War! Famine! Pestilence! All serious issues that affect humanity's need for peace, harmony and survival in today's troubled times. As I drove home from work last night I listened in to my usual radio station and was amazed to hear that one of the main news item bullet points being read out was: "Basil Brush has been cleared of racism."
Brush: white supremacy accusations thrown outNow, being that Mr Brush was usually displayed sitting next to Mr Roy, I for one never got to see his jack boots. Of course, there's more to this children's social story than meets the eye. The allegations of cuddly toy racism came from a member of the Northamptonshire traveller's community over an episode originally broadcast six years ago. In the episode, a gypsy woman offers the furry fox some lucky heather and wooden clothes pegs whilst a fortune teller steals Basil's wallet.
Joseph Jones, vice-chairman of the Southern England Romany, Gypsy and Irish Traveller Network had compared the programme with the Black and White Minstrel Show. He may well have a point, but what exactly was it that he was complaining about? Was it the stereotype of a dishonest gypsy or was Mr Jones upset that the writer of the sketch, Colin Bostock Smith, portrayed the heather selling woman as dumb. After all, who in their right mind would want to sell dead vegetation to a bloody puppet?
The link that I've given above will take you to The Daily Torygraph's version of events and views the whole topic as being risible. In a way I don't blame them, as 90% of humour is based on other people's misfortune and the laughter comes from people who are relieved at not being in that situation. But this sort of thing can open a huge can of worms if more people become offended at entertainers that mock any stereotype and this means that other comedy programmes written in past times are liable for investigation. And there's loads of stuff out there that may be brought to trial, from the racist tongue of Alf Garnett to the sexist overtones of 'Carry On', 'Confessions' and 'On The Buses' films.
So, where do we draw the line?
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21 comments:
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i wish i knew, sugar! we can't even talk about race in this country without accusations of bias, racism or any other -ism you can think of being hurled at the speaker! we've lost the ability to see the connections/commonalities we share as human beings and the ability to laugh at ourselves and all of our human frailties.
(happy easter, sugar! i'm always gald when you stop by)
Ah yes, sure it's all gone to bollix now with what's politically correct, and what's not.
With the types of real evil bastards out there- I think the Northamptonshire traveller's community should concern themselves less over Basil Brush, and The Black and White Minstrel Show.
Ah, those were the days: Bill Cotton's band / The Black and White ....My Mum and Dad's favourite programs.
Can you imagine Skin-heads watching T B & W M Show because it was the racist BBC program of the
50's
As a kid I thought they wanted to be black because black people could sing better, and my Mum or Dad didn't tell me no different.
I really did think that they were black!
A god post and a point that needed to be made I think. Where's it going to end indeed. The current government won't be happy until everybody is having their retinas scanned and carrying ID cards. Pretty soon the only privacy we will find is in cupboards. 1984 yadda yadda yadda but just look around. It worries me.
Basil Brush is a reactionary old buffoon.
People are too easily annoyed. There are more important things to be worrying about. Like, will the world ever run out of chocolate?
Run out of chocolate?
would that be 'dark or white' Ooops! better be careful here... don't want to start a chocolately ingredient preference riot!
Good post Ister, thing is...in all my years, I have developed a bullshit filter! These days it's quite sensitive and can sniff out bullshit where ever it exists...but the trouble is it's constantly on the go.
In a country where we even have to choose our own words very carefully through fear of publicly upsetting someone of different race, gender, creed, belief...etc, now it seems an innocent comment from a character of childrens programs has fallen under the spotlight of bullshit.
What about that teacher the other week who got accused of ridiculing the Islamic prophet 'Mohammad' when she let her class of children decide on a name for a teddy! smeg!! Not that I want to bring religion into the proceedings you understand, I use it as another example of bullshit.
Perhaps society at large needs a full frontal labotomy? that'll keep us docile.
chom.
TV de LSD - Piss off, telly spam.
Savvy - It's similar in this country too. We have free speech just so long as you watch what you say.
(I shall try and stop by more often, Savvy - you're hospitality is second to none! x)
Sean - Anyone with a developed sense of humour will notice the difference between the real nasty rascist name calling from the jokes. Indeed, is a rascist joke a joke, or is the mere notion of a rascist joke a joke in itself. My dad loved the Black & White minstrel show, it was so different to any type of entertainment that was available in his homeland.
People from Dublin have got it right when they exclaim "I'm black and I'm proud..." (The Commitments)
Axe Victim - I think more personal freedoms will get eroded away. The only way out of the quagmire would be to emigrate, which is a sad state of affairs. The government of this country are thinking on an international level too much and they're out to please the USA when there's shitloads of problems here that they should be sorting out. So, what do you do? Vote them out at the next election...but will the next lot be any better?
Geoff - Yes, that's why he had a Brush with the law.
Joanne - As a Cadbury's addict myself, I totally sympathise with your concerns. Do you think we should initiate some sort of rationing of eggs this Easter so that no one will go without? I devoured 5 creme eggs the other day, it's all good practice for this Sunday.
Jif - As for the Basil Brush episode as we now know, no charges have been brought against the writer. Having said that, any television channel has a responsibility not to offend anyone especially in terms of race (causing religious offence is overlooked unless it's to do with Islam - no TV station wants their studios blown up...oops! Did I just say that?). Basil Brush is aimed at children and kids have yet to develop their bullshit detectors. Does that mean the kids will be influenced into believing travellers to be thieves? The writer of that sketch is an adult and perhaps he was inserting a little adult humour for the mums and dads that were also watching the show. Unfortunately for him, so were the travellers.
Bring back Goodness Gracious Me, Rising Damp and Mind Your Language I say - they were hilarious. I used to think the Black and White Minstrels were black too. Please don't bring back the Good Old Days though - that was soooooo boring.
one of the things basil b is best at is laughing at himself! it's something the easily offended could do with trying. (and it's clearly the secret of basil's youthful appearance - he's outlasted loads of presenters) x
Hey Ski - that's why I am standing for local councillor in RUT. As Stray used to sing waaaay back when - Stand Up And Be Counted, only if for one moment in time.
Ahem. When I was little I used to avidly read Famous Five books. Not the most enlightening depiction of gypsies in those stories. I hope my views weren't influenced by Enid Blyton! Mind you, I think the fact that I had a crush on David Essex probably helped to even things out a few years later ...
okay mr gypsy, we are very sorry that that bastard fox denegrated your race, rest assured that we will hunt him down and our dogs will rip him to shreds.
oh, by the way, can we have our signalling cable back please?
I don't know about Basil being racist but he's offensive to ginger foxes.
Well if you are going to be like that - he's Mr Roy-ist as well! Think of all those Mr Roy's out there feeling lampooned by a stuffed fox named after the star of Fawlty Towers or was it Farty Towels?
RoMo - "The Good Old Days" - did it actually have an audience? What was the point of it? Was it nostalgia for cobweb wearing folk?
RG - Good point, Rivergirlie. Basil does not have a single grey hair on his ginger head, but his voice is getting croakier. Perhaps it's down to his 20-a-day habit? x
Axe Victim - Good on you AV. Erm, 'scuse my ignorance, but what does RUT stand for? The only time I've heard Stray sing a song was when he did a version of "Your Cheatin' Heart". I've been on strong medication ever since.
Betty - I know what you mean. I actually admired Freddie Eastwood when he was Southend FC's striker. He went to Wolves and he tried to install 3 caravans in the box at Molineaux. I don't think he's had a game since.
Howesy - I remember the story of one of the old boys mowing down a whole family of gipsies by train as they tried to nick some cabling / rail from the track. All instantly dead - the driver was back at work the next day...
DH - You should see what he has to say about those Artic foxes. Well out of order.
RoMo - Racist, Roy-ist. Good job he never met and hated me. He'd be Ist-ist.
"To perpetuate this myth about gipsies and travellers is wrong,"
He should come to Chelmsford then and see the people that give gipsies and travellers a bad name. Or better still, help clear up the mess afterwards and trace the contents of burgled sheds (spate of burglaries when the caravans are in town)
Ginger foxes, heh.
Good old batbitch, she took her time, i wondered when she's turn up.
Llewtrah - what is it with East Anglia? Is it some kind of gypsy heaven (for gypsies, obviously)? There seems to be a lot of "traveller activity" from those areas that we tend to read about. Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire too.
They get around a bit, those travellers.
Batbitch - Yep. Vermin of the highest order.
Howesy - She'll be visiting you soon, mate. Just tempt her with a rock guitar, that'll do.
Failing that, she'll also go for a nice, large, hard, hot, throbbing...
I was all set to give you shit Ist, but that visual you painted for me.....
Yum, baby. Bring it on.
And did you see what Howesy has over at his blog???
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