Adrian Chiles/ casual racism

[malumbu]

The Twitter sphere seems to be getting excited by a throw away remark by my good friend (well he got me a Guinness once).

Here was my response to the world beyond EDF:

Umhh, there are a lot of Poles in Britain and a lot of Polish builders. The comment was not funny, but a throw away one which made no inference to the quality of Polish builders nor the number of Poles living in Britain.

Of course we have a special relationship stemming from Pogroms (Jews being persecuted in central and Eastern Europe in the early 20th century) and World War II. As opposed to the US where 'Polak' jokes were common until perhaps relatively recently.

I get far more stereotypical and potentially racist remarks from supposedly successful and intelligent (but sadly ignorant) people in the burbs. My favourite one is - Oh, SE London, we had to move out of there to a blue borough when 'they' moved in ("they" in a hushed tone).

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

[end of my post to the rest of the world]

Chiles just needs to say whoops, that was stupid of me, do a nice apology and here is a ?10k donation to the Polish war memorial. That coke sniffing property tycoon on Final Score had to eat humble pie last week after saying something that could have been slightly derogatory against women/women's football. I am sure that he is not a misogynist. I am of course being tongue in cheek about Mr Fowler's recreational drug interests.

What I meant to add to the posing above was that things can only get better as my good friends D:ream once sang.

[titch juicy]

malumbu Wrote:

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

> The Twitter sphere seems to be getting excited by

> a throw away remark by my good friend (well he got

> me a Guinness once).

>

> Here was my response to the world beyond EDF:

>

> Umhh, there are a lot of Poles in Britain and a

> lot of Polish builders. The comment was not

> funny, but a throw away one which made no

> inference to the quality of Polish builders nor

> the number of Poles living in Britain.

>

> Of course we have a special relationship stemming

> from Pogroms (Jews being persecuted in central and

> Eastern Europe in the early 20th century) and

> World War II. As opposed to the US where 'Polak'

> jokes were common until perhaps relatively

> recently.

>

> I get far more stereotypical and potentially

> racist remarks from supposedly successful and

> intelligent (but sadly ignorant) people in the

> burbs. My favourite one is - Oh, SE London, we

> had to move out of there to a blue borough when

> 'they' moved in ("they" in a hushed tone).

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

>

>

> Chiles just needs to say whoops, that was stupid

> of me, do a nice apology and here is a ?10k

> donation to the Polish war memorial. That coke

> sniffing property tycoon on Final Score had to eat

> humble pie last week after saying something that

> could have been slightly derogatory against

> women/women's football. I am sure that he is not

> a misogynist. I am of course being tongue in

> cheek about Mr Fowler's recreational drug

> interests.

>

> What I meant to add to the posing above was that

> things can only get better as my good friends

> D:ream once sang.

...and, what did he say?

Regardless of what he did say and did/didn't mean, the man is a grade A pillock.

[malumbu]

And you sound like a cockney winker!

15,000 Poles at the England/Poland match "its just like a home match for them"

And something about being careful of what he said as he had Polish builders round.

Was hoping to open this up to a proper discussion on casual racism, rather than silly/juvenile jibes which can be the nature of this forum.

I am just laying the gauntlet down.

[Otta]

I remember a good few years ago (probably 10+) when an Australian was in the Wimbledon final, and the commentator said something like "there won't be a bar in London with any staff today". Similar comment really, but didn't raise an eyebrow.

[titch juicy]

"Was hoping to open this up to a proper discussion on casual racism, rather than silly/juvenile jibes which can be the nature of this forum."

not sure there's anything to discuss tbh

[giggirl]

Irish jokes used to be the norm but you don't hear them any more. Used to be acceptable to call Irish people thick. I guess it was the same for Poles in the US. We've moved on thankfully.

On another note, my builders were 90% Polish and they were brilliant. Faultless workers. I couldn't recommend them highly enough.

[????]

Nothing to see here and people generally, really, really need to understand the proper definition of racism.....

[Otta]

Agreed.

And Polish builders have a very good rep as hard working and won't rip you off. Unfortunately they get financially abused in many cases by greedy British bosses, but hopefully that is less common now than say 5 - 8 years ago.

[Mick Mac]

giggirl Wrote:

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

>

> On another note, my builders were 90% Polish and

> they were brilliant. Faultless workers. I

> couldn't recommend them highly enough.

Can we assume there were at least 10 builders....

[northlondoner]

I prefer my racism formal.

[uncleglen]

This is stereotyping rather than racism isn't it? I suppose we should anticipate legislation to curb our spontaneous 'sense of humour' characterized by a complete lack of connection between brain and gob. The best faux pas that I heard was when a man at a council meeting was about to throw a spanner in the works by making a suggestion and he began by saying ' I don't wish to be a ni**er in the wood-pile..' then amidst the gasps he realised what he had said. He was required to submit a written apology- then he resigned from his position-obviously he could not chance putting his size 9s in it again!

[maxxi]

On the Radio5 commentary of the England game one of the commentators referred to the opposition as "the Montenegroes"

[edcam]

Adrian Chiles is a waste of space.

[JohnL]

Yep - Welsh are the new Irish :) - I do get a lot of Welsh jokes.

Also - It's Montynegrin - i didn't know that.

giggirl Wrote:

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

> Irish jokes used to be the norm but you don't hear

> them any more. Used to be acceptable to call

> Irish people thick. I guess it was the same for

> Poles in the US. We've moved on thankfully.

>

> On another note, my builders were 90% Polish and

> they were brilliant. Faultless workers. I

> couldn't recommend them highly enough.

[Mick Mac]

uncleglen Wrote:

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> This is stereotyping rather than racism isn't it?

Surely stereotyping by reference to race is exactly what racism is?

Not that I give a sh*t about comemnts about Polish builders. Anyone describing that as racism can get off their high horse.

[El Pibe]

I don't think stereotyping is necessarily racist, though of course it can be.

Racism asserts ones own superiority/anothers inferiority, whereas stereotyping is just a lazy blanket application of some idea, misapprehension, truism or even national symbol, but needn't be derogatory.

German efficiency springs to mind, clog wearing Dutchman might be another.

[Otta]

What El Pibe said.

[El Pibe]

I don't mind Chiles at all, he has an easy going charm and generally knows what he's talking about, and I find the flack he gets for his looks thoroughly depressing.

Agree with Quids, not sure what the fuss is about.

Given the influx of Poles into London for the last decade or so it seems likely that they'll have a good turnout, and it's perfectly likely that his builders are in fact Polish, just as at least half the builders on the two sites I pass every morning are, and as were the chaps who did my kitchen a couple of years ago.

So in fact we have a probable assertion and an anecdotal experience common to many who live in the capital.

QUICK, MAN THE PITCHFORKS.

If we'd been playing Romania and he'd said 'It's practically a home game for them so keep your wallets safe from theiving Gippos in Wembley' then fair enough, but it wasn't and he didn't.

[Otta]

I quite like him too.

[titch juicy]

He's just a terrible presenter- fits itv's coverage well

[????]

I've been interviewed by him a long time ago (just before he started being on TV) on a graveyard slot on Radio 5...we discussed football off air and economics on it, the football conversation was far more interesting and he was a nice guy

[Mick Mac]

So EP - do you think that implying that Germans are more efficient than those of other nations is racist ?

[maxxi]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> So EP - do you think that implying that Germans

> are more efficient than those of other nations is

> racist ?

How would He know, he's probably mid-siesta.

[Mick Mac]

I have always liked Chiles and he's a good laugh.Motd 2 was his appropriate spot I thought he was right for a relaxed Sunday evening viewing and was disappointed when the been lost him.

[Mick Mac]

maxxi Wrote:

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

> Mick Mac Wrote:

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

> -----

> > So EP - do you think that implying that Germans

> > are more efficient than those of other nations

> is

> > racist ?

>

> How would He know, he's probably mid-siesta.

Well he will fit right in in Ireland then. They are a bunch of lazy twats.