Author Richard Poplak. (Penguin Group Canada; author image: Lisa Myers)Author Richard Poplak. (Penguin Group Canada; author image: Lisa Myers)

Richard Poplak has just published The Sheikh's Batmobile: In Pursuit of American Pop Culture in the Middle East. The Canadian author travelled extensively throughout southern Asia and northern Africa to see how the touchstones of U.S. entertainment are reflected in the region. From Palestinian hip hop to Syrian videogames to Libya's Lionel Richie fixation, his findings are astounding, and sometimes confounding.

Poplak is also a frequent contributor to CBC Arts Online, and has written stories on Arabic reality shows and an Arabized version of The Simpsons.

On Monday, April 27, Poplak answered your questions about how American pop culture plays out in the Middle East.