Racism or just plain bullying?

[Albie]

I'm not sure how this has been viewed/portrayed outside of the UK and India, but here the main talking point on seemingly every news bulletin is about the latest edition of the (crass) reality TV show Big Brother (this time round, with celebrities). What we have witnessed is a vulgar display of bullying that has almost crossed the line into full blown racism on one contestant from India (Shilpa Shetty - a Bollywood actress) by Jade Goody (only famous for being a former run-of-the-mill contestant). Read some stories here - links to further items can be obtained from the given page. If you do choose to read the article and some of Goody's comment (here - to refer to her as Shilpa Poppadom is nothing short of pure bigotry), you may get a picture of what has been going on.

So what has been the stance of the TV company (and/or production company) - well, they seem to think it's not "overtly racist" so they will not suspend the show (because the show is getting big ratings - admit it). Therefore, as it is not of a racist nature, it must be down to bullying - then why does that make it any better? To afflict racism or to bully another is a horrendous ordeal for the person on the receiving end - why then make racism a more serious offence than bullying? Ask the parents of a teenage boy/girl found dead from suicide due to bullying to say racism is a worse offence.

Both of these have been highlighted by the show and made available to the public for "entertainment". The problem I have with this, is that the main offender will worm her way back into the public's heart once again as if nothing has happened. I have seen this girl (Goody) become quite nasty on live TV before now and it has not overly surprised me the way she attacked Shilpa. Goody has made a fair few quid on the back of Big Brother and undoubtedly has many people to spin a facade for her for the public to adore - however, her PA's were not here to advise her on what to do/say/etc. and we were left with the raw personality - and this was not nice. On the eve of her potential eviction from the show, one UK tabloid (that has supported her in the past) had a headline the other day - "Evict the face of hate". Crap paper, but so nicely summed up.

Incidentally, she was up for eviction with Shilpa - Goody was overwhelmingly voted off. Good on you, voters.

Rant over - sorry, this has got my goat over the last few days.

 

[Urizen]

Yeah, I've heard about this- read it on a mobile phone that is. I was somewhat surprised, knowing how long Indians live in the UK.
Maybe it's the stupidity of the contestant that did it... but I wouldn't be surprised it's just the bloody 'Big Brother' trying to get attention. Those BB people would start any kind of crap/ controversy to get more viewers, just so that people wouldn't stop to think and realise how pathetic their show really is.

I'm saying this because recently this Big Brother stuff started in Serbia too(couple of months ago). I mean this one guy started singing a song which some other guy founded really offending towards him(They were of diferent nationalities a Montenegrin and a Bosnian). What did they expected(the BB company),  to be polite to each other? They(B were probably the ones who started it too. I mean and that stupid show took the country(somewhat) by storm, with everybody talking about 'Hey did you watched Big Brother yesterday, 'cause this one girl ... ' blah, blah, gibberish, denial... Anyway I don't know about what 'contents' this show offers to viewers in other countries- what do I know maybe somewhere they make it so it's interesting(to sane persons anyway). I personally find, as you may have gathered already, the show to be complete bullshit that serves to keep people away from thinking about politics(not because it's entertaining but because it affects peoples lives, I think), sciences, reading books and actually doing something.

But in the end I completely respect people's rights to watch and do whatever they want, and I generally don't hold any grudges of course, 'cause that would be stupid of me.

 

[supersonic]

They are making quite a big deal of it here in India. Every single news channel/ newspaper talks about it.
@ Albie I totally agree with you about Racism and bullying.
Is big brother that popular in the UK? I dont think they have a version of the show in India. Or if it is there its not that popular.

Edit: I just found out that there is a version here in India and surprise surprise, its quite popular. However due to the multitide of languages in India, Its not watched much where I live.

 

[Albie]

They are making quite a big deal of it here in India. Every single news channel/ newspaper talks about it.
@ Albie I totally agree with you about Racism and bullying.
Is big brother that popular in the UK? I dont think they have a version of the show in India. Or if it is there its not that popular.

Big Brother is popular in the UK (regretfully) and this has catapulted the viewing figures from a normal 3-4million to 12million at its peak. No wonder the show was not pulled.

I have certainly read reports of the reaction in India to this and as the UK's Chancellor (Grodon Brown) is in India at present, he was actually called upon to try to smooth out the damage caused by one outspoken contestant.

A few theories have been banded about as to why this started in the first place and one is that Shilpa has natural beauty and is very classy. She is well spoken and holds herself gracefully and she has a fairly successful career in Bollywood (by all accounts). Basically, everything Jade Goody isn't - so it comes down to jealousy. Whatever it is, it should not of happened and the show should have intervened earlier to stop it from escalating to stage where it is at now.

 

[national acrobat]

Jade Goody, possibly the most stupid and ignorant person in Britain, made something like £8 million after not winning Big Brother a few years ago. On the show over the last few days she has insisted repeatedly that she isn't "racial". From what I hear, Indian people have taken a lot of offence to wha has happened and are taking the matter quite seriously. I hope they realise that most people over here aren't as ignorant as that bimbo.

 

[Natalie]

Wait a second, you get money for not winning? How does that work?
I don't like reality TV shows because they are an invasion of privacy and they make it seem 'ok' for the public to  poke into other people's business. Down with voyeurism!

 

[Raven]

Wait a second, you get money for not winning? How does that work?
I don't like reality TV shows because they are an invasion of privacy and they make it seem 'ok' for the public to  poke into other people's business. Down with voyeurism!

She took her clothes off and fucked one of the other contestents.  Hence, she gets advertising deals (don't ask me why).

I wouldn't say Jade was being racist, in the sense that she set out to discriminate against Shilpa Shetty because she had a different skin colour.  I think she was jealous of Shilpa's beauty/success/whatever, and grasped at whatever straws of insults she could.  The whole thing reflects very badly on the British public, and I'll be very glad if it begins the end of Big Brother's fortune (I never watched it, anyway).  As a social experiment, it could be a very rewarding programme format, but as it is, it's the scientific equivalent of The Sun.

One of the funnier things Jade said was 'Why don't you go back home-you don't even speak proper English'.  From someone who believed East Anglia was in Spain and that the adjective pertaining to Portugal was 'Portugalese', this is too much.

 

[SneakySneaky]

Basically I hate reality shows. As many have said before,  I don't think they have anything to offer to the viewers other than bullshit.  I thought that those who watched this kind of shows lead pathetic lives and don't have anything else to do than staring at other people's lives.  Although I still think that is the case most of the time,  I am glad to say that what has happened now,  shows that the viewers actually have a mind of their own.  The fact that a lot of complaints were made (counted in thousands I believe) shows that the audience isn't all that pathetic.  It showed that they are sensible and care for people who are being victims of racist behavior (although I think in this case it's more jealousy).  I just hope that these people could be as active in their "real" lives,  helping their fellow humans,  and not only victims in TV....