Big Brother Told To, Er, Paki It In
THE news series of Big Brother is in “chaos”.
The Mirror’s front-age tells readers that TV watchdog Ofcom is not best pleased with what it has seen. It chastises Channel 4 for “serious errors of judgement” in last season’s Celebrity Big Brother.
That was the show that made a star of Shilpa Shetty. Victimised by Jade ‘Hoodie’ Goody, whale-voiced Danielle Lloyd and former SS Club 7 singer Jo O’Meara, Shilpa suffered. She then won the show and made a killing. Jade broke down and broke poppadoms India. Danielle got new breasts. And Jo disappeared in a puff of green smoke.
But the story is not over. And readers learn that elements of the abuse were censored.
It is revealed that housemates called Shilpa a “P***”. Why the Mirror uses stars and not the word “Paki” is a moot point. Is the word Paki the last taboo? If so, can someone please tell school children, name callers and England football fans who enliven matches with the delightful tune “I’d rather be a Paki than a [insert opposition here – Turk/Frog/ Kraut etc.]”.
There’s Shilpa on the front page of the star. Over there she’s being called a “P*ki”. These Star’s readers are made of stronger stuff.
And over four pages they learn that Channel 4 has been ordered to issue three apologies for broadcasting “offensive and unsuitable” footage in the Big Brother race row.
How awful this must be for Andy Duncan, head of Channel 4, and his minions. With Big Brother 8 about to start, the papers are chock full of stories about how the show shocks.
Channel 4 argues that it allowed the celebrities “freedom of expression”. And so it did. But why were some expressions edited out? That is neither free nor fair.
We heard Jade, Danielle and Jo’s bigotry and bullying. But why were we deprived of Jack joining the gang in making up a limerick about Shilpa being a Paki? His freedoms were curtailed.
Jo: There once was a house that was happy
Later
Jo: There once was a house that was happy, mi ni, mi ni, mi ni, mi ni, and then there entered…
Much later
Jade: Until there entered a…
We urge Jack to not let this matter slide. If a bigoted idiot is not allowed to be a bigoted idiot then something is amiss in reality TV. We’d wager that Jack’s human rights have been violated. He should sue.
Jo: There was young girl from Bombay…
And we should stay tuned. Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell tells us: “We will be watching very closely to ensure that these [rulings] have the desired effects.”
Jo: I’m not a racist person because my cousin is married to an Indian
She’ll be watching Big Brother. You’ll be watching Big Brother. It’s all having the desired effect…
Jade: When we three gonna meet again?
Jo: In rehab…
Danielle: When I’ve had me new breasts done
All three: When there’s a feature in the Sun…
Anon
Posted: 25th, May 2007 | In: Celebrities Comments (3) | TrackBack | Permalink
