Lebanese genius: Ilyas Rahbani

This man is quite typical in Lebanon: I wrote about him before, how he has been bragging about two honorary doctorates that he had been "awarded" from two universities in Spain and US (both are now defunct because they sold unaccredited degrees over the internet).  Here, he talks about his own music: how it is celebrated in the US as being on the same level with Chopin and Liszt.  And yesterday, I watched him on New TV: he was bragging, as usual, about his music and about his service as a judge on a Lebanese TV musical talent show.  He said that even the New York Times had written about his great wisdom and musical genius and capabilities as a judge in musical talent.  Of course, being trained in the art of debunking Lebanonese lies and fabrications, I went to the New York Times archives and found one reference indeed to his role there from 2004:  "Mr. Hasan, seeing the intifada and no prospect of work, moved to Dubai, where he had a cousin, and got a job singing at the Dubai Marine Hotel - "Five star," Mr. Daqrouq said. There, the famous Lebanese composer Elias Rahbani, an organizer of "Super Star," heard Mr. Hasan and encouraged him to enter the contest."  Lebanese lies made me the Angry Arab that I am.