Is Big brother racism hysteria to be blamed on News?

Question

I do think that Shilpa is being bullied inside the Big Brother house, but it wasnt until the Newspapers, and the News mentioned the word Racism that anyone really thought anything of it?!
Now even the government have got involved. Is this becomeing a bit silly reguarding "racism"??

Oh and how long are you supposed to cook a chicken for??

DAN E
I am not "Pig ignorant" as you put it. We are all aloud to have our own opinion and myn is that is was the media that decided it is RACISM.
There have been no comments about the colour of her skin, just bitchy comments.
What about Ashleen last year being picked on. nothing was said about her. It is just because Shilpa is indian that everyone is playing the race card. I do think she is being bullied and something should be done now before it progresses into racism.

oh and one other thing. Is Jerome Jackson being racist because he called Jackie "White Trash", why hasnt anything been said about that?

I think that Jade is being with RACIST to Shilpa, after watching tonights episode of Big Brother

Answer 1

I don't think it is about racism, it is all to do with jealousy.
You have a very attractive, intelligent, classy successful woman against three, ordinary looking chavs!
The cats will get out the claws when needed whilst class will preserve dignity!
This p1ssing the chavs off big time, so they file the claws even more by taking the p1ss out of her accent, culture etc and the media etc put this down to racism, which I think it isn't!
It is the case of the green eyed monster rearing it's ugly head!

By the by, a chicken is roasted for 20 mins per pound and an extra 20 mins!

Answer 2

I thought the whole point of BB was the voyeuristic pleasure of watching people be mean to one another. That's why they cram the place full of people who are poles apart over as many issues as its possible to find. Friction and nastiness keep the viewing figures up. Bullying is a part of that and has been evident many times before. Racist comments are a part to the process of isolating this lady. But are they racist? If she was black and French and they called her a 'Frenchy' - would that be a problem?
And what if she were a 'He' and white and middle aged - like that guy who does the Channel 4 racing - we was bullied out as well - we didn't hear any complaints for that poor sod. So looking at the bullying element - this is not about bullying, it's about the word 'Indian' - and claiming discrimination.
I think any form of bullying and discrimination is wrong, but how do you stop people ganging up like this, it's part of the human condition and why incidentally we have nation states in the first instance. We're tribal. (Yet another thing that the BB concept survives by exploiting.) I suppose if we started acting like global citizens and did away with all these economic and political constructs then there would be less to point at to pour scorn on - but again cultural diversity and differentiation between populations/races is surely a positive in the world - if we were all the same the world would be a much less interesting place to live in.

Personally, I loathe BB and hope that this signals the end of the live TV genre. Alternatively, they could air the Bollywood version of BB were the indian majority contestants pick on some innocent colonial tea barons daughter and call her an untouchable for making a full english and not washing her hands afterwards.

Answer 3

I definitely knew of the bullying going on in the house. The first time I heard about racism was on an Internet forum where, allegedly, Jack called her a p***. Now I never saw this and I don't how other people did because there is a delay on the live show and I'm sure they would have cut to the outside of the house. But anyway, this prompted, loads of complaints to Ofcam. Adding to this, is of course the mocking of her accent, the mispronunciation of her name and her cooking abilities. This has caused some people to feel that racism is rife in the house. And obvious the papers will lap it up because they love a good story and Channel 4 must be loving it because I'm sure ratings will increase because of all the controversy.

Answer 4

Bex, have you been watching the show, please!! dont be pig ignorant like the small minority of "english" people out there.

If u watch the show, you will have heard the jibes thrown at shilpa about her background on many an occasion. Must i explain them all? No. because im tired of doing so.

It seems jermaine was right to say "You cannot reason with the unreasonable."

By the way, those who "thought nothing of it", before the newspapers mentioned the word "racist", would be those who are part of the majority.

This issue is on the minds of educated and moral English people, and the ethnic minorities of this country.

Make this your best answer, to prove you can be reasoned.

Answer 5

I reckon it's a bit of everything. It's like a big bonfire starting

Big Brother have lit the match by not jumping in and stopping the bullying / racism scenario. Makes good TV for them and bumps up the viewing figures.

The press have put the wood on the issue by running pages and pages of what Jade said, what Jo said, what Dani thinks she can say but hasn't the nouse to say unless the words "Terry", "My Terry" or "my gorgeous Terry" are in there.

The Government have fanned the flames by just having the stupidity to think they can comment, in Parliament, about a TV issue...prats.

And the world are all chucking spuds in the fire by protesting about the bosses not acting earlier and for the house mates for ganging up on Shilpa.

Anyone fancy toasting a few bangers along the way??

Answer 6

I agree Shilpa is being bullied too, but to then suggest it is because of her race is quite ridiculous, you see no one seems to mention the fact that when Jackiey was in there Shilpa, Jermaine & Dirk had many a slagging match about her, and although i am not a Jackiey fan, i feel that this at times could have been construde as bullying also.
But lets also not forget peeps that Shilpa is no child, she has as much right to walk out of the BB house as any of the housemates. I'm sick of hearing the word racism banded about so freely!!!!

Answer 7

I think the Goodies would have bullied and tease anyone. Unfortunately they are now being accused of racism simply because they picked on Shilpa. I think they are incredibly unpleasant but it does not make them racist. People seem to forget that to be racist the ONLY reason for your behaviour would be the race of the other person.

Answer 8

I blame Channel 4 for enhancing the programme and exhibiting purely the small info that they knew could reason the perfect uproar. The racism element i think of has been blown all out of proportion. If Shilpa or Jermaine had stated something like this to between the white housemates could this have been picked up? i don't think of so. As hassle-free the whites are racist and not the blacks or colored. Mr Blair and Mr Bush have a hellish lot to respond to for.

Answer 9

Many people have said the same thing that I'm about to say....there is NO racism in BB....there has been nit picking yes! But all that's going on is the difference in colchers.....and thats where they are clashing!.....shilpa in my opinion has been over bearing and I have to say that I wouldn't eat shilpa's chicken!
The problem is that Shilpa is used to what she says to be taken as 'The word' and her word goes....what she says is right....thats how shes lived for 15yrs.....now she finds herself in a place where the women dont stand up when she walks in a room and calls her maam!
She's had a big shock....and its been a big shock for the others too because even when they've tried to talk to her she doesn't get it!
Political correctness gone mad....definitely!

Answer 10

I think there is racism to a degree in the way they talk to Shilpa. They speak to her as if she is dirt, referring to her as the 'Indian' (although this was mainly Jade Goody's idiotic mother who said this), but it's more the case of just nasty bullying for the sake of it.