Anyone who knows him knows that Simo Benbachir gives it his all when it comes to advancing African Americans. If you don’t know him, Simo is an award-winning journalist and TV reporter from Morocco. In fact, he’s one of the most recognized Moroccan journalists in America and has even been nominated as the “most elegant Moroccan media personality” by media outlets in Europe.
Simo Benbachir’s Rise to Fame
Mr. Benbachir was born in Morocco but raised in Italy.
He grew up to be the very first Moroccan reporter in North African media history to cover the American red carpet. His first interview was with his longtime friend, Sanaa Hamri, who is director and producer for the TV show Empire. She invited him to cover the premiere of her movie “Just Wright” in 2010 that starred Queen Latifah and Common.
Simo Benbachir interviewed Sanaa Hamri in Morocco. The interview was aired on a Tunisian television channel called “Nessma TV” which he was working for at the time. It was then aired on a North African television channel which caused it to go viral on YouTube.
This served as his stepping stone because, after this, his career in the industry skyrocketed at an impressive speed. Contributing to this is the fact he was the only reporter hired by The Middle East TV Channel to report on premieres for them because he understands how the U.S. works.
Simo has spent a lot of time in front of the camera reporting from Europe and the USA which has helped him create a large following, particularly with Arab and North African audiences. His work is a dream come true for many people back home, so when you combine this with his programs “Arabs of America” and “Nayda in Hollywood” you begin to see why he’s so loved. These programs really appealed to millennials who want to live the American dream. This is especially true for “Nayda in Hollywood” because it introduced his audience to Moroccans who started at the bottom but used their intelligence and talents to climb the ladder within their industries.
Simo Benbachir’s Newest Show
Today, the Coronavirus crisis has forced Simo to stop working due to the lockdowns in many countries, including the U.S. Yet, that hasn’t stopped him from creating his newest show called “Live From Hollywood”. The focus of this show is to feature success stories of people who are of African origin but live in America.
The first episode was shown on African channels, a French channel called “ubiznewstvom5”, and on social media networks. Viewers can enjoy seeing successful people sharing their stories with Simo, in hopes of influencing young people and future generations.
Simo was recently interviewed by the “Morocco Jewish Times” at which time he explained how he likes to focus on success stories because they “are full of positive energy and hope that is much needed today, more than ever, especially in the current economic climate”.
This project has energized him because he has a great deal of respect for Amobé Mévégué, the CEO of the channel, and star presenter of numerous French TV and radio shows. When asked about it, he said “I am so happy to work with him as he is someone. He has advocated for the African & Arabs countless times and touches on topics that matter most to his audience, he also reports on stories that aren’t given much airtime such as updates on their issues in Europe and worldwide”
Always Looking Out for Africa
As you can see, Simo is currently laser-focused on Africa. He’s working to change the image of the continent in terms of how Americans see it. He’s trying to get rid of stereotypes and instead welcome those who have achieved success within the United States.
Simo’s shows are always successful and attract many viewers. People love the way his interviews are spontaneous, yet simple at the same time. He allows his guests time to speak on their careers and really express themselves in a way that makes them feel comfortable and makes the show enjoyable to watch.
If you are a fan of Simo definitely check out his newest show, and also keep an eye out for his memoir which is said to be coming soon!
