Is the World over-reacting about everything ?
- 4 February 2011 14:3291478The BBC apologises over remarks on the TV show Top Gear that provoked outrage in Mexico, but defends humour based on national stereotyping.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-12361790
Plans for Stephen Fry to film part of a new documentary series in Japan are shelved after complaints about an A-bomb joke.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12361873Been nice knowing you :) - 4 February 2011 16:0891484Well there is no doubt about it Paul we are in sensitive times. Only the other week we had that massive kerfaffle about Gray and Keyes, which in a previous era would have been overlooked or met with some minor admonishment. We also had that Brand and Ross episode previously which resulted in more sackings.
Yes I heard this story about the Mexican joke which called all Mexicans lazy always asleep etc.etc.
Its fairly tricky all this. Through the seventies, seems like many moons ago now, all us Irish were considered, if you were to listen to the half wit comedians at the time , as thick and useless. This too became dinner table fodder! We shrugged it off as there didnt appear to any choice. On the other hand though I didnt reckon I was any thicker than the next guy in the street!!?
Somehow anyway all those jokes suddenly stopped pouring forth from our TV screens and it wasnt a bad thing. I think it went beyond saturation point and into main stream dinner table thinking. I refer to Baroness Varsi who made the same point last week.
Times changed and as I said those kind of jokes stopped..also the Larry Grayson gay era came to a sudden halt likewise...but is the barometer swinging too far the other way. It could be.
We still enjoy the odd Irish joke on our Jokes page and they are very funny, as are all the other jokes. But not everyone is this way. For example Willie Walsh Irish head of British Airways, has stated any number of times how he finds any similar references offensive. Im a bit more relaxed but others are not. But its the ones who are not relaxed who shout the loudest.email: dover7@msn.com - 4 February 2011 16:1791486having seen the link i laughed out loud at the comments, they could not be taken too seriously.
i am surprised that the mexican ambassador has not worked out the style of the programme and taken it in that context.
paul mentions the old irish jokes, they did get out of hand, some were nasty and unfunny. mind you dubliners used to tell the same jokes about kerry people.
whether the comments were acceptable or not, i cannot see how the issue escalates to such a high level. - 4 February 2011 16:5091487Top Gear is without a doubt the best programme on TV.
It is loved simply because it is NOT politically correct, that is its strength and that is a very rare thing. Far too much TV is nondescript, dull and bland, slave to the curse or political correctness.
I too laughed out loud, in fact I dont think there has been a single Top Gear that has not given me reason to laugh out loud. It was funny and yes, it is a stereotype but so what? Stereotype are just that for a reason, we know it was a joke, we know that all Mexicans are not as described (I know two very beautiful Mexican ladies....) so there is no need for this idiotic outrage.
Some people just need to get a backbone and a life.
More power to the TG team and may they come out with a lot more like that... - 4 February 2011 16:5691488Love Top Gear always makes me laugh, but dont tell my hubby as he has to watch Emmerdale before I will let him watch Top Gear
- 4 February 2011 17:0091489that comment about the bloke wearing a blanket with a hole in and falling asleep while looking at a cactus is a cracker.
i cannot see how anyone would seriously think that the presenter actually meant what he said. - 4 February 2011 21:0791517
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Lincolnshire Born and Bred - Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,894
4 February 2011 21:5391520Jokes or comments that keep going on and on do get very irritating and in the end they cease being funny and can even be hurtful.
The top gear pundits have never grown up they are very highly paid little schoolboys.-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
------------------------------------------------------------------- - 4 February 2011 22:2791526Not a fan then Jan
Sometimes a little lighthearted humour can be uplifting after a hard day at work
- Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,707
5 February 2011 02:5191533puerile nonsense - but then each to their own"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
