Host: What Do Famous Iranian Personalities Think?

It is said that if you want to know someone, first see who their friends are. I have always been curious to know which personalities famous figures themselves admire. I have wanted to know, for example, which poet Hafez liked, or which composer Beethoven listened to, or which novelist Ebrahim Golestan read, or which singer Master Shajarian preferred. The idea for the program 'Host' arose from this curiosity. 'Host' is a new 25-minute program that has been broadcast since Friday, August 12, 2016, at 8 PM Iran time on Radio Farda, with the text published on the Radio Farda website. In each episode, I interview a famous Iranian figure and ask them to invite five of their favorite personalities to a virtual dinner party. These figures are chosen from among the most famous writers, poets, artists, singers, athletes, political and religious activists, and others. There are no restrictions on the guests, and the host can invite anyone to dinner. They may be Iranian or from any other country, contemporary or historical, and even mythical. Each host explains to me during the program the reasons for their guest selections. Choosing just five from all these historical and contemporary figures from around the world is not an easy task. Hosts face a serious challenge. However, once they select their personalities and explain their choices, it becomes interesting for the audience. Alongside introducing five personalities in each episode, I also ask the hosts to choose a piece of music they like, which will be played during the program. Any type of music they prefer: Western or Iranian, classical or jazz, pop or traditional music, and so on. I also ask the hosts to explain why they chose that particular music. This is another challenge for the hosts. Additionally, since it is a dinner party, I ask each program's host to select a dish to serve their guests and explain why they chose that dish, and if they wish, to describe how to prepare it. Perhaps the hosts will introduce new methods for preparing Iranian dishes, and the audience may want to try making that dish in the style of the program's host. I hope this series of programs helps the audience become more familiar with the views and tastes of the famous Iranian figures who are the hosts of these programs, as well as with the thoughts of their influential guests. The goal of the 'Host' program is precisely this: a cultural effort to introduce important figures within the framework of a new and entertaining program. It will certainly be interesting for the audience to know what music their favorite writer listens to, or which personality their favorite singer admires, or what food their favorite football player prefers. An important part of this program is the caricatures drawn by Tuka Nistani, a prominent designer, from each dinner party, which, along with the interview texts, photos of the hosts and their guests, and more information about the guests will be published on the Radio Farda website. I hope you enjoy this new cultural and entertaining program. Sadegh Saba, a well-known Iranian journalist, has been active in various fields of radio and television journalism for the past few decades. He has produced television documentaries for the BBC World Service and managed the Persian section of the BBC from 2009 to 2016. Mr. Saba produces and hosts the 'Host' program for Radio Farda.