The Ian Munnery BigBrother Thread

[Ian A4size]

It was even in the times yesterday- and on talk sport, front page of all the papers- i got nothing done at all, what with fingers in me ears, eyes shut. Its all hype just to make you watch it utter rubbish i will never read about it nor watch it.
I think on reflection i would rather go and watch the world cup with Toks!
Rant over.
Gah its easy to wind me up.
Thread closed.

[jon avery]

I take it your not a fan Ian

[Alan M]

Ignorant, racist and prurient but is in some ways very revealing of the pulse of much of the nation. Truly disappointing but it does mean that we can stop kidding ourselves that we live in a tolerant society, not that I do when I meet so much intolerance on our roads. My general theory of it goes back to childhood and the setting, in early years, of parental models of fairness, shared space and enjoyment of difference. peer group pressure has a part to play but it is interesting that Jade and her mum share the same views.

[Alan M]

I am sorry but I am afraid that those advocating the off switch merely play into the hands of the racists and bigots. It is not realistic to believe that viewing figures will not peak - such are the effects of controversy. However, use of the law to penalise the programmers who are engineering and profiting from the spectacle is an option that I would applaud. It will also force the more respectable journos and programme makers to isolate jade and similar for fear of similar actions and public backlash. You can't completely outlaw this but you can offer some consequences for such action.

[Mike I]

I've got a dose of man-flu, so have seen more daytime TV in the last couple of days than is good for anyone - including news on the hour, every hour. That's how I know that by yesterday morning there had been 9,000 complaints about this; today, it's over 27,000. What's going on? Did 18,000 people set out to watch it last in the expectation of being offended?

Maybe it just highlights the risks of celebrity culture. Some people are bound to see Ms Goody and her ilk as representative of the UK. And maybe she is. We might not like what we see (or in Ian's, Tony Blair's and my case, hear about), but if BB is showing how things really are in this 'tolerant' society, perhaps some good will come of it.

I'll turn off the TV now and go and read Lord of the Flies shall I?

[Elliot M]

from popbitch.com

[quote] Since Jade Goody shot to fame on Channel 4
she has had the same management as Celebrity
Big Brother host Davina McCall, and both
Big Brother spin-off show hosts, Dermot O'Leary
and Russell Brand, as well as last year's
Celebrity Big Brother winner Chantelle.
So is it any surprise that C4 and CBB
producers are so reticent about condemning
the racist bullying, led by Jade, on their
show? They have their own interests to protect.

[adrian]

[quote]I'll turn off the TV now and go and read Lord of the Flies shall I?

[Ian A4size]

Quote "I am sorry but I am afraid that those advocating the off switch merely play into the hands of the racists and bigots."
I WILL not watch the rubbish- the fact is that there are people out in the world like that, and just because i wont watch it does not make me wrong.

[Andrew G]

[quote]interestingly The Sun messageboards, which are often a good barometer of large sections of UK society

[Paul H]

Jade is clearly a scumbag who should be put down and her children sterilised.

I think however it would be harsh to say she is racist and possibly anybody who thinks that could be racist themselves.

[Gavin]

Why is Jade Jade? Why is Jades mum Jade?

Possibly it is all a flaw in our society.

We all meet people we think are idiots everyday. People who are annoyed for one reason or another and curse for what seems like no apparent reason. There is a point at which all people 'crack'.

We used to have a thing called tolerance but tolerance has been ebbed away by the more bizarre behaviour exhibited in britian today.

Can anyone feel safe walking down the street without fear of abuse, physical or verbal in this day and age.

Perhaps we need a change of direction in this country.

[John Czernobay]

Fantastic, I thought I was just joining a cycle club. You really are a great bunch .

It is a right old problem. How, as a tolerant person do you deal with intolerance? It was a struggle Bonhofffer had during the 1930's and even as a pacifist he went in favour of direct physical action. Now I'm not saying the BB house should be blown up, or anything of the sort but getting back to cycling, why do people find us so offensive? I've only been cycling for just over the year and I have experienced so much abuse from car drivers and pedestrians, it's very sad ; what is happening?

However, I'm not giving up and I look forward to seeing you all this Saturday on the CR and being part of a great club.

Best wishes.

John..

[Alan M]

[quote]I think however it would be harsh to say she is racist and possibly anybody who thinks that could be racist themselves.

[Paul H]

I only said possibly and not accusing anybody.

I see the situation as 3 unpleasant people being nasty to another person. If somebody see's it as 3 white people against an Indian then they have singled the Indian person out as somebody different and assumed things because of her race (possibly).

[Alan M]

Paul

For me there is clear blue water between, on the one hand making negative assumptions about a person on the basis of their race "racism" and on the other, being nasty towards them because you don't get on.

I could readily make assumptions about Jade. For example, one might be that she holds racist views because she comes from a culturally impoverished background. "Jade, You are racist because 'people like you' are ignorant. This is clearly a slur generated from my belief (which may not be correct) about her background. As such it is pretty close to a racist view, and could, as you say, be seen as racist, or at least a view that is about her class or her celebrity status.

However, the argument for a view of her as a racist is based on the evidence that she uses and relies racial stereotypes to inform her unpleasantness. In my view this is racist in both its legal and moral definitions.

I see that this morning she has tried to put the genie back in the bottle and some may believe her but I suspect it is the false contrition at being found out.

He ho - It will all seem irelavent on the Merstham drag!!

Alan