DS Forums

 
 

Midsommer Murders colourful casting


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 29-12-2016, 13:12
Baz_James
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Honiton, Devon
Posts: 1,930
Hasn't Mr True May now left the show following his comments ?
Long time ago!
Baz_James is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 30-12-2016, 09:28
Glawster2002
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Nailsworth, Gloucestershire
Posts: 10,402
how many black/asian families actually live in these rural idylls midsomer supposed to represent....?

and whats wrong with promoting a white english village?... as the poster above correctly identifies eastenders should be almost totally asian... i think if i was asian, id be more angry at eastenders being too white then a rural english village...
In reality? Virtually none.

White British - Population and distribution

According to the 2011 census, 91.8% od the population of the South West were classified as "White British", however I would have said if you excluded the cities of Bristol and Gloucester, both of whom have significant non-white populations, I would have said the figure for the region would be well over 95%.

That is certainly true where I live in rural Gloucestershire.
Glawster2002 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2016, 10:09
mushymanrob
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: derby
Posts: 14,740
In reality? Virtually none.

White British - Population and distribution

According to the 2011 census, 91.8% od the population of the South West were classified as "White British", however I would have said if you excluded the cities of Bristol and Gloucester, both of whom have significant non-white populations, I would have said the figure for the region would be well over 95%.

That is certainly true where I live in rural Gloucestershire.
yep.... this is why i object to tokenism , its inserting 'non whites' to appease the politically corrects moans.

interestingly, have any asians or black people actually moaned about lack of representation in programs like midsomer? i suspect its weak willed liberals the same ones that got the name of 'blackboard' changed to 'chalkboard' or tried to ban 'ba ba black sheep' (thus totally missing the moral of the rhyme).
mushymanrob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2016, 10:37
JeffG1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Newbury
Posts: 6,749
tried to ban 'ba ba black sheep' (thus totally missing the moral of the rhyme).
Actually I think that is an urban myth. And I have never noticed a moral in the rhyme - please explain. I'm interested, because many nursery rhymes have a backstory based on fact.
JeffG1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2016, 11:02
Glawster2002
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Nailsworth, Gloucestershire
Posts: 10,402
Actually I think that is an urban myth. And I have never noticed a moral in the rhyme - please explain. I'm interested, because many nursery rhymes have a backstory based on fact.
I do despise that word. What is wrong with using "history"?

The original rhyme is often said to have originally been a protest about the very high wool tax in the 15th Century.
Glawster2002 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2016, 12:22
vauxhall1964
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 5,800
So why were there complaints that it did not have ethnic character in it a few months back. Similar to if one watches a TV programme or play that is based on a book, an Agatha Christie for example, they will write in some lesbian/gay, ethnic character to make it PC. I can think of no AC novels where they were mentioned.
There are quite a few Agatha Christie stories where it's heavily hinted that characters are lesbian women or gay men. Homosexuality was of course a crime at the time and censorship made it all but impossible to have characters that were clearly labelled gay. Nemesis, The moving finger and A murder is announced have such characters. And in A Caribbean Mystery Christie did write in an openly gay male character, ditto her play The Rats.
vauxhall1964 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2016, 14:16
Inkblot
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: West London
Posts: 24,303
I do despise that word. What is wrong with using "history"?
More to the point, they mean different things. A back story is usually a fictional character's past life before we meet them, often only revealed after events in the narrative make it relevant.

On the subject of whether the proportion of non-white people in a real location should dictate the proportion portrayed in a fictional location, surely the answer is no. Midsomer isn't a real place. Casting non-white actors isn't about making it more realistic, it's about being open-minded about casting people regardless of their ethnicity.

If the role is the brother or sister of a character played by a white actor, then it makes sense to cast another white actor. But if it's a postman, shop worker, scientist, lawyer, teacher, plumber, whatever, it doesn't matter what skin colour the actor has. It might not be demographically "accurate" for a black person to work in the local brewery but as long as the actor plays the part well, it doesn't matter whether it's "accurate" or not.
Inkblot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2016, 14:28
Baz_James
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Honiton, Devon
Posts: 1,930
Midsomer isn't a real place.
Yeah, right. And didn't bring my presents. People today. I ask you!
Baz_James is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2016, 14:33
mushymanrob
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: derby
Posts: 14,740
Actually I think that is an urban myth. And I have never noticed a moral in the rhyme - please explain. I'm interested, because many nursery rhymes have a backstory based on fact.
i can assure you it isnt. although there doesnt appear to be a unuversal ban, some schools do not teach 'ba ba black sheep', my nephews have been taught 'ba ba woolly sheep'...

I do despise that word. What is wrong with using "history"?

The original rhyme is often said to have originally been a protest about the very high wool tax in the 15th Century.
yep, and the 'black' sheep provided 3 bags full.... its a story of success despite being an 'odd one out'. surely thats a politically correct point being made!
mushymanrob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2016, 14:50
Inkblot
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: West London
Posts: 24,303
https://pcgonemadgonemad.wordpress.c...6/hello-world/ says

This is one of the biggest ‘PC Gone Mad’ urban myths that has spread across the country and the world. A book entitled ‘Baa Baa Rainbow Sheep: The Charge of the PC Brigade‘ was even published based on this incident. Of course, had this ban have actually happened, it would have been a very pointless and hysterical matter indeed. But it didn’t happen at all.
Inkblot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2016, 15:30
Vetinari
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 942
... Casting non-white actors isn't about making it more realistic, it's about being open-minded about casting people regardless of their ethnicity.

If the role is the brother or sister of a character played by a white actor, then it makes sense to cast another white actor. But if it's a postman, shop worker, scientist, lawyer, teacher, plumber, whatever, it doesn't matter what skin colour the actor has. It might not be demographically "accurate" for a black person to work in the local brewery but as long as the actor plays the part well, it doesn't matter whether it's "accurate" or not.
Yes.

Unfortunately the thread has drifted away from the actual complaint I had, which was neither about whether, nor how many, non-white actors they used, but the clumsy 'one per programme' system they seem to be employing, which makes it look like rigid adherence to some PC rule, rather than genuine diversity.
Vetinari is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2016, 15:49
Baz_James
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Honiton, Devon
Posts: 1,930
got the name of 'blackboard' changed to 'chalkboard'
Except that they didn't. You can still order blackboards from educational suppliers. Chalkboard is an American term in use since the 1950s which has simply been imported into UK English in the same way that so many other terms have been through familiarity with US TV, comics etc. There has been no overall decline in the use of the word 'blackboard' (and indeed there was a mini-peak in usage early in the last decade) or increase in the use of 'chalkboard'. What there has been is a movement away from blackboards in schools as the more convenient and less messy whiteboards and then smartboards have replaced them. There are many pupils in school today who have never seen a blackboard.
Baz_James is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2016, 15:55
JeffG1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Newbury
Posts: 6,749
What there has been is a movement away from blackboards in schools as the more convenient and less messy whiteboards and then smartboards have replaced them. There are many pupils in school today who have never seen a blackboard.
Surely a school would have to have at least one token blackboard?

Re baa baa black sheep, there was an 8 page discussion about this back in 2007
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=551743

I think it's popped up several times before and since.
JeffG1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2016, 16:29
JezR
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 726
Yes.

Unfortunately the thread has drifted away from the actual complaint I had, which was neither about whether, nor how many, non-white actors they used, but the clumsy 'one per programme' system they seem to be employing, which makes it look like rigid adherence to some PC rule, rather than genuine diversity.
There was one than one cast member form an ethnic minority in the last programme although he was non-speaking. There may have been more that I didn't notice.
JezR is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2016, 16:33
davies88
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Tatooine
Posts: 1,500
The repeat that's on now, she will always be Tiffany from EastEnders.
davies88 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2016, 16:45
Granny McSmith
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 15,077
Surely a school would have to have at least one token blackboard?

Re baa baa black sheep, there was an 8 page discussion about this back in 2007
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=551743

I think it's popped up several times before and since.
I read the first few posts on that thread, and someone says nursery teachers use different coloured sheep to teach children colours. Why use sheep for this? Black sheep actually exist. Blue and green sheep don't. You can teach those colours using sky and grass.

Sorry, completely off topic, but it just struck me as a bit odd, because meaningless. .
Granny McSmith is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2016, 22:36
Baz_James
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Honiton, Devon
Posts: 1,930
There was one than one cast member form an ethnic minority in the last programme although he was non-speaking. There may have been more that I didn't notice.
Raj Awasti, who's a regular extra on the show, as 'villager'.
Baz_James is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2016, 22:39
Baz_James
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Honiton, Devon
Posts: 1,930
I read the first few posts on that thread, and someone says nursery teachers use different coloured sheep to teach children colours. Why use sheep for this? Black sheep actually exist. Blue and green sheep don't. You can teach those colours using sky and grass.

Sorry, completely off topic, but it just struck me as a bit odd, because meaningless. .
You sure about that? https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CQpF66rUEAA4Y6r.jpg
Baz_James is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-12-2016, 22:55
Granny McSmith
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 15,077
Granny McSmith is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-12-2016, 01:14
Prince Monalulu
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 31,156
yep.... this is why i object to tokenism , its inserting 'non whites' to appease the politically corrects moans.

interestingly, have any asians or black people actually moaned about lack of representation in programs like midsomer? i suspect its weak willed liberals the same ones that got the name of 'blackboard' changed to 'chalkboard' or tried to ban 'ba ba black sheep' (thus totally missing the moral of the rhyme).
Nobody tried to ban ba ba blacksheep or got blackboard changed to chalkboard, both utter bollox.
Have to wonder why anyone still chooses to believe this guff after all these years.
What is the moral point in the rhyme, that children are supposed to learn?

Do we still get a 'Christmas has been banned' thread in GD around Chrimbo, I don't get over to GD these days.

I read the first few posts on that thread, and someone says nursery teachers use different coloured sheep to teach children colours. Why use sheep for this? Black sheep actually exist. Blue and green sheep don't. You can teach those colours using sky and grass.

Sorry, completely off topic, but it just struck me as a bit odd, because meaningless. .
It's a pointless little rhyme, so why not adapt it to teach colours, you use what's to hand.
As children we watch cartoons or read books where animals speak and use tools, we don't believe that's real life.
I used to walk a friends little lad to school, (he's early twenties now) I'd use house doors, cars, etc to teach him colours and counting, use what's to hand.
Prince Monalulu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-12-2016, 07:44
mushymanrob
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: derby
Posts: 14,740
https://pcgonemadgonemad.wordpress.c...6/hello-world/ says

This is one of the biggest ‘PC Gone Mad’ urban myths that has spread across the country and the world. A book entitled ‘Baa Baa Rainbow Sheep: The Charge of the PC Brigade‘ was even published based on this incident. Of course, had this ban have actually happened, it would have been a very pointless and hysterical matter indeed. But it didn’t happen at all.
except ive told you i have got a recent, first hand testimony for them changing the rhyme... it is NOT an urban myth. although it might not have been rolled our nationally as policy.

Except that they didn't. You can still order blackboards from educational suppliers. Chalkboard is an American term in use since the 1950s which has simply been imported into UK English in the same way that so many other terms have been through familiarity with US TV, comics etc. There has been no overall decline in the use of the word 'blackboard' (and indeed there was a mini-peak in usage early in the last decade) or increase in the use of 'chalkboard'. What there has been is a movement away from blackboards in schools as the more convenient and less messy whiteboards and then smartboards have replaced them. There are many pupils in school today who have never seen a blackboard.
i worked in schools from the 70's until a couple of years ago. there was a push in the 80's to change the term to chalkboard. i can only tell you what i witnessed.

Nobody tried to ban ba ba blacksheep or got blackboard changed to chalkboard, both utter bollox.
oh, so im a liar now? ive told you what i have personally witnessed.

Have to wonder why anyone still chooses to believe this guff after all these years.
What is the moral point in the rhyme, that children are supposed to learn?
.......... that despite being a 'black sheep' (ie, different) you can still prosper. do i really have to explain the obvious moral point of a nursery rhyme to an adult?...
mushymanrob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-12-2016, 09:03
Inkblot
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: West London
Posts: 24,303
except ive told you i have got a recent, first hand testimony for them changing the rhyme... it is NOT an urban myth. although it might not have been rolled our nationally as policy.
The question over whether this was an urban myth relates to the reasons behind the change. If a teacher decides to use different words in a nursery rhyme for positive reasons, to make it more fun or as part of a class topic, that's not political correctness gone mad. If a school or local authority decides to implement a policy that nursery rhymes must be politically correct, that is clearly ridiculous. But there is a whole scale of idiocy along the way, from sensible to bonkers. Unless you know where your nephews' school sits on the scale you can't be sure their experience is down to PC madness or creative teaching..

When I was on the PTA of a local school we spent hours debating whether to buy interactive whiteboards for the classrooms. The topic of blackboards never came up. Why would any school use chalk nowadays?
Inkblot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-12-2016, 09:06
malcy30
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 1,519
In yesterday's MM repeat they had an Afro Caribbean actor in one of the lead parts. With this thread it did stick out a bit. Although his appearance made sense as his white wife was from the village and they had married when she was living in London but they returned to the farm after her parents death. So plot wise a feasible reason for a non white actor to be in the show.
malcy30 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-12-2016, 12:34
Granny McSmith
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 15,077



It's a pointless little rhyme, so why not adapt it to teach colours, you use what's to hand.
As children we watch cartoons or read books where animals speak and use tools, we don't believe that's real life.
I used to walk a friends little lad to school, (he's early twenties now) I'd use house doors, cars, etc to teach him colours and counting, use what's to hand.
Coloured sheep aren't "to hand". They don't exist.

You think it's an inspired and inspirational teaching aid to use mythical sheep - I think it's daft.

As we're never going to agree, there's no point in continuing with the conversation.
Granny McSmith is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 31-12-2016, 13:18
Prince Monalulu
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 31,156
Coloured sheep aren't "to hand". They don't exist.

You think it's an inspired and inspirational teaching aid to use mythical sheep - I think it's daft.

As we're never going to agree, there's no point in continuing with the conversation.
I don't mind leaving the conversation alone as long as you don't put the words inspired and inspirational in my mouth.
Don't go trying to spin what I've said, I don't like it.
Prince Monalulu is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply



Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 04:54.