THE curious case of Mazen Abdul Jawad has now appeared on international news services, bringing worldwide attention to the “Saudi Casanova” who appears to have spilled his guts to a Lebanese TV program on his widespread sexual exploits. Jawad has told Okaz that the TV show edited his remarks to create the most sensational account possible of his life, a ploy that, if true, certainly worked in drawing attention to the LBC program. Jawad has vigorously denied the veracity of his remarks as they were broadcast. At this point, it is impossible to ascertain the truth of his broadcast remarks and only a full transcript of the program's interview with him would serve that purpose. Even then, it would be impossible to know what Jawad fabricated and what he was truthful about. Whatever the truth, Jawad is unquestionably guilty of bad judgement. When the show's producer placed objects in his hands and filmed him, Jawad should have been aware that something more than an honest examination of the sex life of married couples was afoot. Jawad and those close to him will have to suffer the embarrassment that the program has brought them. There is no dout that Jawad's shame is most intense and that it will take a long time for him to live it down. But there is a much greater social loss that will ensue. Sex, of course, is an integral part of marriage and, as such, it deserves to be discussed properly and honestly. Aside from death, it is the most basic fact of life that must be dealt with and in healthy marriages, it should be unabashedly embraced. Since it is such a personal, private and intimate activity, however, discussion of it is often avoided. That situation means that when it is discussed, the discussions are rife with misinformation. If we are to take Mazen Abdul Jawad at his word, the LBC producers who manipulated his remarks in the cutting room are guilty of exerting irreparable harm to the honest and vital discussion of sex within marriage. If the broadcast of Jawad's remarks was faithful to their utterance, then Jawad has not only inflicted serious harm on himself but on society as a whole. __
