Bruce: The word P*** used to be humorous!!!!!!

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katrinap

08-10-2009

Originally Posted by claire2281:
“He makes a very valid point. No doubt Anton said something stupid but the reaction is OTT.

You would hope all people with common sense could tell the difference between a genuine racist who said something vidictively and someone who said an inappropriate and silly comment which they didn't mean.

Unfortunately though many of the public seem to have replaced common sense with the longing to be outraged.”

Nail, head etc.

kimindex

08-10-2009

Originally Posted by Agent Krycek:
“I wouldn't ever say they were funny, but such words were considered the norm - personally I never found LTN, Jim Davidson or Bernard Manning remotely funny, but their style of 'humour' and use of language which is generally now considered completely wrong, was the norm in 1970s Britain - whether you found it funny or not, it's an undenyable fact.

I remember an episode of Fawlty Towers (might have been the Germans one) when either Basil goes to see Sybil in hospital or a Dr calls at the hotel (memory's going ), Basil opens the door and the Dr happens to be a rather large black man, Basil recoils in shock and horror - audience fall about in hysterical laughter - not an extreme example, but still something that wouldn't be considered acceptable now.

But, in all honesty Bruce should have just kept out of it, although I'd hazzard a guess he's been doorstepped since this all erupted.”

Yes, and plenty of people (like you!) knew it was racist, despite lots of people now thinking that we all thought it was hilarious and harmless.

winenroses

08-10-2009

Originally Posted by claire2281:
“He makes a very valid point. No doubt Anton said something stupid but the reaction is OTT.

You would hope all people with common sense could tell the difference between a genuine racist who said something vidictively and someone who said an inappropriate and silly comment which they didn't mean.

Unfortunately though many of the public seem to have replaced common sense with the longing to be outraged.”

Oh so true. It's as if some have almost been brainwashed to react in a knee-jerk fashion. Shock horror: beware of the new Hitlers in our midst led by (da da da music) Anton du Beke

Oh get over it.

Iphigenia

08-10-2009

And that absolute sugarball of sweetness, The Good Life, has one episode when Margot, persuaded to stay in the Street because the hippie students have moved out, is horrified that Tom teases her that the nice doctor moving in is Dr Mhmd Aziz ibn Khan and runs screaming from the set.

There is a helluva lot to do in the field of anti-racism but sometimes we need to realize how far we've come. In 197?, that was just plain funny in the public mind.

BuddyBontheNet

08-10-2009

I'm glad to see so many reasonable posters responding to this thread and I hope it doesn't get off topic like the main thread.

kittles

08-10-2009

Originally Posted by Passoa:
“And if it was more accepted back then (I don't know) why not try and go back to it?

It's only a derogatory term because of people's association and usage.

In a paper someone from around those regions stated it was not just an abbreviation like Brit, or Aussie, but it was derogatory and now all Pakistanis were insulted.

Sorry, but that's where the problem is - it SHOULD be just an abbreviation and if people don't get so worked up about it, it'd all die down and nobody would associate it with racism or not.

I'm from the Netherlands, where the literal translation of N***** is a fully accepted way to describe someone of Black origin. Nobody cares, nobody's offended, as it's a way of describing someone factually. Such as P*** should be.

The problem is in the people getting up in arms about it which just makes it worse as racists galore will continue hijacking the word for their purposes rather than having it in mainstream language.”

so would you also like to resurrect mongol for people with Downs?

and it isn't factual because it's not being used to describe someone from Pakistan but as generalist term for anyone of south asian apperance i.e. pakistani, india, bangladeshi, sri lankan

winenroses

08-10-2009

Originally Posted by Iphigenia:
“And that absolute sugarball of sweetness, The Good Life, has one episode when Margot, persuaded to stay in the Street because the hippie students have moved out, is horrified that Tom teases her that the nice doctor moving in is Dr Mhmd Aziz ibn Khan and runs screaming from the set.

There is a helluva lot to do in the field of anti-racism but sometimes we need to realize how far we've come. In 197?, that was just plain funny in the public mind.”

True enough.

I'd forgotten that episode but that's how it was. We've moved on, in many ways for the better, but the over-reaction and hysteria is now in reverse.

TerryM22

08-10-2009

The Talk Sport comments by Bruce were also reported in TV Biz in the Sun.
http://twitpic.com/kp9sm

BuddyBontheNet

08-10-2009

What about Rising Damp?

Philip (Don Warrington) and Alan (Richard Beckinsale) used to take the mickey out of Rigsby's racist ignorance. The episode with the smoking stick of wood was hilarious.

Personally I found that series much funnier than LTN.

mrs. harry

08-10-2009

It seems to me that the BBC wishes Bruce hadn't said anything. This quote was in the Guardian article:

'A BBC spokeswoman said Forsyth's views were not those of the corporation.'

Thinking back to some of his comments last year, it might be an idea for him to invest some of his salary in learning how to deal with the modern media. This isn't the first time he's put his foot in it by getting involved in something where he would have been better advised to keep quiet.

Robert Romarin

08-10-2009

The reaction is way OTT of course as usual with alleged racism...but I've got plenty of common sense and I have no idea whether or not Anton is a genuine racist...and neither have you. Only he knows how 'vindictive' he was being. Certainly he's inviting people to have doubts by his choice of words.

People in general are so preoccupied with either attacking or defending the alleged racist in these cases that they miss the bigger picture. There's absolutely no virtue or rectitude in getting on your high horse about 'racists' or those accused of racism like Anton and then ignoring (or even condoning) some or all of the prejudice and slurs aimed at other minority or easy target groups...and yet it's invariably the case.

Agent Krycek

08-10-2009

Originally Posted by winenroses:
“True enough. I'd forgotten that episode but that's how it was. We've moved on, in many ways for the better, but the over-reaction and hysteria is now in reverse.”

Competely agree, we have moved on for better, there is still lots to do, but this mess just doesn't help matters. As far as I know Anton made a stupid, ill judged remark, if Laila is prepared to accept his apology and move passed it, then perhaps we all should.

jamesdeanuk

08-10-2009

The whole of BBC is racist.

Passoa

08-10-2009

Originally Posted by kittles:
“so would you also like to resurrect mongol for people with Downs?

and it isn't factual because it's not being used to describe someone from Pakistan but as generalist term for anyone of south asian apperance i.e. pakistani, india, bangladeshi, sri lankan”

It should be factual, this is the whole point I'm making!
If it were just a factual name, there'd be no issues. Aussie is often enough also used for Kiwis, so yes, it'll never be 100% correct, but it seems like everyone sways so far away from common sense nowadays.

I am by no means a racist whatsoever, but I find this big drama about a comment just so stupid. I am not condoning what he said, but if it wasn't said in a vindicative way, if it was said in private, he apologized and she accepts, who the hell are way to tell her she shouldn't?

BuddyBon, I'm sorry to see you don't agree with me, but at least thanks for allowing me my view.

This country has gone so far in reverse of common sense! It's not a nice thing to have said, but if we all kept a level head and saw the word as a factual description (yes, not in this case, I know) or just something light, we wouldn't have these big dramas about a private conversation between TWO ADULTS! We do not need to police their levels of acceptance as it was a private conversation.

Public is a different matter. She accepted his apology, and he made it in private. That should be all there is to it, the taste of it is a different discussion.

dome

08-10-2009

Originally Posted by claire2281:
“He makes a very valid point. No doubt Anton said something stupid but the reaction is OTT.

You would hope all people with common sense could tell the difference between a genuine racist who said something vidictively and someone who said an inappropriate and silly comment which they didn't mean.

Unfortunately though many of the public seem to have replaced common sense with the longing to be outraged.”

It seems to becoming the latest national sport.

They'll be building gladiator arenas next and bringing the lions in.

qwertyqueen

08-10-2009

Margot was a figure of fun though. I haven't seen the episode, but were they making fun of her reaction?

kittles

08-10-2009

Originally Posted by Passoa:
“It should be factual, this is the whole point I'm making!
If it were just a factual name, there'd be no issues. Aussie is often enough also used for Kiwis, so yes, it'll never be 100% correct, but it seems like everyone sways so far away from common sense nowadays.

I am by no means a racist whatsoever, but I find this big drama about a comment just so stupid. I am not condoning what he said, but if it wasn't said in a vindicative way, if it was said in private, he apologized and she accepts, who the hell are way to tell her she shouldn't?

BuddyBon, I'm sorry to see you don't agree with me, but at least thanks for allowing me my view.

This country has gone so far in reverse of common sense! It's not a nice thing to have said, but if we all kept a level head and saw the word as a factual description (yes, not in this case, I know) or just something light, we wouldn't have these big dramas about a private conversation between TWO ADULTS! We do not need to police their levels of acceptance as it was a private conversation.

Public is a different matter. She accepted his apology, and he made it in private. That should be all there is to it, the taste of it is a different discussion.”

but the point I'm making is that **** isn't used factually but a generalist term of abuse for anyone from the asian sub continent whether or not they're from Pakistan

I agree that it would be good if the word could be reclaimed (a bit like Queer has been by gay people) so it was just a short hand way of referring to people from Pakistan but I don't see it happening anytime soon

Jan2555*GG*

08-10-2009

He has been on the radio aswell......for goodness sake I wish he would just shut up about it as its NOT HELPING one bit....is he the arbiter of public opinion now......feels he has to weigh in on any subject on strictly......as long as HE says that Alesha is doing a good job we must think the same........now this........I dispair when will they learn to KEEP THEIR MOUTHS SHUT.

SCD-Observer

08-10-2009

Originally Posted by dome:
“It seems to becoming the latest national sport.

They'll be building gladiator arenas next and bringing the lions in.”

LOL!

BuddyBontheNet

08-10-2009

Originally Posted by qwertyqueen:
“Margot was a figure of fun though. I haven't seen the episode, but were they making fun of her reaction?”

Yes, just as Philip and Alan were making fun of Rigsby. I'm not sure why I found one funny and not the other. Maybe because Rigsby was such a complete idiot and Margo was an intelligent woman. I still laugh at Rising Damp now, but not at The Good Life even though I liked it when it was on.

I would have preferred it of Bruce hadn't said anything. It hasn't been mentioned on ITT and I hope there isn't even the slightest remark made about it on the show this week.

Tissy

08-10-2009

[quote=BuddyBontheNet;35910660]What about Rising Damp?

QUOTE]

What about Little Britain ?

The woman who is sick over everything ?

-Sid-

08-10-2009

I've never noticed that word being considered 'humorous' in my lifetime.

And I don't think Asians will ever have been rolling around laughing every time they heard it.

Thank goodness times have moved on (for most).

BuddyBontheNet

08-10-2009

Originally Posted by Passoa:
“...I am by no means a racist whatsoever, but I find this big drama about a comment just so stupid. I am not condoning what he said, but if it wasn't said in a vindicative way, if it was said in private, he apologized and she accepts, who the hell are way to tell her she shouldn't?

BuddyBon, I'm sorry to see you don't agree with me, but at least thanks for allowing me my view.

This country has gone so far in reverse of common sense! It's not a nice thing to have said, but if we all kept a level head and saw the word as a factual description (yes, not in this case, I know) or just something light, we wouldn't have these big dramas about a private conversation between TWO ADULTS! We do not need to police their levels of acceptance as it was a private conversation.

Public is a different matter. She accepted his apology, and he made it in private. That should be all there is to it, the taste of it is a different discussion.”

I do agree with all of this.

Jan2555*GG*

08-10-2009

Quote:
“ a private conversation between TWO ADULTS! We do not need to police their levels of acceptance as it was a private conversation.”

In many ways I agree with you but this is the thin end of the wedge. If you accept a 'racist' word being used no matter where or when it becomes more and more diffiuclt to draw the line. People can be upset about something said to them in private and in many cases it is much more difficult to deal with as its one persons word against another. The word and many others like it is unacceptable in ANY circumstances.

BuddyBontheNet

08-10-2009

Originally Posted by Tissy:
“
Originally Posted by BuddyBontheNet:
“What about Rising Damp?”

What about Little Britain ?

The woman who is sick over everything ?”

I have to admit I have never watched Little Britain because he may be a nice guy, but after seeing Matt Lucas as the giant baby George Dawes on Shooting Stars I just can't stand looking at him.

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