"shut the cock up"...SOunds painful.
David Jason Apology Page 5
I've just been watching OFAH...
Uncle: That's not fair.
Del: Neither is Frank Bruno's arse but I don't go on about it!
Should he apologise for that?
Quote: Matthew Stott @ March 27 2009, 9:00 PM GMT-which wasn't actually in any way racist . . .
Why then was so much made of an innocent and harmless joke in the media, with the host immediately feeling compelled to distance himself from Jason's joke? So much so, that it instantly embarrassed a nonplussed David Jason into a quick apology. He must have felt set-up or in some way manoeuvred into a position he never intended, and apologised out of safety until he could figure out what the host found so offensive.
On its own you're right, it's not a racist joke, but I think an attempt to turn it into a racist incident was because of the 'wrong' wordplay interpreted by some. I can only surmise some may have thought the Mahatma Coat punchline was hidden code for Mahatma Ghandi, and thus aligning with those who would catcall after after Asians: 'Hey there Ghandi' or 'Sabu' even.
As no complaints were made from anyone, let alone from the Pakistani community, the furore (if there was one), once again originates from those who seek out offence so as to be offended on behalf of the perceived victim. I.e. Those with an Anglo-Saxon-protestant-guilt complex, a rinsing of the collective 'white' British soul over once having an Imperialist past that enabled the British Empire's dominion over other races. Remember no one person complained, but some still feel the need to hold up another example of our 'inate' racism. No matter the guilded reputation, the intention is to show that we are all racists now - that is their clarion call.
It's late; I know 'cos I'm rambling. Time for bed, work in the morning.
Well yes, it wasn't racist but people are so scared of being labelled racist they leapt to apologise for a gag that apparently caused no one who heard it any offense as it wasn't actually offensive. Or racist. It's an odd one.
As far as I'm aware, the only place in the world where anyone is still going on about David Jason's faux pas is in the BSG forums. I've not heard anyone else talk about it.
I first heard the joke - nay, read it - in a joke book about 35 years ago. Nobody would have batted an eyelid, if it wasn't for DJ ballsing the thing up. It really needs to be Indian, and not Pakistani, and preferably involving Gandhi. Then it genuinely is a wordplay gag. Jason just cocked it up.
Incidentally, didn't WC Fields write a script under the name Mahatma Kane Jeeves?
Heh! I've often been called names because of the color of my skin and it doesn't bother me in the slightest because it has never involved malevolence. Water off a duck's back. Also, I'm a 'four by two' and have no problem with being called a yid as I really don't give a toss about religion or race. What I find particularly irksome is that anyone could possibly take offense at David Jason's rather feeble joke.
And yes Lavatory Meadows (Goodies joke) did write under the name Mahatma Kane Jeeves.
You're a black Jew? To belong to 2 chosen people is most blessed.
Or are you Sephardic?
Quote: Badge @ March 28 2009, 1:10 AM GMTAs far as I'm aware, the only place in the world where anyone is still going on about David Jason's faux pas is in the BSG forums. I've not heard anyone else talk about it.
I first heard the joke - nay, read it - in a joke book about 35 years ago. Nobody would have batted an eyelid, if it wasn't for DJ ballsing the thing up. It really needs to be Indian, and not Pakistani, and preferably involving Gandhi. Then it genuinely is a wordplay gag. Jason just cocked it up.
Incidentally, didn't WC Fields write a script under the name Mahatma Kane Jeeves?
The BSG where every dead horse gets the very best flogging.
Quote: Danny K @ March 27 2009, 8:42 PM GMT... Enid Blyton, you know she of the banned by all libraries for the racism in her books. Before anyone leaps to her defence pause to consider:
Her books are full of Gollywogs,
vandals are typically 'black' Goblins,
thieves are invariably 'foreign',
sexism/gender reinforcement with girls excluded from more dangerous/difficult tasks as one of the boys says to one of the girls requests: "Certainly not. It's a man's job".
Then there's the little black doll who wanted to be pink.
From 'Five Go Off To Camp' the phrase: "black as a nigger with soot".
I just picked up my copy of Five Go Off To Camp (1952 edition) to look up the "black as a nigger with soot" bit as I had no recollection of it, having last read the book when I was under 12 years of age. Sure enough, it's right there near the end, describing George when she climbs down from a railway tunnel ventilation shaft. One bit that I do remember from the same book - and I love it - is this gem on page 110: "Why doesn't he get his hair cut," said Julian in disgust. "Boys with long hair are just too sissy for words."
Rewriting Enid Blyton in politically correct language is dumb. The two Comic Strip Presents episodes on the Famous Five were wonderful.
"Her books are full of Gollywogs." Not true. A few are about golliwogs or have golliwog characters. The vast majority do not.
"vandals are typically 'black' Goblins". Also not true. The goblins are usually bad, but they aint usually black.
"thieves are invariably 'foreign'." Absolute codswallop.
And it's largely an urban myth that Enid Blyton books are banned by "all libraries". There have been a few bannings at the behest of morons, but not many.
Quote: sootyj @ March 28 2009, 8:41 AM GMTYou're a black Jew? To belong to 2 chosen people is most blessed.
One parent dark asian, one parent white jew, which makes me a human and it's probably wrong for me to say I'm a jew (even though it's matrilineal in my case) as I'm not religious.
Just heard about this - what an over reaction by everyone. He did right to apologise but it's just silly, the whole situation.
I can't say enough I don't support censoring literature and I doubly don't support archeological censorship.
And in a fiar society I suppose I have to just wince everytime I see a version of Shylock or Fagin that amps up the Jewishness.
As for Blyton no don't censor her and she should be in libraries. But I have a mu od discomfort about why people want to read her. To be blunt she wasn't great shakes as an author in my view. And I am uncomfortable in why so many adults want to read about halcyon days; when you could call people wogs, gypsies were bad and the working classes knew their place. The books should be inviolate the sentiment around their popularity bugs me.
N.B. I confess to selling the following gag to 118 118.
Who liberated the sweets?
Candhi
I apologise please don't ban me.
Quote: Kenneth @ March 28 2009, 7:14 AM GMTAlso, I'm a 'four by two'
What does that mean? 
Quote: zooo @ March 28 2009, 12:33 PM GMTWhat does that mean?
Just rhyming slang for an Ikey Mo.
.... well what does THAT mean?
I'll just guess.
Yes, going onto the book thing, Enid Blyton was bought up in a different generation where racist terms were used. I'm not defending the racism in her books, but the fact remains in them days, people did use terms like that quite openly. But let's not also forget despite how dated she is, she will rank as one of the finest British children's authors. Also on the subject of this, look at the one Tintin comic you cannot purchase in childrens' sections 'Tintin in the Congo' as the black characters in that all look quite 'gollywoggy'. Yet I say again, Herge may have been in the wrong for such work and in some places it is unacceptable, but again he to was bought up in a different generation and let us to remember his creation of Tintin is one of the greatest works of the comic book world. Also you got golly characters in the early days of the Beano. But my fear was when I started this thread was that these pieces of work that are rightly today described as racist should be discussed and highlighted in the thread about David Jason's joke, the two things are like chalk and cheese.
I'm surprised we've not heard Aaron's point of view on the Jason apology yet.
Quote: sootyj @ March 28 2009, 12:16 PM GMTI confess to selling the following gag to 118 118.
Who liberated the sweets?
CandhiI apologise please don't ban me.
Racialist! Burn him!