Racism on TV

[hrh89]

I was a bit surprised to see Little Britain removed from streaming services. Just seen Netflix has now taken down League of Gentlemen and Mighty Boosh?? Is this getting a bit ridiculous? I’ve never thought of either of those shows as racist. I’m assuming with LOG it’s the Papa Lazarou character. I thought he was just supposed to be the complete antithesis of a happy entertaining circus clown? He’s not meant to be a black character. Am I super uneducated? What do you guys think?

 

[coconochanel]

Ant & Dec have also issued a apologue about when they black faced.

 

[hrh89]

Ant & Dec have also issued a apologue about when they black faced.

Had no idea theyd even done that!

 

[LittleMy]

I think it’s censorship being taken too far now. I didn’t personally like Little Britain anyway, but that’s besides the point. Shall we just ban everything in case it may offend someone out there? The examples given weren’t even done maliciously. Shows like Little Britain feature characters of all races, cultures, abilities.

 

[lilblinder]

I was shocked but not surprised to see Little Britain removed from streaming services. Just seen Netflix has now taken down League of Gentlemen and Mighty Boosh?? Is this getting a bit ridiculous? I’ve never thought of either of those shows as racist. I’m assuming with LOG it’s the Papa Lazarou character. I thought he was just supposed to be the complete antithesis of a happy entertaining circus clown? He’s not meant to be a black character. Am I super uneducated? What do you guys think?

I feel exactly the same as you tbh LOG's papa lazarou and the boosh's spirit of jazz are both brilliant bizzare other worldly creations to my eyes, I can't imagine Pemberton, Shearsmith, Gatis or Noel Fielding and Julian Barrett having nasty racist intentions when they wrote them but as you say we could be wrong .

 

[hrh89]

I feel exactly the same as you tbh LOG's papa lazarou and the boosh's spirit of jazz are both brilliant bizzare other worldly creations to my eyes, I can't imagine Pemberton, Shearsmith, Gatis or Noel Fielding and Julian Barrett having nasty racist intentions when they wrote them but as you say we could be wrong .

I agree. I’ve followed all of their work for years and never once thought any of it was racist. Papa Lazarou has been addressed so many times over the years they’ve always denied that it’s blackface as he’s not meant to be a black man. The Boosh thing is mad too, their world is pure fantasy.

 

[Horatio]

I feel exactly the same as you tbh LOG's papa lazarou and the boosh's spirit of jazz are both brilliant bizzare other worldly creations to my eyes, I can't imagine Pemberton, Shearsmith, Gatis or Noel Fielding and Julian Barrett having nasty racist intentions when they wrote them but as you say we could be wrong .

This is the first I’ve heard of this. I’m not usually a fan of blindly removing things in this way because it doesn’t serve to educate and rather fuels the ‘PC gone mad’ brigade who deny racism is an issue at all.
I quote your post because I do think it’s important to say “nasty intentions” are beside the point in issues like this. It’s not that the creators of these shows outright hated black people - racism is rarely in that form these days. It’s more that it was so woven into the fabric of our society, to find it funny to paint your face black and clown around as something strange and exotic which is the result of what started as minsterly, essentialy a de humanising of a black person for white entertainment. Again none of this is supposed to go through the minds of the mighty boost or little Britain writers, it’s supposed to be unconcjous.

So I will repeat that I don’t support removing things in this way, especially something as borderline as this appears to be. But at the same time what people intend is rarely the point. And actually we all have subconscious biases it’s healthy to try to confront when we can.

 

[DoctorWho]

But white chicks won’t be taken down because it’s not racist if it’s a ‘white face’

 

[coconochanel]

I think it’s censorship being taken too far now. I didn’t personally like Little Britain anyway, but that’s besides the point. Shall we just ban everything in case it may offend someone out there? The examples given weren’t even done maliciously. Shows like Little Britain feature characters of all races, cultures, abilities.

What next no gay characters? I think if it was done in a mocking racist way fair enough but it wasn't.

 

[Luce0331]

What I don’t understand is why all these programmes are suddenly offensive, weren’t they racist all those years ago when they first broadcast? Just feels like jumping on the bandwagon

 

[LittleMy]

What I don’t understand is why all these programmes are suddenly offensive, weren’t they racist all those years ago when they first broadcast? Just feels like jumping on the bandwagon

That’s exactly what it feels like. Why not then? Why now?

 

[Pjw596]

I’ve seen loads on twitter going on about how little Britain is awful and always has been, same people who were raving about how great it was when they did the lockdown bit on bbc earlier this year.

 

[Boredinstagrammer29]

That’s exactly what it feels like. Why not then? Why now?

Because there is a movement happening where black people are finally being listened to.
it has always been offsenive but people were gaslighted POC by being told things such as ‘don’t be so sensitive’ or ‘they’re not even racist it’s just a joke’

this also stands for other races as Ant and Dec’s Japanese impersonation has been removed too.

black facing never has and never will be funny.

You could contact Netflix or Sky about showing Netflix?

Just out of interest is anyone who has commented so far black?

 

[Yel]

Has Matt Lucas made any comment yet?

The fat fighters stuff pretending not to understand an Indian accent or puking when someone with a foreign sounding name were jokes at the expense of racist bigoted people.

 

[LittleMy]

Because there is a movement happening where black people are finally being listened to.
it has always been offsenive but people were gaslighted POC by being told things such as ‘don’t be so sensitive’ or ‘they’re not even racist it’s just a joke’

this also stands for other races as Ant and Dec’s Japanese impersonation has been removed too.

black facing never has and never will be funny.

You could contact Netflix or Sky about showing Netflix?

Just out of interest is anyone who has commented so far black?

These movements happen every so often though, and then for some reason it all peters out (something that shouldn’t be happening, serious matters like racism must always be addressed). I suspect it’s because once the momentum has died down, a lot of the people who’ve just jumped on the bandwagon soon become bored with it. If they cared that much, they would have called it out much sooner (Little Britain hasn’t aired new episodes since 2005).

And no, I’m not black.

 

[gashers]

But white chicks won’t be taken down because it’s not racist if it’s a ‘white face’

Good point

 

[Boredinstagrammer29]

These movements happen every so often though, and then for some reason it all peters out (something that shouldn’t be happening, serious matters like racism must always be addressed). I suspect it’s because once the momentum has died down, a lot of the people who’ve just jumped on the bandwagon soon become bored with it. If they cared that much, they would have called it out much sooner (Little Britain hasn’t aired new episodes since 2005).

And no, I’m not black.

No I didn’t think you were.
It’s a privilege that you see this as a bandwagon and something they will merely die down

Good point

Tweet email and petition for the removal of White Chicks

 

[Luce0331]

Has Matt Lucas made any comment yet?

The fat fighters stuff pretending not to understand an Indian accent or puking when someone with a foreign sounding name were jokes at the expense of racist bigoted people.

I’m sure I read he’s already apologised many times in the past

No I didn’t think you were.
It’s a privilege that you see this as a bandwagon and something they will merely die down

Obviously the protests will die down but the fight against racism won’t, sadly I don’t think the world will ever be completely free of racism

 

[gashers]

Many years ago myself and 2 friends decided to dress up as the 3 Degrees for a uni fancy dress party we didn’t give it a second thought nobody had a problem with it and my friends housemate who was black thought it was the most hysterical thing she had ever seen . The black boot polish was a bit of a witch to get off mind.

 

[Yel]

I’m sure I read he’s already apologised many times in the past

Oh has he? Haven't seen it quoted.

He'll no doubt be working on a new response after all the recent headlines naming him.