"I had wonderful parents who would listen to what I had to say, and despite the fact that they were conservative and thought I had crazy ideas, they would listen to me and discuss my point of view"
It's not every day we come across a celebrity who is refreshingly down-to-earth, honest and not afraid to speak their mind. But that's exactly what you get with Rania Barghout.
The Lebanese television presenter — who has enjoyed a career spanning 20 years — made a name for herself after appearing in a number of hugely successful shows, including MBC's Kalam Nawaem, the Middle East's answer to The View. Dubbed the "chat show queen" of the Middle East, Barghout has interviewed a plethora of big names from the Arab and international world, including Hillary Clinton during her high-profile visit to the UAE earlier this year. In 2009, she was named the most influential media personality in the Arab world.
So it comes as no surprise that a variety of big names want to work with her, and a brand ambassador role was bound to come sooner rather than later. This summer, L'Oreal Paris introduced Barghout as their first Arab spokesperson in the region, a role that the presenter is incredibly excited about.
"I had previously been approached by other companies, but I never accepted the offers. But when L'Oreal came along, it was a name I wanted to be associated with," she tells tabloid! on Saturday. "I am happy to be the first to represent the brand in the Middle East."
"The funny thing is I had been using the company's products for a long time before they approached me to be their brand ambassador. When we had a meeting, I opened my make-up bag and showed them that I use L'Oreal, which they were extremely pleased about. They had no idea that I was a fan."
Barghout is fronting advertising campaigns for an anti-ageing product, Revitalift, and will shortly extend her work to hair colours. And while the 43-year-old does believe in good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, she is the first to admit she has had a little bit of help from the surgeon.
"If you ask my friends about my beauty regime, they will tell you how negligent I am. However, because of the constant change in the weather, I do need to take care of my skin, therefore always cleanse and moisturise. And obviously with working in TV, it is important to live a healthy lifestyle and take care of diet and exercise."
Nip, tuck and jab
Asked about cosmetic surgery, she responds: "If you need a little bit of a helping hand, I don't see a problem with it. In the past I have had Botox, because when I lost some weight I felt my skin needed a lift, but I don't see myself doing it any time again in the future because it still works. But I don't have a problem with it."
But don't expect her to undergo any invasive surgery any time soon. "As for plastic surgery, I don't encourage it, discourage it or condone it, but I wouldn't go under the knife. As I get older I want to look my age. I am enjoying my forties more than my thirties — which I enjoyed more than my twenties.
Barghout first appeared on our screens in 1991 after MBC chose her as the network's first face, with her fronting entertainment programme, Ma Yatloboho Al Mushahidoon. She went on to appear in shows on Abu Dhabi TV and Qatar TV before returning to MBC to join Kalam Nawaem in its second season, alongside Egyptian journalist Fawzia Salama, Saudi Arabian fashion designer Heba Gamal and Palestinian actress Farah Besiso.
The Lebanese beauty has certainly received her fair share of criticism, thanks to her bold views on controversial topics affecting women in the Arab world.
"If it is constructive criticism, I take it to heart and listen to what people say. However, when certain people complain just for the heck of it I don't listen," Barghout says. "At the end of the day, whatever we do, somebody will come out and say we are bad or controversial or anti-Islamic, which is not true. In fact, in Kalam Nawaem, before we addressed any issue, we would take the opinion of an Islamic scholar of how to tackle the issue."
Barghout — who names Girls of Riyadh writer Rajaa Al Sanea as one of the most interesting women she has interviewed to date — even came under fire for interviewing US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, adding: "When we did that interview with Hillary Clinton, they [the media] threw us to the wolves. But to be honest, she is a mesmerising and very charismatic woman.
"You see, I don't like her, but I admire her. There's a big difference. I admire her for what she has achieved in life. I would love to see Arab women achieve what she has achieved. And to be honest, any educated Arab woman who puts her mind to it can do so.
"In Lebanon, there is not a single woman in the cabinet, yet females are complaining about their rights in the country. How can they gain respect when all they care about is what clothes they wear, what car they are going to buy next and how they look? There needs to be more to life than just appearances. And Hillary Clinton has shown that you don't need a pair of big eyes or breasts in order to be successful. She made leaders respect her."
The other side of society
However, she is quick to point out that women in the Arab world are not helped by the fact that they are under an incredible amount of pressure to look beautiful at all times.
"The problem in our society is largely due to the Arab men," she continues. "You would not believe the number of letters I have received from women who tell me that their husbands want them to look like a famous singer or actress. And it is so silly. Men have to understand that these singers are not born this way; they have had a lot of help and work done in order to look like this.
"If men learn to be satisfied, they will learn to appreciate their wives. They will remember why they married in the first place. There's more to life than looking like a famous singer. And I suggest these men should take a look at themselves first before criticising women as I am sure they have plenty of things that need to be changed in themselves!"
Family support is key to bringing about change for women in the region, Barghout believes, adding that the Arab uprising that occurred at the beginning of the year has helped the cause.
"It is fantastic how there are a number of Arab women out there who strive to reach a better place in life, breaking all sorts of taboos on the way. And, you know what, a lot of them have managed to get where they are, thanks to the unflinching support they receive from their families — their fathers and husbands.
"After the demonstrations in the Arab world, more people are taking notice of women's rights, and I find now that more people support basic freedoms, such as women having the right to drive in Saudi Arabia, or being able to have a top career position or flying on their own to study abroad."
She goes on to credit her family for the way she was brought up, and is now using those principles with her two daughters, Lianna, 13 and Joanna, 9.
"I always had a weird personality. I was very stubborn and a bit of a tomboy. I enjoyed riding motorbikes, for example. But I had wonderful parents who would listen to what I had to say, and despite the fact that they were very conservative and thought I always had crazy ideas, they would listen to me and discuss my point of view. And I always encourage families with children to do so. Listen to your children and get them to talk to you."
Having recently left Kalam Nawaem to pursue other projects, Barghout is now working on a forthcoming TV show scheduled to launch after Ramadan.
Entitled Haza Ana, the programme will see the presenter visit celebrities at home to find out more about their lives behind the camera.
Although the project has not been finalised and Barghout is keen not to reveal much about it, she says: "I go and visit celebrities in their homes to find out more about their private lives. It is not a tabloid-style show — I am not interested in scandals. It is more about finding about their hometown, school, and family life and so on.
"I would like to interview Nawal Al Saadawi and ask her why she is so angry at the world. Also, I understand she is a feminist but I don't see that as any reason to not take care of herself."
As for international celebrities, although Barghout is more enthusiastic about this region, she is keen to meet one certain successful lady who happens to also appears on the MBC network.
"I would love to meet Oprah and see what she is like," Barghout says. "I don't want to interview her. I just want to meet her."
Now that's a chat show queen match made in television heaven.
— Rachel McArthur is a freelancer based in Dubai. She covers Arabic entertainment every Thursday in tabloid's Showbiz Arabia page
