Lebanon bid farewell to star maker Simon Asmar

Yara Issa

Lebanese director Simon Asmar died on Wednesday at the age of 76 after a long struggle with cancer, leaving behind a great legacy that a world of art and artists will not forget. Here is a report reviewing the career of the star-maker.

Born on January 2, 1943, Asmar studied several disciplines, most notably art and electronics, sound engineering, studies in the preparation of artists and directing programs. He soon began to achieve his successes shortly before graduating.

He started his work by launching the famous program "Studio El Fan" in 1972 on the Lebanese station LBCI, which is the first Arab program in the manufacture of stars.

He directed a lot of artistic, entertainment, and even political television programs, which in turn yielded substantial revenues on the station at the time, which contributed significantly to its continuity.

Soon after the opening of the River Arts, the most important tourist resort intended for tourists to hear the voices of the rising stars of Lebanon, and held the most important nightlife and artistic events, but the fire devoured it in 2006, and completely eliminated it, which resulted in heavy financial losses Asmar.

He also worked at the Lebanese Broadcasting Station as Director of Variety Programs, Public Relations Officer, and a member of the Board of Directors of his programs. He previously worked for Lebanon Television, and moved a few years before his departure to MTV, where he returned and presented a new version of the program "Art Studio" and then was On the jury of the program "Celebrity Duets".

His programs have received great follow-up and love in the Lebanese street in particular, and in the Arab world in general. El Helani, Nawal Al Zoghbi, Wael Kfoury, Elissa, Fares Karam, Rami Ayash, Miriam Fares, and many more.

Star Maker has won numerous awards at both the Arab and international levels, most notably the best television creator in 1994, the key to Sydney in Australia the same year, and later in 1997 was awarded the Encyclopedia of the Year of the Year. In 2003, on the occasion of 44 years of his technical services, he was honored by the commemoration committees of the East Giants and the Friends of Asmar.

His health crises began to increase after he was accused of financial cases and was imprisoned afterwards for nearly ten months, which led him to sell his house, which was then priced at about $ 6 million.According to what was circulated on social media, a businessman helped him pay his debts and get out of prison. Asmar revealed after his release that Najwa Karam and Wael Kfoury were the only ones who stood by him in his ordeal.

After his death, a number of Lebanese artists and media people mourned him on their Twitter account, most notably Najwa Karam, Nawal Al Zoghbi, Diana Haddad, Elissa, Cyrine Abdel Nour, Ragheb Alama, and others.

The Lebanese creator left after leaving a great artistic history full of stars and an indelible imprint of the minds of everyone who followed him and loved his works.