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Is EastEnders too White?


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Old 16-04-2014, 09:15
vaslav37
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Looking at the new cast pic...is EastEnders too white for a soap that is meant to be set in the East End of London?
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Old 16-04-2014, 09:23
Lizzie Brookes
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Not really. We have Patrick, Denise, Masood, Shabnam and Tamwar.
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Old 16-04-2014, 09:35
Cuddly_Cat
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Not really. We have Patrick, Denise, Masood, Shabnam and Tamwar.
Five non white people? That doesn't reflect the East End of London. I think Denise should have more family around her. When Zainab left it was like the heart had been ripped out of the Masoods. I think another older female relative from the family should move in and team up with Shabnam, which would drive Masood mad!
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Old 16-04-2014, 09:36
radcliffe95
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Whose is the dog with Stan and where's Aunt Babe?
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Old 16-04-2014, 09:38
I've Got Class
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Not really. We have Patrick, Denise, Masood, Shabnam and Tamwar.
Kim, Tosh, Dexter, Fatboy and Morgan as well.
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Old 16-04-2014, 09:38
vaslav37
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Five non white people? That doesn't reflect the East End of London. I think Denise should have more family around her. When Zainab left it was like the heart had been ripped out of the Masoods. I think another older female relative from the family should move in and team up with Shabnam, which would drive Masood mad!
As much as I love the show it is too white...
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Old 16-04-2014, 09:46
lotty27
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Looking at the new cast pic...is EastEnders too white for a soap that is meant to be set in the East End of London?
I have to say that this was my initial thought when looking at the new cast picture too. A few black/asian faces in a sea of white!
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Old 16-04-2014, 09:48
Chris Mark
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For all some people occasionally complain about other posters on here (a minority), had this thread been posted in the General Discussion or Politics section of DS the racist bigots would have hijacked this thread by now.

To answer the original question I think that if EastEnders wants to represent the modern East End then it could be more multicultural.
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Old 16-04-2014, 09:52
walford-e20
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Yes. I noticed that the new market extras seemed more ethnically diverse, but I'd still like to see an Asian couple and some more Afro-Caribbean or Eastern European characters.
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Old 16-04-2014, 10:01
vaslav37
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Yes. I noticed that the new market extras seemed more ethnically diverse, but I'd still like to see an Asian couple and some more Afro-Caribbean or Eastern European characters.
Its fine having ethnic extras but the show needs more ethnic regulars.
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Old 16-04-2014, 10:06
DODS11
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Realistically, yes, the show is far too white to be a proper reflection on East London.

I don't think that's entirely the show's fault though. It began in the 80s, most of those principle families have been white and have stuck and expanded over the years. There's only so much cast they can have but it would be great to have more ethnic diversity in Walford.
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Old 16-04-2014, 10:09
Lizzie Brookes
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Kim, Tosh, Dexter, Fatboy and Morgan as well.
Kim left but you're right about the others.
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Old 16-04-2014, 10:09
ArthurJBear
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Don't foget although Aleks is white he's still from a minority group too. So that's 10 non-white and one East European
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Old 16-04-2014, 10:10
adamski94
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I thinks they need a Chinese/Japanese/korean/thai family
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Old 16-04-2014, 10:17
Cuddly_Cat
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Kim, Tosh, Dexter, Fatboy and Morgan as well.
True, but it's still not many. East London is a very diverse area. Eastenders needs to reflect the real East End.
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Old 16-04-2014, 10:23
Robert_Whippy
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No point bringing in black people or any other non white actors just for the sake of it. The actors need to be good enough and they need to have a good enough story for them
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Old 16-04-2014, 10:27
Carcon
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Whose is the dog with Stan and where's Aunt Babe?
Thats the Branning's Dog , the one that got Lady Di up the duff!
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Old 16-04-2014, 10:34
The_abbott
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Although I think they need at least one new ethnic family, the cast reflects the audience not necessarily the real east end. Its still a fictional programme at the end of the day!
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Old 16-04-2014, 10:36
Cuddly_Cat
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No point bringing in black people or any other non white actors just for the sake of it. The actors need to be good enough and they need to have a good enough story for them
The Carters were brought in for Shirley so why not more Masoods, or family for Denise? A new family who are not white or who are Eastern European can be given a story. As for the actors there are black and Asian etc actors out there who good enough.
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Old 16-04-2014, 10:36
SamJanusFan-x
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No point bringing in black people or any other non white actors just for the sake of it. The actors need to be good enough and they need to have a good enough story for them
I couldn't agree more.

If they can't act, they get axed. Nobody cares about skin colour really, The Masood's lasted because they could all act, give or take Syeed, but Tamwar is brill, Mas and Zainab were all good. The new Shabnam, she can act, I just don't like her.

The Ferreira's were absolute dog poo, they didn't get axed because of skin colour they got axed because they were diabolical.

Nearly every single company within the UK has statistics to meet regarding the employment of non-white people. The BBC will have this, I''m not sure if they will separate their percentages over shows or as a company. But, I disagree, where I have worked previously there was a statistic to meet regarding employing ethnic minorities, people were given the job because of their skin colour, never mind the fact that they couldn't communicate, left colleges in danger and in general were absolute poo at their job. The way I see it is, if the black man can do the job better than the white man, employ him. But employing somebody because of skin colour is just ridiculous, given that the police do this also, I'd like to know I'm safe and that I can communicate with a person who is rescuing me from a crime.

Even employing ethnic minority extra's the BBC are still employing ethnic minorities there fore meeting the statistics.
TBH, EE is less white than any other soap, I've been to Manchester numerous times, where are all the ethnic minorities in Weatherfield?
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Old 16-04-2014, 10:39
MasterofTime
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That was might first thought when I saw the photo
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Old 16-04-2014, 10:39
Chris Mark
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I couldn't agree more.

If they can't act, they get axed. Nobody cares about skin colour really, The Masood's lasted because they could all act, give or take Syeed, but Tamwar is brill, Mas and Zainab were all good. The new Shabnam, she can act, I just don't like her.

The Ferreira's were absolute dog poo, they didn't get axed because of skin colour they got axed because they were diabolical.

Nearly every single company within the UK has statistics to meet regarding the employment of non-white people. The BBC will have this, I''m not sure if they will separate their percentages over shows or as a company. But, I disagree, where I have worked previously there was a statistic to meet regarding employing ethnic minorities, people were given the job because of their skin colour, never mind the fact that they couldn't communicate, left colleges in danger and in general were absolute poo at their job. The way I see it is, if the black man can do the job better than the white man, employ him. But employing somebody because of skin colour is just ridiculous, given that the police do this also, I'd like to know I'm safe and that I can communicate with a person who is rescuing me from a crime.

Even employing ethnic minority extra's the BBC are still employing ethnic minorities there fore meeting the statistics.
TBH, EE is less white than any other soap, I've been to Manchester numerous times, where are all the ethnic minorities in Weatherfield?

To be honest it's more a question of the programme reflecting the modern East End rather than a debate about positive discrimination and the East of London is one of the most multicultural parts of the UK.....
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Old 16-04-2014, 10:41
Cuddly_Cat
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To be honest it's more a question of the programme reflecting the modern East End rather than a debate about positive discrimination and the East of London is one of the most multicultural parts of the UK.....
This. Exactly.
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Old 16-04-2014, 10:42
Cuddly_Cat
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I couldn't agree more.

If they can't act, they get axed. Nobody cares about skin colour really, The Masood's lasted because they could all act, give or take Syeed, but Tamwar is brill, Mas and Zainab were all good. The new Shabnam, she can act, I just don't like her.

The Ferreira's were absolute dog poo, they didn't get axed because of skin colour they got axed because they were diabolical.

Nearly every single company within the UK has statistics to meet regarding the employment of non-white people. The BBC will have this, I''m not sure if they will separate their percentages over shows or as a company. But, I disagree, where I have worked previously there was a statistic to meet regarding employing ethnic minorities, people were given the job because of their skin colour, never mind the fact that they couldn't communicate, left colleges in danger and in general were absolute poo at their job. The way I see it is, if the black man can do the job better than the white man, employ him. But employing somebody because of skin colour is just ridiculous, given that the police do this also, I'd like to know I'm safe and that I can communicate with a person who is rescuing me from a crime.

Even employing ethnic minority extra's the BBC are still employing ethnic minorities there fore meeting the statistics.
TBH, EE is less white than any other soap, I've been to Manchester numerous times, where are all the ethnic minorities in Weatherfield?
BIB I've thought that Coronation Street is too white. Manchester isn't being reflected properly by Coronation Street.
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Old 16-04-2014, 10:47
cynet
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EE has always got it wrong with black and Asian culture and the same for CS as well.

They stereo type the characters and then turn them into pantomime figures!

All soaps are guilty of this practice and this is why soaps will never be taken seriously with regards to serious drama as it seems anybody will do as long as they are pretty, athletic, black, red, blue you get the picture! Abilities and real life character building is always missing in these soaps and we all tune in to see if things do get better and guess what?

They don't!
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