Casey Kasem fought Arab stereotypes in pop culture

Jack Shaheen, who wrote the foreword for 100 Questions and Answers about Arab Americans, reflects about the late Casey Kasem on the United Arab Emirates The National. Kasem, who was Arab American, was a disc jockey, music historian, radio personality and voice actor.

In “The Professional and the Professor, How We Took on Hollywood Together,” Shaheen described their alliance this way:

“We first met 30 years ago, at an Arab American gathering in Washington, DC. My book, The TV Arab, had just been released and when I gave him a signed copy he quickly responded with a smile and a huge hug.

“From that moment on we became friends, true friends.

“And from that moment on Casey began to spend much of his time speaking out. He participated in and supported workshops for peace. He began calling the TV industry’s attention to Arab stereotypes and received positive responses.”

Kasem died June 15. Jack G. Shaheen is the author of Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People and Guilty: Hollywood’s Verdict on Arabs After 9/11.