Bazil Ashmawy.html



Bazil Ashmawy (popularly known as Baz Ashmawy — 'Baz' to his mates'¹) is an Irish television personality who appears on Radio Telefís Éireann and was co-host of the reality show Fáilte Towers on RTÉ One.²³⁴⁵

Personal life

According to an article in the Carlow Nationalist, Ashmawy's mother is from Ballycoogue, Avoca in County Wicklow⁶ though Ashmawy was born in Libya and is ethnically one-half Egyptian.¹ He moved to Ireland at age eight and grew up in the suburb of Rathfarnham on the Southside of Dublin. He was educated in County Dublin and in County Offaly. According to an article in the Irish Independent, Ashmawy seems 'little different when the cameras are off than when they're rolling.' The same article noted that the young entertainer 'certainly has a way with the ladies...and his charm is palpable.'²

According to his profile on Bebo, Ashmawy favours hip hop and breakbeat music as well as a list of artists including Arctic Monkeys, Babyshambles, Basement Jaxx, Beatles, Craftwork, Foo Fighters, Hives, Kings of Leon, Lemon Jelly, Libertines, Long Blondes, Manu Chao, Morcheeba, Orbital, Razorlight, Stone Roses, Tribe Called Quest and 'anything that makes (him) bounce.'⁷ He mentions Dr. Strangelove, Life of Brian, The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, Once Upon a Time in the West, Trainspotting, True Romance, and Zoolander as among his favorite films.⁷

Career

Ashmawy was once called 'an absolute legend'² by one of his college age fans and notes about his social activities have appeared in Irish newspapers.⁸. Conversely, a writer for An Phoblacht said 'I have to confess that I had never heard of Baz Ashmawy...maybe I don’t watch enough television'⁹ and another media commentator refers to him as 'one I’d never heard of' as well.¹⁰

Ashmawy is 'best known for his antics'³ on the popular RTÉ Two travel show, How Low Can You Go?¹¹ where he appeared with co-presenters Mark O'Neill ('the exuberantly gay one'²) and Michael Hayes. In remarking on this experiences with that show, Ashmawy said that he loved Las Vegas where he received a lap dance from (as he describes) 'a former hooker who looked like she was in her late 50s' and said of his experiences on the set of a porn movie in California that 'We saw things there that will be in our minds for a very long time.'²

He shared this reflection of his trip to the United States:

So what can I tell you? Myself and the lads just got back from our travels once again. This year we decided to How low the good old U.S of A. Coast to coast from L.A across to Miami! Needless to say much fun and merriment was had...I originally thought that it’s become so passé to take the mickey out of Americans. They always get slagged for being self centered and ignorant to the outside world. I wanted to represent them in a fresh forgiving new and welcoming light. To give them a chance of redemption. To allow them to show off their genuine childlike innocence and warm embracing hospitality. Their gracious nature to foreigners and their sincere polite and positive attitude to life and living but Then I thought Fuck that! So we pretty much just took the piss!⁷

Ashmawy is a sports fan who tried his skill at Gaelic Athletic Association management on the RTÉ hit show and 'cult hit programme'¹ Celebrity Bainisteoir.³¹²⁹ According to The Irish Times, Ashmawy managed managing his team while wearing 'nicely polished footwear'.¹³When asked in an RTÉ Sport interview who he would like to see win the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Ashmawy joked that be was 'not going for the patriotic 'Go Ireland' I'd have to say New Zealand...typical. How boring is that. Think I've made myself feel a little sick there saying that. I'm going back....'GO IRELAND!'¹⁴

Despite his popularity, Ashmawy has opined 'Most TV critics hate us' and has also said '...maybe RTÉ will get sick of us as well.'² Indeed, an article in the Evening Herald (subtitled '...Bellowing Baz just seems to have taken off for another planet') complained about Ashmawy's 'unnerving' personal style on Fáilte Towers and said that he 'seems to be addressing a completely different audience in a completely different programme on a completely different planet, somewhere inside the universe of his own head.'¹⁵ The same journalist chided Ashmawy for saying 'These are the numbers you're gonna need' while thrusting his crotch at the television camera and added:

Poor aul Baz, we know you're new to the world of television-presenting and for that reason, we'll cut you some slack, but here's a piece of advice: stop shouting. We can hear you. Oh and another thing, you do not possess the innate wackiness, endearing idiosyncrasies, wonderful articulacy and sex appeal of Russell Brand — nor will you ever. Lastly, Bazzer, sizeable though it may be, it's probably best that, from now on, you avoid thrusting your groin in the unsuspecting faces of the viewing public.¹⁵

A later article by the same publication said that professionalism was something Ashmawy 'has a distinct lack thereof.'¹⁶

In addition to appearing on as television host, Ashmawy is an actor who has appeared in television dramas and other programmes.⁴ He has also appeared in a plays and short films.³ Although he says that comedy comes naturally to him, his dramaturgical background has led him to productions of classical theatre and the works of Shakespeare.²

References