Danny Baker sacked

[TheCat]

You've tried and tried to avoid the truth......

Nicely done....

[pk]

TheCat Wrote:

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

> pk Wrote:

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

> -----

> > TheCat Wrote:

> >

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

>

> > -----

> > > Cryptic words but you're a cuuuunt.......

> > >

> > >

> > > We can all do that

> >

> > Nothing cryptic

> >

> > Classy response tho

>

> I like how you didnt respond to the multitude of

> rational responses, you chose the one

> pisstake...speaks volumes.....

But I did respond to pretty much all your other reponses?!

Feel free to have the last word, I?m out

[TheCat]

I will have the last word... you're probably a good person, but a non-thinking person. By targeting white, older people you've shown prejudice.....

Dress it up however u want.....

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

As someone who is mixed, I found it quite offensive. Did he post photos of a monkey for the other royal births? If someone posted that photo to replicate the birth of my child, I would not be laughing. It just wasn?t funny. I call my child a cheeky monkey so it?s nothing to do with not ever being able to use the word monkey. It?s a case of who is saying it and in what context. A stranger who doesn?t know me and who is white calling me a monkey, is different to say my mum calling me a cheeky monkey. The whole going to the zoo to see monkeys line is just silly and not relevant nor the songs as my friends and I used to sing each other the monkey birthday song. The issue is, he chose an online platform to post a stupid photo that could be seen as quite prejudiced to a mixed couple. He isn?t a personal friend or a relative. As someone who is in the public eye, he needs to be a bit more considerate.

[seenbeen]

Now the police are investigating a tweet that DB posted...as if they haven't got enough to do.

[Maybaby]

If it wasn't directed at you, your second hand offense is irrelevent.

I am of mixed heritage, and I couldn't give a monkeys!

This does seem like much ado about nothing. If people weren't so obssessed with social media, I wonder if it would be as big of an issue.

I don't think it was funny, however, it didn't seem racist.

[Dulwich Born And Bred]

Given that Prince Harry made a request for the media to be respectful towards Meghan when they were dating and he voiced his upset at the prejudiced comments made towards her, I don?t think that photo was appropriate. I doubt they would find it amusing given the abuse she has endured from trolls due to her mixed heritage. Thankfully a lot people seems to be in agreement that the post was made in bad taste (judging by most of the comments when the photo was posted)so that in itself is reassuring.

[fishbiscuits]

DulwichBorn&Bred Wrote:

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

> Given that Prince Harry made a request for the

> media to be respectful towards Meghan when they

> were dating and he voiced his upset at the

> prejudiced comments made towards her, I don?t

> think that photo was appropriate. I doubt they

> would find it amusing given the abuse she has

> endured from trolls due to her mixed heritage.

> Thankfully a lot people seems to be in agreement

> that the post was made in bad taste (judging by

> most of the comments when the photo was posted)so

> that in itself is reassuring.

Yeah I've not spoken with anyone who doesn't agree that it was in bad taste.

I think where people are divided is on whether they believe he intended the racist connotation (and indeed whether his likely intentions are even relevant)

[DovertheRoad]

I suppose it could it have been some form of subconscious racism. As someone pointed out, you don't have be racist or have racist intent to say a racist thing. If you grew up in the 1950s/60s/70s you were surrounded by that shlt even more overtly than now. Wouldn't surprise me if it was lurking deep in the psyche as a result. People can adopt modern values but unlearning some of that inherited racism takes concious work. At least for some from that environment. BUT thats no excuse and I'm struggling to give him any benefit of the doubt. It was terrible judgment. If we want to change things zero tolerance is the only way. He deserved to go.

[Seabag]

I like Danny Baker as a broadcaster, and in the past when he was on BBC Radio London, his shows verged on genius.

However, there?s always been this balancing act, a verge of chaos with his way of broadcasting (and I include his Twitter feed). He prided himself on not conforming, not turning up with a running list of how his show would run, all based on his past ability to deliver, mostly or much of it off-the-cuff. And for years he pulled it off, he had form and could deliver on the day and of the moment. In some ways he was a dream ticket for producers, though I suspect a nightmare for others. He was a broadcasters, broadcaster.

But it?s a ?live by the sword, die by the sword situation. Baker prides himself, styles his reputation on nuance and the power of words, and words are there to illustrate thoughts and visualise them. He was trading on his knowledgeable and knowing ways, and within the world he created, he was king. Sadly though here he?s hung and swung by his own petard, his own standard.

The litmus test is wether Baker would himself have been understanding and/or forgiving if member of the establishment he lampoons with such regularity ( he admits he has a file of stock images to do so) had made such an error of judgment. I?m fairly sure he?d have been taken (rightly) to task, and Baker knows this.

But is Baker a racist? I?m not sure wholly, but the post on Twitter hit all the notes of that category. Though I?m not sure if ?racist? is a 100% binary thing. I think most people in the high percentile ?don?t want to be perceived as racists? though there are deep seated and ingrained tropes in the world that we work hard on removing, both from society and ourselves.

In this and other incidents it turns out thoughts to ourselves, in a ?thank f**k I didn?t do that? and maybe it?s a light shone on a before we even moment, where we reflect and pause before we open our mouths, or post about such things.

[Sue]

Billy Bragg has a good take on it, I think:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10155925413477471&id=44905697470

[carlafindle]

Seabag Wrote:

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

> I like Danny Baker as a broadcaster, and in the

> past when he was on BBC Radio London, his shows

> verged on genius.

>

> However, there?s always been this balancing act, a

> verge of chaos with his way of broadcasting (and I

> include his Twitter feed). He prided himself on

> not conforming, not turning up with a running list

> of how his show would run, all based on his past

> ability to deliver, mostly or much of it

> off-the-cuff. And for years he pulled it off, he

> had form and could deliver on the day and of the

> moment. In some ways he was a dream ticket for

> producers, though I suspect a nightmare for

> others. He was a broadcasters, broadcaster.

>

> But it?s a ?live by the sword, die by the sword

> situation. Baker prides himself, styles his

> reputation on nuance and the power of words, and

> words are there to illustrate thoughts and

> visualise them. He was trading on his

> knowledgeable and knowing ways, and within the

> world he created, he was king. Sadly though here

> he?s hung and swung by his own petard, his own

> standard.

>

> The litmus test is wether Baker would himself have

> been understanding and/or forgiving if member of

> the establishment he lampoons with such regularity

> ( he admits he has a file of stock images to do

> so) had made such an error of judgment. I?m fairly

> sure he?d have been taken (rightly) to task, and

> Baker knows this.

>

> But is Baker a racist? I?m not sure wholly, but

> the post on Twitter hit all the notes of that

> category. Though I?m not sure if ?racist? is a

> 100% binary thing. I think most people in the high

> percentile ?don?t want to be perceived as racists?

> though there are deep seated and ingrained tropes

> in the world that we work hard on removing, both

> from society and ourselves.

>

> In this and other incidents it turns out thoughts

> to ourselves, in a ?thank f**k I didn?t do that?

> and maybe it?s a light shone on a before we even

> moment, where we reflect and pause before we open

> our mouths, or post about such things.

Fair comment, well said.

[malumbu]

Wow ? what have I caused here in provoking this level of debate and strong feelings?

Perhaps I can close it down with a few concluding comments.

Firstly the original questions were (a) was he being racist (I suspect not) and (b) should he have been sacked (I think a suspension was harsh enough). Legitimate views range from yes/yes to no/no, which is the whole point of argument and debate.

But some reactionary posts (almost diametrically opposed to the Daily Mail in terms of the ranting), probably knowing very little about the matter, led me to ask if there had been a sense of humour failure (it could be seen as funny, I suppose) and what is wrong with mocking the royal family?

Then there is a question on BBC hypocrisy as there have been other occasions (Lord Sugar anyone?) where action has not been taken including football pundits making inappropriate comments about women?s football (usually with an apology afterwards).

The next issue for debate was if he didn?t mean to offend, and isn?t racist, is he still guilty for not being more aware (although I still struggle to see why all references to primates can be inferred to as racist) and therefore continuing to propagate the white male perspective on life (?she was asking for it m?lud, the way she was dressed?). Or someone who is so obsessed by self publicity he was blind to the wider impact and deserved what he got?

After then there is my ignorance confusing the two Duchess?s and even referring to them as princesses. Off with my head. I tried to bring in a question about KM?s ethnic identity. I don?t care about her ethnicity but ethnic identity is an interesting subject, retaining and celebrating one?s culture, influencing/melding with other cultures and the like. Could they have included an African American name? None of my bloody business of course, but that would have been a statement.

Then there is a good question about how society?s norms change, generally a good thing and I?ll be first to put my hand up to apologise for jokes made in the past that were not intended to be offensive but clearly would be seen that way now. Although pleased to see that Seth McFarlane still pushes the boundaries ? we need to be truly offended to realise what is right and wrong.

Thinking of the norms and the BBC, have a look at some of the old episodes of Black Adder, The New Statesmen and the like and they can slip into casual homophobia, yet this was the cutting edge of the new age of cutting edge right on comedy. As for Alexi Sayle and calling himself a FB, well how sizest is that?

And finally some of you decided that you would give your views on me. Bit naughty and I am sure pretty inaccurate, but thanks to those who argued in my favour.

Overall it?s been very exciting. Thanks DB for inadvertently provoking such deep thoughts and one of the best threads for ages (and well done Malumbu).

PS thanks for pointing me to the Billy Bragg twitter feed.

[Seabag]

🍸👈🏽☝️?