. I was 42 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 3: like on the skies. 43 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: He will watch as his country is transformed. 44 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 3: Lights, mikes and cameras. 45 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 1: It's a different kind of battle in Afghanistan, one that 46 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: has the whole nation watching. Osma because in the aftermath 47 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: of the Taliban you still see rubble everywhere. There really 48 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 1: was an American idol for Afghanistan. 49 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 5: We cannot let the darkness come over us again. We 50 00:03:57,160 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 5: have to fight back with music. 51 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 1: Afghan Star helped heal a nation torn apart by violence. 52 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 5: Between all the explosions and all the disappointment, that was 53 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:18,360 Speaker 5: light in the darkness. 54 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:22,839 Speaker 1: It allowed its people to fall in love with music 55 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 1: again and eventually had them running for their lives. 56 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 5: And knew he had the gun, And I said to him, 57 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 5: if I get captured, please shoot me. 58 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:49,839 Speaker 6: In the head. 59 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: I'm John Legend from Kaleidoscope and iHeart podcasts. This is 60 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 1: Afghan Star. 61 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 7: Then make a numba eat a go Damn Buddha, Let 62 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:14,600 Speaker 7: no more Ruda as maas John bad. 63 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 2: Name Mother. 64 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:33,680 Speaker 1: Chapter one, Friday Night Lights. Every once in a while, 65 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 1: there's a moment when the world seems to halt, when 66 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 1: streets fall quiet and people call one another to stop 67 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: everything and turn on the television. They gather in apartments 68 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:51,839 Speaker 1: and living rooms, huddle onto sofas and floors. They sit together, transfixed. 69 00:05:52,600 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 1: You know these moments. The moon landing, a royal wedding, 70 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 1: and Princess of weddings. These moments can be joyous and triumphant, 71 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 1: like everyone watching as a hobble gymnast somehow sticks a landing, 72 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 1: or unimaginable, like the day the towers fell and then 73 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 1: it's flapped out. 74 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:34,440 Speaker 3: It looks like it's it at it's light. 75 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:36,280 Speaker 7: Tangle into the world's race that I can see. 76 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:38,800 Speaker 8: I can see flames now coming out the side. 77 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 2: Of the building, and the smoke. 78 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 1: Continuets to blow. These are moments of cultural importance, when 79 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:54,799 Speaker 1: everyone drops what they're doing to gather around a screen. Well. 80 00:06:55,240 --> 00:07:00,120 Speaker 1: In Afghanistan, for about fifteen years, these moments have and 81 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 1: every Friday night it's March two thousand and six, New 82 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 1: Year's in Cobble. The city should be bustling, two lip festivals, 83 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 1: I've gotten polo tournaments, old men wearing colorful clothes walking 84 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 1: the streets, spitting poetry. People should be gathering in mosques 85 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 1: to raise giant banners and cheer. But instead of it's 86 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 1: a ghost town. The only signs of life are coming 87 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:40,560 Speaker 1: from a few houses and apartments, lights flickering from the windows. 88 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:45,680 Speaker 1: But look closer and you see why. In each of 89 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 1: these homes there's a tiny television perched in the corner 90 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:55,120 Speaker 1: and huddled around its warm glow. Are people so many 91 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 1: people packed in so tightly that you can barely see 92 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: the ground. They're all there to watch Afghan Star. In 93 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: one of these apartments, on one such sofa is Omit Nazami. 94 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:20,920 Speaker 1: He's relaxing now, but he's been fielding calls all day, 95 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 1: trying to help his friends out. 96 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 8: The people that they didn't have electricity. They keep calling, 97 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 8: do you have power? You have electricity? 98 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:29,120 Speaker 1: Tonight? 99 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 8: Can you tell me who is eliminated. 100 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 1: To watch Afghan Star? People across the nation have pulled 101 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 1: their resources and shared their homes. 102 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 8: You could see a family member that he is sitting 103 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 8: in a corner of the room and he's so upset. 104 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:45,320 Speaker 8: She's so upset, and they say, come on, have food, 105 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 8: have dinner. No, I'm not doing well tonight. My favorite 106 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 8: contestant just got eliminated. 107 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 1: He didn't deserve it. Everyone takes it seriously because this 108 00:08:55,840 --> 00:09:05,560 Speaker 1: show means everything to them. So why was watching a 109 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 1: talent show so important to these people? Well, before we 110 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 1: answer that question, maybe I should tell you a little 111 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: bit about myself, because I know what you're thinking. Why 112 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 1: is John Legend hosting a show about Afghanistan. Well, there's 113 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 1: the talent show connection. For sure. You might have seen 114 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:25,640 Speaker 1: me on the Voice. You have so much passion that 115 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 1: you also have discipline. I would love for you to 116 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 1: be on the team of the defending voice champion. That's me, 117 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:42,560 Speaker 1: that's me, But this is about something deeper. Music is 118 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 1: my life. When I was growing up, I heard it 119 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:51,520 Speaker 1: at home in the car. At church every Sunday, we 120 00:09:51,559 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 1: would sing in the gospel choir. My grandfather was the pastor, 121 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 1: my mother was the choir director, my grandmother the church organist. 122 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 1: It was my the whole world. After college, I dropped 123 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:10,240 Speaker 1: out of a solid career in management consulting because I 124 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 1: couldn't stop thinking about music. And then the other day 125 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 1: I was reading the news and the story popped up. 126 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:25,200 Speaker 1: It had a crazy headline, the Taliban burned a pile 127 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 1: of musical instruments because they're immoral. The photo showed four 128 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 1: men standing around a fire, just a regular garbage fire. 129 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:44,440 Speaker 1: But then you look closer and you see strings, mangled guitars, 130 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 1: the shelves of these beautiful harmoniums all charred up. I 131 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:55,400 Speaker 1: thought it. He's from Afghanistan's Ministry for the Promotional Virtue 132 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 1: and prevention of vice, created a bonfire from a number 133 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 1: of seased instruments and allowed speaker in her province over 134 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:10,520 Speaker 1: the weekend. The idea that anyone would destroy all these 135 00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:12,640 Speaker 1: things that bring us so much. 136 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 9: Joy and life. It's heartbreaking, but that image, it's the 137 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:26,200 Speaker 9: key to understanding why Afghanistar was so important, why a 138 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 9: TV show could get a nation. 139 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 1: To come to a halt. Because when the Taliban were 140 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 1: in power the first time in the nineties, they did 141 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:49,000 Speaker 1: everything they could to rid the world of music. Clerics 142 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 1: would tear out the ERDs of cassettes and string them 143 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 1: up from trees. Morality police went around smashing radios and 144 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:03,960 Speaker 1: boomboxes with hammers. They conducted brutal raids on houses and 145 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 1: terrified people into submission. Think about that for just one second. 146 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 1: Think about all the songs you listen to today on 147 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:25,840 Speaker 1: your commute or bopping around the house. The music you 148 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:29,640 Speaker 1: heard in your car or hummed to yourself at the 149 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 1: grocery store. Think about the soundtrack of your life, from 150 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 1: the lullabies your mom sang, to road trips with friends, 151 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 1: piano lessons to first dances. Try to picture all. 152 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:50,720 Speaker 9: Of that he raised. 153 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 1: Think about the absence of music. That's what happened in 154 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:22,599 Speaker 1: Afghanistan on Silas. And the thing is, we tend to 155 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:26,360 Speaker 1: take shows like The Voice and American Idol for granted, 156 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 1: shows that you binge when you want to zone out. 157 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:41,920 Speaker 1: But here in Afghanistan, Afghanistan became a beacon, a reminder 158 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:46,240 Speaker 1: to a shell shocked nation that it had permission, the 159 00:13:46,360 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 1: freedom really to sing again, to use their voices. Chapter 160 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 1: two An impossible Dream. So back to Dairud, the guy 161 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 1: we met at the top of the show. Long before 162 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:23,160 Speaker 1: he set out to make Afghan star. He was already 163 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 1: a badass when the Taliban banned music. He kept adding 164 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 1: to his cassette collection, even though it could mean a 165 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:36,040 Speaker 1: jail sentence or possibly death. At night, He'd traveled to 166 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: underground dance parties and hang out with Kabo's cultural dissidence, 167 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:43,920 Speaker 1: people who'd risk their lives for art. He watched Bollywood 168 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 1: movies and fell in love with the heroes, and so 169 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 1: once the Taliban fell, he was determined he wanted to 170 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:56,320 Speaker 1: be on screen, to be a star. And that's when 171 00:14:56,360 --> 00:15:01,400 Speaker 1: he met someone who changed his life. I named Sad Mosenne. 172 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 1: The walls are going to come to our rescue and 173 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 1: perhaps it's time for us Afghans, ourselves in our own ways, 174 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 1: to find a way out for the country. Sad had 175 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 1: launched a radio station in Kabu and then a TV 176 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 1: network that made news and soap operas and music shows, 177 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 1: and it wasn't long before Daoud found his way to 178 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 1: Sad's office to ask for a job. 179 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 3: Oh my god, this is my place, that's where I 180 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 3: want to be. 181 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:32,760 Speaker 1: The two quickly hit it off. 182 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 3: We would like having jokes and fun and chit chat. 183 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:40,520 Speaker 3: Give us this chance to be ourselves. 184 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:42,760 Speaker 1: In a lot of ways. Sad story couldn't be more 185 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:46,960 Speaker 1: different than Daoud's. He left Afghanistan in the seventies. We 186 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 1: took refuge in places like the US and Australia and 187 00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 1: Europe because we were forced out of our homeland. Then, 188 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:57,080 Speaker 1: in October two thousand and one, after American troops invaded 189 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 1: Afghanistan to topple the Taliban regime, So'd sinsed an opportunity. 190 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:04,760 Speaker 1: It feels like a calling to go back. In his 191 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:08,120 Speaker 1: mid thirties, at the time, Sad thinks this is it. 192 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:12,480 Speaker 1: Afghanistan doesn't have a stock market, the media is dead. 193 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:18,200 Speaker 1: He can do something. Before long Sad wants to change 194 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: the whole culture of Afghanistan, and he knows there's no 195 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 1: better way than through the small screen. He's determined to 196 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:30,400 Speaker 1: make a splash. He's going to import soap operas and 197 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 1: put women news anchors on air. But most of all, 198 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 1: he wants to try out a new kind of show, 199 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: one that has never been seen in Afghanistan before American 200 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:49,600 Speaker 1: Idol but Afghan And as if that isn't hard enough, 201 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 1: he wants to put it out in just a couple 202 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:56,040 Speaker 1: of months to beat any competition to the idea. The 203 00:16:56,120 --> 00:16:59,160 Speaker 1: thing is, if this is going to work, Sad needs 204 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:02,480 Speaker 1: someone he can try to handle it, someone who loves music, 205 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:05,600 Speaker 1: someone who can pull favors and hustle to get this 206 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 1: to air. And that's when he starts yelling for someone 207 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:24,399 Speaker 1: to get him daoude Chapter three, just go make a 208 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:30,680 Speaker 1: show to hear Daoud tell it. The conversation didn't take 209 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:31,200 Speaker 1: that long. 210 00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:35,879 Speaker 3: And I remember exactly this sentence, like you said, I 211 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 3: want you to make this show happen. I don't know 212 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:43,840 Speaker 3: how go and make this show for us. That was 213 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:47,960 Speaker 3: a big expectation, Like I knew this is not a 214 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:51,240 Speaker 3: small show, this is something big. I didn't know how 215 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:53,600 Speaker 3: to start, what to do, what will happen. 216 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:57,919 Speaker 1: Sad is watching Daoud carefully waiting for an answer. 217 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 3: And after five to ten seconds pause, I said, okay, 218 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:03,680 Speaker 3: I will make. 219 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:08,440 Speaker 1: It, and then Sad hands him a DVD. 220 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:14,600 Speaker 3: He gave me Australian Idol DVDs and he told me 221 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 3: go and watch this and try to make something like this. 222 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 1: Okay, that's it. That's the only guidance. He had a 223 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:30,000 Speaker 1: few Australian Idol DVDs and now he has about sixty 224 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:32,399 Speaker 1: days to go make the thing. So he puts the 225 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:34,800 Speaker 1: DVDs into the machine and hits play. 226 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:40,959 Speaker 7: I'm just gonna find my note. 227 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:44,600 Speaker 1: What what sort of music do you like? To listen 228 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:47,200 Speaker 1: to it and lock everything. I leve all styles of music. 229 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:51,560 Speaker 2: App yes, mom, it's nothing kie. 230 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:57,800 Speaker 1: Immediately he starts scribbling down notes as fast as his 231 00:18:57,880 --> 00:18:59,119 Speaker 1: hand will let him. 232 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:02,359 Speaker 3: The stages, the lighting, and I don't have any clue 233 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:03,439 Speaker 3: how it works. 234 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:07,679 Speaker 1: He's never done anything like this before, never produced a 235 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 1: live show of any kind. He has so many things 236 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:15,560 Speaker 1: he has to figure out. Singers, stage lighting, He's trying 237 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:19,440 Speaker 1: to understand the format, the camera angles, the different components, 238 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 1: and he's trying to work out what he should tackle. First. 239 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 3: Okay, people are coming, and then audition happens, and then 240 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:28,440 Speaker 3: come to judges. 241 00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:34,000 Speaker 1: He thinks maybe if he starts with a few judges, 242 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:35,320 Speaker 1: he can build from there. 243 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:36,520 Speaker 9: That's good. 244 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 3: I thought, that's one of the eazy things that they 245 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:40,560 Speaker 3: can do in one or two days. 246 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:46,920 Speaker 1: Except with Afghanistar, nothing's ever that easy. Back in two 247 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 1: thousand and five, Afghanistan didn't have pop stars. There were 248 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:54,000 Speaker 1: no cool girl groups, no singers that shot to fame 249 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:57,919 Speaker 1: on social media. Basically, not many good candidates to be 250 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:01,919 Speaker 1: a judge on a reality show. But Daoud has an idea. 251 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:06,879 Speaker 1: The one thing people hire performers for is weddings, so 252 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 1: he starts reaching out to random wedding singers. 253 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,640 Speaker 3: I introduced myself and said, okay, this is the idea 254 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,239 Speaker 3: of we want to make a music talent show. I 255 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 3: want you guys to be my judges. 256 00:20:18,560 --> 00:20:21,680 Speaker 1: He promises to put them on air, make them famous, 257 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:26,359 Speaker 1: but all he's getting is blank stares. So Daoud explains 258 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:30,960 Speaker 1: it in more detail. He talks about the performances, the exposure, 259 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:32,720 Speaker 1: the spotlight. 260 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,639 Speaker 3: And they said no, we can't come to this show. 261 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:39,040 Speaker 1: Daoude is taken aback. He can't get his words out 262 00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 1: fast enough. 263 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:43,280 Speaker 3: Why why this is a good opportunity. You guys can 264 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:46,280 Speaker 3: gain more name for yourselves and that will help you 265 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:48,600 Speaker 3: to reach more people and people will know you. 266 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 1: But these singers haven't seen a show like this and 267 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:55,200 Speaker 1: they don't think it will work. Nothing Daoud says can 268 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 1: change any of their minds. He's completely deflated. This was 269 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:04,800 Speaker 1: supposed to be the easy part. And that's when he 270 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:08,640 Speaker 1: gets another call from Sad. Sad tells him not only 271 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:11,800 Speaker 1: do I need you to find male judges, I also 272 00:21:11,920 --> 00:21:13,560 Speaker 1: want a female judge. 273 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:18,359 Speaker 3: When he said that, a break almost I said, what 274 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 3: you are talking about, Sade? What's going on with you? 275 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:27,240 Speaker 3: Do you know you're an abon'stan. There was still people 276 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:35,400 Speaker 3: supporters of Toliban, people with different opinions, more traditional, more religious. 277 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:38,960 Speaker 3: They were against these ideas. 278 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:43,639 Speaker 1: Daoud is losing it on the phone. He's thinking that 279 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:48,440 Speaker 1: Taliban have only just left blue jeans, women returning to schools, 280 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:52,240 Speaker 1: that stuff is just starting to come back. But putting 281 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:56,600 Speaker 1: a woman on TV in a position of power that 282 00:21:56,640 --> 00:22:01,320 Speaker 1: feels like something this society isn't ready for yet. The 283 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:05,800 Speaker 1: task feels so insane. He can't stop himself from yelling 284 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 1: into the phone. 285 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 3: I can't find a man to be a judge of 286 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:11,440 Speaker 3: our true you are asking me to find a woman. 287 00:22:12,119 --> 00:22:12,880 Speaker 3: Are you crazy? 288 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:18,959 Speaker 1: But sah, he's an optimist. He knows he's asking too 289 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:24,200 Speaker 1: much of Daoude, but he's also got a lead, an 290 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:29,600 Speaker 1: aspiring politician, and he says, just talk to her. 291 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:36,560 Speaker 3: She was like shocked, what are we talking about. I'm 292 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 3: not a musician. I'm not a good choice for this. 293 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:43,920 Speaker 1: But as Daoude keeps talking to her, he sees an opening. 294 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:49,120 Speaker 3: I said, okay, I see you in a different interviews 295 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:52,439 Speaker 3: and says thing about the presence of women and the 296 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:56,560 Speaker 3: society in media and politics and all the things. If 297 00:22:56,600 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 3: you are not participating, then tomorrow, don't blame me if 298 00:23:01,800 --> 00:23:06,119 Speaker 3: I don't have any lady, any representative of women in 299 00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:06,520 Speaker 3: my show. 300 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:11,760 Speaker 1: One guilt trip later and she's on board. That's one 301 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:16,200 Speaker 1: judge down. Then Daoud's colleague suggests an old singer from 302 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:18,520 Speaker 1: the villages, so Daoud gives him a call. 303 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 3: He just cuted me in the middle and said, you 304 00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:23,360 Speaker 3: guys are paying me. I said yes. He said, don't 305 00:23:23,359 --> 00:23:25,800 Speaker 3: worry about don't explain to me. I will come whatever 306 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:26,679 Speaker 3: the show is. 307 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 1: He's so in need of money that he doesn't even 308 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:31,359 Speaker 1: let Daoud finish his pitch. 309 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:34,240 Speaker 3: Okay, I have two judges, he. 310 00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:37,480 Speaker 1: Just needs three to pull this off. So he approaches 311 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 1: a local music shop. 312 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:42,719 Speaker 3: On it there was a guy he was okay singer 313 00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:46,200 Speaker 3: and he had a very good music instrument shop. 314 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:49,679 Speaker 1: He also just released a song that was playing on TV, 315 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:55,200 Speaker 1: which for Daoude is good enough. Daoud consults his Australian 316 00:23:55,240 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 1: Idol DVDs. He's officially checked off the first item find judges. 317 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:11,040 Speaker 1: Now it's time for the fun part. Chapter four, Meet 318 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:17,040 Speaker 1: the Stars. On audition day, Daoud is up early. He's 319 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:18,679 Speaker 1: heading into the city center. 320 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:22,320 Speaker 3: And rented one of the biggest rooms of this five 321 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:24,679 Speaker 3: star hotel and in the middle of Coobol. 322 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:27,520 Speaker 1: At that time, Daoud is thinking it's only been about 323 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,680 Speaker 1: three years since the Taliban were in power. He has 324 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:33,400 Speaker 1: no idea if even ten people will show up. 325 00:24:34,119 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 3: I went there at eight forty five. When I get close, 326 00:24:40,119 --> 00:24:43,879 Speaker 3: the streets are jammed. I thought, okay, Cobbol is a 327 00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:46,800 Speaker 3: big city, maybe that's normal traffic, but this is an 328 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:50,480 Speaker 3: unusual jam. 329 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:53,920 Speaker 1: Daoud elbows his way through the crowds, thinking what is 330 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:56,200 Speaker 1: going on? He can't work it out. 331 00:24:56,440 --> 00:24:59,000 Speaker 3: Oh my god, police is there? Security is there? 332 00:24:59,040 --> 00:24:59,760 Speaker 9: This is a chaos. 333 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:04,200 Speaker 1: As Thoud gets closer to the hotel, he realizes that 334 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:07,000 Speaker 1: all of this chaos is his fault. 335 00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:12,119 Speaker 3: And now I see a big crowd of people in 336 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:13,040 Speaker 3: front of the hotel. 337 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:17,560 Speaker 1: These people have heard his advertisements and they've come to audition. 338 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:21,200 Speaker 1: Plus they brought all their friends and family for support. 339 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:24,360 Speaker 3: Security. If the hotel is so angry on us, like, 340 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:27,040 Speaker 3: you guys are crazy? What's going on with you? What 341 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:29,720 Speaker 3: type of show is this? What you guys are doing? 342 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:33,480 Speaker 1: Hundreds of people have turned up and now they're all 343 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:35,080 Speaker 1: crammed into the hotel lobby. 344 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 3: We had space for one hundred and twenty people. We 345 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:42,160 Speaker 3: got these people and we took them upstairs and started 346 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:42,680 Speaker 3: the audition. 347 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:46,399 Speaker 1: The judges are sitting side by side at a long table. 348 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:49,679 Speaker 1: On the wall behind them is a red banner with 349 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:52,960 Speaker 1: a few yellow stars scattered across it and images of 350 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:56,719 Speaker 1: men and women singing into microphones. This is about as 351 00:25:56,800 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 1: close as he can get to Australian idol on his budget. 352 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:03,960 Speaker 1: One by one, people step into the room to audition. 353 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:07,480 Speaker 3: Some of them were dancing, some of them were singing 354 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:10,080 Speaker 3: like English songs. Some of them like Indian songs. 355 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 1: There's just one problem. 356 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:19,000 Speaker 3: They thought they are very good singers, genuinely, but they 357 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:20,040 Speaker 3: were terrible singers. 358 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:28,119 Speaker 1: Got me Hevy lights On Gote heavy light us On, 359 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:48,840 Speaker 1: I why why His Australian Idol DVDs have taught him 360 00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:51,720 Speaker 1: that terrible singing is a big part of what makes 361 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:56,360 Speaker 1: these shows great. Everyone knows the audience loves shower singers 362 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:59,640 Speaker 1: and karaoke hogs and people who think they're great because 363 00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:04,560 Speaker 1: they're says they are. But as contestant after contestant walks 364 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:08,120 Speaker 1: up to the mic belting out awful sounds, that dude 365 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:11,520 Speaker 1: starts to get nervous. Where were the people you could 366 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:12,399 Speaker 1: actually root for? 367 00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:21,879 Speaker 2: No no, no, no no no no no no no 368 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:24,080 Speaker 2: no no no no no no no no no no. 369 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:30,760 Speaker 1: But just when all seems lost, like the show might 370 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 1: fail because no one here can hold a tune, a 371 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:37,399 Speaker 1: young guy steps in front of the judges. 372 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:48,760 Speaker 2: Zendiggiecausafer, Hey, you casufer. 373 00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:48,679 Speaker 1: Koy some. 374 00:27:50,240 --> 00:28:02,040 Speaker 2: Johnny Coy John Hey you can yes Sie the girl. 375 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 1: And Daou thinks this is who I've been waiting for. 376 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:09,720 Speaker 7: Gooy so. 377 00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:18,879 Speaker 2: Johnny goodie joy. 378 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:38,280 Speaker 1: Hey, it's John Legend If you've been listening, you already 379 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:42,640 Speaker 1: know that Afghanstar is a tale of resistance and hope. 380 00:28:43,160 --> 00:28:47,360 Speaker 1: For fifteen years, Afghanstar was a beacon, but when the 381 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:51,400 Speaker 1: Taliban returned to power, they shut the show down along 382 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:55,760 Speaker 1: with so many Afghan rights. They banned music, education for 383 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:59,240 Speaker 1: girls and women, and they continue to clamp down on 384 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:03,640 Speaker 1: everyone freedoms. But there are ways to show your support. 385 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:08,280 Speaker 1: We've teamed up with AWA Studios and their incredible graphic 386 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:12,440 Speaker 1: artists to illustrate some of the most extraordinary moments in 387 00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:16,920 Speaker 1: this podcast. There is a unique print for each episode, 388 00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:21,520 Speaker 1: bringing to life powerful moments that are moving and inspiring, 389 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:25,960 Speaker 1: and there's an unforgettable print based on a painting from 390 00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:31,560 Speaker 1: superstar artist Raza that represents the spirit of hope embodied 391 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:35,240 Speaker 1: by the show. Art and music have the power to 392 00:29:35,520 --> 00:29:39,720 Speaker 1: uplift us all, and ordering a work for yourself or 393 00:29:39,840 --> 00:29:44,320 Speaker 1: as a gift help support Afghans. With every purchase, we'll 394 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:47,760 Speaker 1: be donating to the Nore Initiative, a nonprofit working to 395 00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:53,520 Speaker 1: ensure that every Afghan girl has access to education and opportunity. 396 00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:59,480 Speaker 1: For more information on our collaboration with AWA, the artworks 397 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:03,960 Speaker 1: available to listeners and to learn more about the NORE Initiatives' 398 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:09,040 Speaker 1: efforts to educate, support independent media, and transform lives across 399 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:12,600 Speaker 1: the region. Head to the link in our show notes below, 400 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:32,520 Speaker 1: Chapter five. Shakib had. 401 00:30:37,280 --> 00:30:42,680 Speaker 2: I was driving a van, you know like Uber and Lyft. 402 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:48,600 Speaker 2: While I driving, I was singing a lot and there 403 00:30:48,760 --> 00:30:51,400 Speaker 2: was the passengers always saying like, oh you have a 404 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:52,040 Speaker 2: good advice. 405 00:31:00,360 --> 00:31:08,720 Speaker 1: Oh no leg In the behind the scenes biographies you 406 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:12,080 Speaker 1: get about contestants on reality shows, you often hear about 407 00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:15,720 Speaker 1: the feel good the way Shakib likes to dance to Bollywood, 408 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:18,160 Speaker 1: the way his favorite passenger won't get out of the 409 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:22,200 Speaker 1: car until he's done an encore. But this is not 410 00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:28,480 Speaker 1: a normal reality show. This is taking place in Afghanistan. 411 00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:32,680 Speaker 1: That is the picture. 412 00:31:32,800 --> 00:31:34,000 Speaker 2: That's my father there. 413 00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:38,480 Speaker 1: He was a peaceful person. 414 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:42,640 Speaker 2: I you gonna tell you about something, Let me smoke 415 00:31:42,720 --> 00:31:45,920 Speaker 2: a sign, give me one minute. 416 00:31:48,280 --> 00:31:51,080 Speaker 1: Not long ago, Shakiv's father was murdered. 417 00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:55,120 Speaker 2: It's too hard if you see your father in peace, 418 00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:58,920 Speaker 2: you know, like dam dum dum, dun dumb someone coming 419 00:31:59,040 --> 00:32:02,360 Speaker 2: in sociding them. And the legs is somewhere, you know, 420 00:32:02,520 --> 00:32:05,080 Speaker 2: the head is somewhere, the body is you. 421 00:32:05,120 --> 00:32:11,520 Speaker 1: Know, like his older brother was murdered too. 422 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:20,400 Speaker 2: My brother was always playing soccer. He was crazy about soccer. Wow, 423 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:24,560 Speaker 2: during halftime, the rockets come there and you know, boom. 424 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:31,200 Speaker 1: So now Shakiv is alone in providing for his mother 425 00:32:31,400 --> 00:32:34,840 Speaker 1: and sister. He thinks auditioning is a waste of time, 426 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:38,160 Speaker 1: but his mom won't take no for an answer. 427 00:32:40,240 --> 00:32:42,560 Speaker 2: My mom, you know, took me there like case and 428 00:32:42,840 --> 00:32:43,400 Speaker 2: don't worry. 429 00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:47,760 Speaker 1: I gotta pray for you. So she drives him to 430 00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:51,320 Speaker 1: the audition with his cousins in tow and watches as 431 00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:56,880 Speaker 1: Shakiv is welcomed onto the stage by Daoud. Like many 432 00:32:56,920 --> 00:32:59,600 Speaker 1: of the contestants, Shakiv sings a song by one of 433 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:04,200 Speaker 1: the own famous Afghan singers, Ahman Sahir a k a. 434 00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:08,880 Speaker 2: The Afghan elvis Ahmazare was my favorite. 435 00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:15,240 Speaker 1: As mama, as me. 436 00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:28,200 Speaker 4: As me, they got me. 437 00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:43,040 Speaker 2: As the matz me as mesafer me kum deblah bosi 438 00:33:44,640 --> 00:33:47,440 Speaker 2: so it they got me kum. 439 00:33:50,920 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 1: The judges like it so much they ask him to 440 00:33:53,760 --> 00:33:54,800 Speaker 1: perform another. 441 00:33:55,000 --> 00:34:04,520 Speaker 2: And then I sing farhad daya song mm hmm, blundyitoza 442 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:15,600 Speaker 2: javonido and they was like, make noises like that. 443 00:34:17,200 --> 00:34:18,840 Speaker 3: Over to Mamo all along the. 444 00:34:25,280 --> 00:34:29,480 Speaker 1: A smile spreads across his face. Shakid is a natural 445 00:34:30,640 --> 00:34:35,120 Speaker 1: and with that, Afghanstar has its first real contender. 446 00:34:35,600 --> 00:34:39,360 Speaker 2: When I was selected, you know, like my mom was crying. 447 00:34:39,680 --> 00:34:40,640 Speaker 1: She was so happy. 448 00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:47,320 Speaker 2: She was like hugging me and saying, Snai, proud of you. 449 00:34:47,480 --> 00:34:48,320 Speaker 1: I I knew it. 450 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:49,320 Speaker 2: You're gonna make it. 451 00:34:57,920 --> 00:35:06,840 Speaker 1: Chapter six, the race. Too many people have shown up 452 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:10,480 Speaker 1: for the audition. Daoud has hundreds of contestants on tape, 453 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:14,600 Speaker 1: but people are still queuing outside begging to be heard. 454 00:35:15,800 --> 00:35:20,400 Speaker 1: Before long, Dawood has to reverse course. All the advertisements 455 00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:23,040 Speaker 1: telling people to come an audition are pulled from TV 456 00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:26,239 Speaker 1: and radio and they're replaced with the opposite. 457 00:35:28,280 --> 00:35:33,120 Speaker 3: And we made I advertise to people that please don't come. 458 00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:37,319 Speaker 3: The show is finished, the recording is done, Please don't 459 00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:38,520 Speaker 3: come to this area. 460 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:43,400 Speaker 1: Dawoud feels good about his recordings. He has all the 461 00:35:43,480 --> 00:35:46,760 Speaker 1: tape he needs, but now he's got an even bigger 462 00:35:47,040 --> 00:35:51,160 Speaker 1: task editing. The first episode is airing in just a 463 00:35:51,239 --> 00:35:53,239 Speaker 1: few days now. 464 00:35:53,440 --> 00:35:56,960 Speaker 3: I have like tons of footage in front of me 465 00:35:57,040 --> 00:35:59,759 Speaker 3: and I need to make a show from this. A 466 00:36:00,160 --> 00:36:05,200 Speaker 3: huge responsibility. Oh my god, I have like a mountain 467 00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:06,640 Speaker 3: on my shoulders. 468 00:36:07,840 --> 00:36:11,399 Speaker 1: And right now that mountain is looking. Mount ever is tall. 469 00:36:12,200 --> 00:36:15,000 Speaker 1: Remember this is two thousand and five, so before they 470 00:36:15,040 --> 00:36:18,080 Speaker 1: can edit anything, they need to transfer the footage to 471 00:36:18,120 --> 00:36:21,759 Speaker 1: their computers. And these aren't high tech machines. They're doing 472 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:24,560 Speaker 1: this on a shoe string, so it takes them two 473 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:30,399 Speaker 1: full days. Time is slipping away. That wood is frantically editing. 474 00:36:30,640 --> 00:36:32,759 Speaker 1: He doesn't even have time for sleep. 475 00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:37,160 Speaker 3: And nine pm we need to have a show on 476 00:36:37,280 --> 00:36:40,919 Speaker 3: air because we already advertised Afgne Star Show is coming. 477 00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:44,600 Speaker 1: But it's eleven am and only half of the show 478 00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:45,240 Speaker 1: is rending. 479 00:36:45,920 --> 00:36:48,680 Speaker 3: I have the bit stress. I have like working under 480 00:36:48,800 --> 00:36:53,160 Speaker 3: the hardest stress in my life at that moment, especially 481 00:36:53,239 --> 00:36:56,800 Speaker 3: after twelve o'clock, when whenever the time is getting close, 482 00:36:57,320 --> 00:36:59,000 Speaker 3: my dispressure goes up. 483 00:37:01,560 --> 00:37:08,680 Speaker 1: After a few hours, thou would starts to relax, but 484 00:37:08,840 --> 00:37:12,160 Speaker 1: then he realizes he's missing something. 485 00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:15,520 Speaker 3: Where is the beginning and end of the show? My god, 486 00:37:15,760 --> 00:37:18,840 Speaker 3: I don't have announcement to say, Hi, welcome to afghanist 487 00:37:18,880 --> 00:37:21,640 Speaker 3: Our show. I am the Ouzedigree. This is the first time. 488 00:37:22,040 --> 00:37:23,280 Speaker 3: Thank you so much for watching. 489 00:37:24,680 --> 00:37:27,800 Speaker 1: In the chaos of the auditions, they forgot to record 490 00:37:27,960 --> 00:37:28,759 Speaker 1: an intro. 491 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:33,640 Speaker 3: Like I have two three hours to the show. Being aired, 492 00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:37,759 Speaker 3: but slowly, slowly getting darker. And it's Friday that most 493 00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:39,560 Speaker 3: of our colleagues left the office. 494 00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:43,400 Speaker 1: That gets up from his desk and starts running around 495 00:37:43,400 --> 00:37:46,120 Speaker 1: the office looking for someone to help. But everyone who 496 00:37:46,200 --> 00:37:49,080 Speaker 1: knows how to operate a camera has gone home except 497 00:37:49,080 --> 00:37:52,399 Speaker 1: for one guy, a cameraman who works for the news team. 498 00:37:53,239 --> 00:37:55,360 Speaker 3: Okay, ask him, you need to come with me. He 499 00:37:55,560 --> 00:37:58,440 Speaker 3: was not interested. They need to talk to my manager. 500 00:37:58,760 --> 00:38:00,760 Speaker 3: I said, just take your camera. 501 00:38:01,200 --> 00:38:01,680 Speaker 1: You're Mike. 502 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:02,880 Speaker 3: Come with me, please. 503 00:38:04,440 --> 00:38:07,320 Speaker 1: That would cannot believe he's wasting the last minutes of 504 00:38:07,440 --> 00:38:10,280 Speaker 1: daylight trying to persuade this guy to roll some film. 505 00:38:10,920 --> 00:38:15,200 Speaker 3: We drove to this hotel again, but that would needs. 506 00:38:15,040 --> 00:38:17,200 Speaker 1: The opener to be stylish, so he makes a pit 507 00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:18,959 Speaker 1: stop at a nearby music store. 508 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:22,440 Speaker 3: I got one of the guitars in my shoulder. I 509 00:38:22,560 --> 00:38:25,120 Speaker 3: kind of make a style for myself for the first show, 510 00:38:25,680 --> 00:38:30,719 Speaker 3: and I basically recorded my introduction in this hotel. Run 511 00:38:31,320 --> 00:38:33,880 Speaker 3: back to Tolo TV and put it in front. 512 00:38:33,640 --> 00:38:34,080 Speaker 2: Of the show. 513 00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:42,359 Speaker 1: The show is airing at nine PM, and now at 514 00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:45,520 Speaker 1: two minutes before nine, they only have the first twelve 515 00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:47,480 Speaker 1: minutes lined up and ready to go. 516 00:38:47,920 --> 00:38:50,840 Speaker 3: I'm running between the control room and the editor like, 517 00:38:51,080 --> 00:38:52,960 Speaker 3: or you finish, please export, please. 518 00:38:52,880 --> 00:38:56,120 Speaker 1: But the computers are moving too slowly. Part two of 519 00:38:56,200 --> 00:38:59,040 Speaker 1: the show isn't ready and the ads are almost over. 520 00:39:00,120 --> 00:39:03,720 Speaker 1: Is racing between rooms begging people to just export whatever 521 00:39:03,840 --> 00:39:04,120 Speaker 1: they have. 522 00:39:04,719 --> 00:39:07,719 Speaker 3: We put some extra advertisement to give us a little 523 00:39:07,719 --> 00:39:08,120 Speaker 3: bit of time. 524 00:39:08,600 --> 00:39:11,200 Speaker 1: They start patting the show with extra ads to give 525 00:39:11,239 --> 00:39:14,399 Speaker 1: them cushion. Part two is ready, it goes on air, 526 00:39:14,800 --> 00:39:17,879 Speaker 1: but Part three is so far behind, so they play 527 00:39:17,960 --> 00:39:22,160 Speaker 1: more commercials. They do that over and over again. Daoud's 528 00:39:22,200 --> 00:39:23,959 Speaker 1: blood pressure is through the roof. 529 00:39:24,640 --> 00:39:27,759 Speaker 3: Basically, I run from the control room and edit room 530 00:39:28,320 --> 00:39:33,040 Speaker 3: for the entire show, and the show was aired, and 531 00:39:33,440 --> 00:39:43,000 Speaker 3: I'm exhausted, so I don't care about anything right now. 532 00:39:43,120 --> 00:39:45,719 Speaker 3: I just delivered the show. It's fine. I didn't see 533 00:39:45,760 --> 00:39:48,239 Speaker 3: the show. I don't know what it looks like, how 534 00:39:48,360 --> 00:39:51,520 Speaker 3: it feels like, what it is. I put something on. 535 00:39:51,640 --> 00:40:08,719 Speaker 1: Air, and as you know, thou doesn't stick around to watch. 536 00:40:09,280 --> 00:40:14,600 Speaker 1: He needs to go to bed, so it won't be 537 00:40:14,719 --> 00:40:17,719 Speaker 1: until morning that he turns on his car radio and 538 00:40:17,840 --> 00:40:22,080 Speaker 1: finds out the show he just aired has kicked off 539 00:40:22,440 --> 00:40:23,120 Speaker 1: a revolution. 540 00:40:33,400 --> 00:40:36,560 Speaker 8: It was something new like never before in the history 541 00:40:36,560 --> 00:40:37,279 Speaker 8: of Afghanistan. 542 00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:41,920 Speaker 3: Moving a visor from one house to another house. It 543 00:40:42,200 --> 00:40:45,360 Speaker 3: was kind of like moving a truck full of drugs. 544 00:40:46,080 --> 00:40:48,720 Speaker 9: I think it was called Devil's Star by some people. 545 00:40:49,480 --> 00:40:53,359 Speaker 5: They actually said that my head should be cut off, 546 00:40:54,120 --> 00:40:56,759 Speaker 5: and whoever that cuts off my head and brings it 547 00:40:56,840 --> 00:40:58,120 Speaker 5: to them, they will go to heaven. 548 00:41:00,239 --> 00:41:02,680 Speaker 1: That's this season on Afghanis Stars. 549 00:41:05,080 --> 00:41:34,279 Speaker 4: Asma John Name done by Your de What do Gilia? 550 00:41:36,680 --> 00:41:41,560 Speaker 1: Afghanistar is a Kaleidoscope production in collaboration with iHeart Podcasts, 551 00:41:42,560 --> 00:41:46,839 Speaker 1: produced by samas dot Audio and hosted by me John 552 00:41:46,960 --> 00:41:51,840 Speaker 1: Legend from samas dot Audio. The series producer is Mira Kumar. 553 00:41:52,640 --> 00:42:01,719 Speaker 1: Our executive producers are Joe Sykes and Dasha Listitsina. Mix 554 00:42:01,880 --> 00:42:07,760 Speaker 1: and sound designed by Jeff Imptman, Story editing by Joe Sikes, 555 00:42:08,440 --> 00:42:14,320 Speaker 1: with original composition by Kyle Murdoch, Recording engineer Tim McClain. 556 00:42:16,000 --> 00:42:24,240 Speaker 1: Chapter artwork by A W A Studios Ramushamony from Kaleidoscope. 557 00:42:24,480 --> 00:42:29,600 Speaker 1: The executive producers are Kate Osborne, Mengesh Hatikadur Oz Volisian 558 00:42:29,880 --> 00:42:34,720 Speaker 1: and Costas Linos from iHeart. The executive producers are Ali 559 00:42:34,840 --> 00:42:39,320 Speaker 1: Perry and Katrina Norbel. Social Media by Dara Potts and 560 00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:50,240 Speaker 1: Vaheeny Shoori Special Thanks to Tom Freston, Lizzie Jacobs, Will Pearson, 561 00:42:50,600 --> 00:42:55,520 Speaker 1: Carrie Lieberman, Nikki Etore, Bob Pittman, John Sykes, con O 562 00:42:55,680 --> 00:43:00,239 Speaker 1: Byrne Sad Mussenni and the Moussenni family, Matthew Anderson, an 563 00:43:00,400 --> 00:43:18,840 Speaker 1: Axo Alonso, whoa, oh, thank you