Sa'idi dialect' is a general phrase used by Egyptians to refer to a group of dialects spoken in an area that stretches from the south of Cairo to the border of the Sudan. Of all the dialects found throughout Egypt and the Arab world, Sa'idi Arabic is one of the most ridiculed, stigmatised and stereotyped in the media. Salient phonological and semantic features of Sa'idi are associated with undesirable attributes such as ignorance, stupidity and a lack of sophistication. These negative indexes are often emphasised by the media. However, some Sa'idi intellectuals and public figures employ these very features to perform their identity, thus creating a positive stance and highlighting the favourable traits of Sa'idis. This article examines data from the media, including soap operas, poetry--both written and performed--postcards and songs. It utilises the concepts of indexicality and stance-taking to explore the metalinguistic discourse of Sa'idis and non-Sa'idis in the media. In addition, the article examines indexes of Sa'idi features that are considered second order indexes, but that are used by performers who employ a Sa'idi dialect to create a stance that is remarkably distinct from the rest of Egypt.