▁connections ▁to ▁more ▁than ▁two ▁dozen ▁Arab ▁countries ▁and ▁to ▁Egypt ian ▁and / or ▁Arab ▁communities ▁throughout ▁the ▁world , ▁it ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁popular ▁shows ▁in ▁the ▁Arab - spe aking ▁world . ▁In ▁Sa udi ▁Arab ia ▁in ▁particular , ▁Star ▁Academy ▁was ▁a ▁media ▁event ▁so ▁popular ▁that ▁its ▁broadcast s ▁achieved ▁record ▁ratings , ▁em pt ied ▁streets ▁in ▁major ▁cities ▁like ▁Jed da , ▁animated ▁deb ates , ▁inspired ▁Mos que ▁ser m ons , ▁and ▁widely ▁dist ract ed ▁students ▁from ▁foc using ▁on ▁final ▁ex ams ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁( Al - H um ay dan , ▁ 2 0 0 5 ) ▁C BC ▁And ▁L BC I , ▁the ▁networks ▁air ing ▁the ▁show , ▁re aped ▁huge ▁prof its ▁from ▁the ▁show ▁but ▁have ▁been ▁unable ▁to ▁rep licate ▁the ▁show ' s ▁success ▁with ▁other ▁reality ▁shows . ▁ ▁This ▁debate ▁also ▁caused ▁the ▁in defin ite ▁post pon ing ▁of ▁West ▁Asian ▁edition ▁of ▁Big ▁Bro ther , ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁Big ▁Bro ther ▁– ▁Al ▁Ra iss . ▁ ▁Re ception ▁ ▁Conserv ative ▁response ▁ ▁While ▁the ▁show ▁is ▁imm ens ely ▁popular ▁among ▁view ers , ▁especially ▁in ▁Sa udi ▁Arab ia , ▁many ▁conserv ative ▁and ▁religious ▁leaders ▁have ▁critic ized ▁the ▁show ▁for ▁prom oting ▁anti - I sl am ic ▁behavior ▁and ▁ide als . ▁Star ▁Academy ▁has ▁spark ed ▁inten se ▁deb ates ▁over ▁the ▁role