Jump to content

Danny Baker sacked


malumbu

Recommended Posts

Silly boy but was it a sacking offence? Nothing explicitly racist in the picture but something not wise to do. I don't believe in 'politically correctness gone mad' because we never need to return to dark time of homophobia, racism etc (dangers in the swing to populist leaders). I've posted on racism in football, and met a black manager who was once feted by fans wearing afro wigs and some even blacked up. He didn't take offence but 17 years later we'd all shudder. And talking of offensive Harry in the SS uniform?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like Danny Baker, he's very good at his job.


But no-one is going to stay working at the Beeb after posting that, and rightly so.


I recognise he almost certainly didn't mean it that way, but he should have known better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DuncanW Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------


> But no-one is going to stay working at the Beeb

> after posting that, and rightly so.


I wouldn't have a problem with that if the Beeb didn't give a platform for known racist organisations like Generation Identity, yet they do...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DB has made many references of chimps dressed up with respect to mocking 'posh people'. The difference this time being it could be alluded as having racial overtones because of the royal baby's mixed raced heritage. It's unfortunate that we've allowed what a small minority use as a racist term to hijack how we communicate in general, in that referencing a monkey/chimp etc with respect to a black/mixed race person is now unequivocally deemed as being racist.

I once bought some white friends a 'Cheeky Monkey' t-shirt for their new born. If I do the same for some black friends would that be seen as racist?

Should school trips to the zoo avoid looking at the monkey enclosure for fear of being called racist towards black/mixed race children?

Context and intent is everything, and in DB's case IMO he wasn't being racist and therefore shouldn't have been sacked for that reason, and I'm sure that not foreseeing the inferred racial overtones is a sacking offence either...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Standard says 'Baker allegedly was ?given a lecture which I terminated after about 30 seconds with a couple of words that I?ll leave you to fill in.?'


That's almost resignation - if your boss gives you a lecture you listen politely (or at least pretend to)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Danny baker is a big football fan and would be acutely aware of the recent monkey chant abuse received by black football players. He must surely have known what the response to his tweet would have been. I find it genuinely shocking
Link to comment
Share on other sites

DuncanW Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I have never heard of Generation Identity

>

> I consume a fair amount of BBC News Media



They were given a platform to speak on Newsnight after the Christchurch massacre. Since I replied to your last comment I noticed the Beeb has an article about them on their main news feed page. It's not highlighted now but still appears in the most watched list...https://www.bbc.co.uk/news

Link to comment
Share on other sites

diable rouge Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> DuncanW Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

>

> > But no-one is going to stay working at the Beeb

> > after posting that, and rightly so.

>

> I wouldn't have a problem with that if the Beeb

> didn't give a platform for known racist

> organisations like Generation Identity, yet they

> do...



A BBC reporter tried to suck up to a Dutchman in a Generation Identity TShirt and the Dutchman jumped away in horror "BBC F*** Off"


Maybe they'll learn.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Happy Birthday to You, you belong down the zoo, you look like a monkey and smell like one too. (what we sang in the playground)


Cheeky monkey (friendly catch phrase probably from the 50s)


I want to speak to the organ minder not the monkey (classic insult about someone's intelligence, not PC but not racist)


Monkey bike/bars/shoes/nuts - various items I've had in the past


I'm an ape man, Stop that Gibbon, novelty pop songs from the 70s. Arctic Monkeys - band that were briefly good. Blow Monkeys - pretentious band from the 80s. The Gorillas. Pretentious band from the 00s and 10s. Steve Gibbons - pub rocker from the 70s onward.


Go Ape - theme park.


PG Tips chimps, Johnny whathisface monkey, the monkey in that Channel 5 programme with Suggs


None of it is racist. DB isn't racist. He was foolish and perhaps reflective of how celebs and others want to share instantaneously with the masses and risk massive faux pas.


Comment on my racism in football thread, which similarly suggests we are over-reacting - whilst not dismissing genuine issues in society.


I might also call it crazy, or mad, without meaning to offend those with mental health issues.


As a secular republican I am quite happy to mock, whilst not hating. Here's an amusing sketch, originally posted by someone else on this site.


(disclaimer, sorry for the use of the p..f word)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

diable rouge Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> DB has made many references of chimps dressed up

> with respect to mocking 'posh people'. The

> difference this time being it could be alluded as

> having racial overtones because of the royal

> baby's mixed raced heritage. It's unfortunate that

> we've allowed what a small minority use as a

> racist term to hijack how we communicate in

> general, in that referencing a monkey/chimp etc

> with respect to a black/mixed race person is now

> unequivocally deemed as being racist.

> I once bought some white friends a 'Cheeky Monkey'

> t-shirt for their new born. If I do the same for

> some black friends would that be seen as racist?

> Should school trips to the zoo avoid looking at

> the monkey enclosure for fear of being called

> racist towards black/mixed race children?

> Context and intent is everything, and in DB's case

> IMO he wasn't being racist and therefore shouldn't

> have been sacked for that reason, and I'm sure

> that not foreseeing the inferred racial overtones

> is a sacking offence either...


This. Totally agreed. The irony is that it is often those who claim offense who are the ones to have 'recognised' the racial undertones, where the original poster was oblivious.


Not always...but we've lost an ability to rationally judge within a context...nowaydays, we just react first....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

holloway Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Danny baker is a big football fan and would be

> acutely aware of the recent monkey chant abuse

> received by black football players. He must surely

> have known what the response to his tweet would

> have been. I find it genuinely shocking



I find it shocking too.


He absolutely deserved to be sacked.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can we have some proper informed comment not knee jerk Guardian reader nonsense please. Some of what I am reading is so pompous. Football fans are more and more like the residents of East Dulwich rather than old school thugs. Irrespective of this football as has society is totally changed to the days that I, and Danny B, would have been familiar with in the 70s. Monkey Chants are from a tiny minority of morons, whether truly racist or doing it for impact/effect - and the media fans these flames. I still eat bananas after seeing 100s of them thrown on the pitch during the late 70s. The irony is that KM has little African Caribbean physical attributes, and offspring even less, making it difficult for even the most ardent racist to use slurs. The colour of her/his skin is neither here nor there, and I expect that they have far more important things to care about. Is East Dulwich really that po-faced?


Oh how shocking.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lynne Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Mocking a new born baby is funny?


Yes...its the baby that's being mocked. Not the institution in which it was born into at all, just the baby.....who doesn't love mocking an innocent newborn....


Good grief. Talk about working hard to find the offence......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I also found these dreadful pictures of people celebrating the royal birth. Obviously good friends of DB. Apols if I got my royal princesses mixed up.



[This is actually a separate point as the guys are dressed up in honour of one of the players, who took no offence]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I understand that DB was not available for Question Time tonight so they had to get Nige in to deputise for him, being a more moderate alternative.


I've undercovered more racist slurs - which look very much condoned by that hard line fascist paper the Indie www.independent.co.uk/voices/meghan-markle-prince-harry-engaged-royal-wedding-monarch-queen-elizabeth-taxpayers-expenses-civil-a8077721.html


The Big Ears Marries Noddy headline frightens me as being anti German and Greek (Charles' lineage) and worse still the headline Parasite Marries Scrounger referring to the wedding of Andy and Fergie - the latter being 10% eskimo.


Hopefully all involved will end up in the Tower, eventually with their heads on poles.


Oh I do miss the time when we could be more open in taking the mick out of the Royals.


[eskimo was just to get you frothing further at the mouth, I meant Inuit, innit.]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Baker wasn't being racist. That would be professional suicide and if he wanted to leave the BBC / threaten his broadcasting career he could do so without having to cause a stir and potentially offending people.

He was being consistent with his previous mocking of privilege / using monkeys as caricatures.

But the BBC (massively pro-royal) will not be seen to allow commentary which could be (construed as) disrespectful of the royals and they have made this clear to all by sacking Baker.

Looking for offence is an industry these days and this one was easy pickings for those seeking to find it.

Personally, I think its a bit OTT to sack him, but it's their organisation and they've done what they see fit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

your contributions to the forum are (usually) thoughtful and considered, so coming out in support of DB, malumbu? really?


he could have thought a bit harder before he pressed Enter, don't you think?

this wasn't about poking fun at sitting ducks like Beatrice or Eugenie - not so long ago, this new kid would have been tucked away somewhere as a dark family secret (i use the word deliberately!) and if DB couldn't see that there was cause to celebrate this particular birth - well, what can i say?


anyway, people who trouser taxpayers' money must accept the risks that come with that, even if they've been a professional jackass all their lives (and given that the BBC broadcasts The Windsors, its bar isn't really as high as all that)


and of course, organisations are always on the lookout for legit ways to clear out expensive deadwood, so maybe DB just walked into it...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • It doesn't work as a commercial venture.  Bit churlish to say I told you so.  I told you so.  I'll send less greetings cards.  What pees me off is international postage where you can no longer send light letters at 10 grammes, normal ones up to 20g, now all at the much more expensive 100 g  Didn't we vote to take back control and price everything according to irrational units like ounces? That's some obscure humour btw   
    • Available from Monday April 8th 2024, 2on2Walkies take pride in doggie care and only walk 2 furry friends at a time. I make sure that they get plenty of doggie interaction and socialisation in the park as well as making friends. Back home happy and tired I always check that the water bowl has fresh water and always make sure the doggie is left comfortable before I leave. I'm fully insured and have a couple of slots available for local walks to either Peckham Rye Park or Dulwich Park.  Thank you!  
    • Why would they only send them recorded delivery? I used the signed for option yesterday.
    • > however I know I will have to prove it and provide a receipt,  both I can't provide. So what leads you to say that the dustmen have done damage to it? 
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...