Now showing on Channel 4. (See fresh updates below).
According to The Guardian, Ofcom--the independent regulator and authority on the UK's communications industries, which seeks to address viewers' complaints about TV telecasts--has received over 10,000 complaints of racist behaviour towards actress Shilpa Shetty, currently participating in Celebrity Big Brother, UK.
The four classy culprits are a dimwitted model who was stripped of her Miss Britain title for sleeping with one of the judges, and admits: "I know nothing" (Danielle Lloyd); a singer whose pop career was such a success she now rears dogs for a living (Jo O'Meara); a reality show "celebrity" once voted Britain's Most Hated, and who also happens to be of mixed race but is perhaps too stupid to know what that means (Jade Goody); and her boyfriend (Jack Tweedy), a 19-year-old football agent who hasn't spoken the entire fortnight but to say of Shilpa: "She's a cunt." The Queen's English, indeed.
I've been watching the show, and it's increasingly nauseating. Each of the four outdoes the each other with their stupidity and crudeness. Collectively, they're like farm animals with a mental disability.
Shilpa isn't the only person of colour in the house; Michael Jackson's brother, Jermaine, of the Jackson 5, is also there. But while the other contestants avoid the Four Freaks, Shilpa remains tough and no-nonsense, and completely in charge. She's more beautiful, more successful, and richer than the entire bunch, who tend to stare at her like morons having an envy spasm, when they're not huddling together in bed bad-mouthing her. I'm on break from this ghastly show for the moment, and the next time I tune in will be this Friday when the next eviction takes place. (South Asians, Brits, heck, anyone with self respect and a mobile phone: Clear the trash!)
Meanwhile, if you'd like to register a complaint, as I just did, go to Ofcom, and if you'd like to know more about what's happening in the House go here.
For the complaint: (Name of Broadcaster: Channel 4; Name of Show: Celebrity Big Brother).
Shoefiend, who has clearly been following the show as I have, with equal amounts of glee and horror, has this new post.
Update: Germaine Greer and Hari Kunzru comment on the racists attacks.
"Bollywood is no picnic; anyone who makes 51 Bollywood movies in 13 years has to be tough. Shilpa has a black belt in karate. She is just the girl to raise the pit bull in a dizzy little drip like Danielle and keep her frothing at the mouth long enough for her nascent career as a sweet little Wag to disappear down the drain. When Shilpa is finished with Danielle even Teddy Sheringham will know what a small, dark heart beats within her fetching chest. This explains the slightly cannibal air of self-satisfaction that never abandons Shilpa. She knows what she is doing. She will shred the nerves of all the other women in that house until even Cleo pulls back her frozen lips and shows the fangs behind her witless Mona Lisa smile."
Read the whole piece.
Update 2: Big Brother row reaches the Commons.
4 comments:
"Collectively, they're like farm animals with a mental disability."
Which poses the question; which are worse, the caged animals on CBB or the free-range ones enthralled by what they see on the screen?
Nicely written. It's fascinating to watch such a puerile show gather so many eyeballs.
Personally, I think Shilpa'll hold her own. She's a Mumbai girl and the rest of those characters are no match for her.
Keep giving those updates.
Cheers,
Keshav
Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't this a "Scripted" reality show? I do not know the answer but its certainly a theory that's been going around. Surprising that you haven't mentioned it here.
Nick: Good question. One of the suggested responses to the racist brawls was to stop watching the show. Channels survive on endorsements, which are driven by viewers' figures. Of course, in this case, Carphone Warehouse withdrew support, but the numbers picked up with about 5 million estimated to have watched the eviction because of all the attention the show received. So it's a little bit like making a deal with the devil. Protests rise, but as a result, so does viewership. The question is, once the other three bullies--Danielle, Jo and Jack--get picked of, as they inevitably will, will the high figures continue, or do people enjoy a good brawl best?
Keshav, thanks, and I think you're right. She's been tougher than I would have been in that situation. I suppose Bollywood does that to you.
Truman, I don't think the show is scripted. But yes, it is manipulated. That's obvious from the mix of people: You put in trash, you will get trashy behavior. You starve contestants and then ply them with alcohol, they will misbehave. You intimate the worst behaved contestant that she is causing an uproar (as Channel 4 clearly did with Jade), and she will apologize and try to mend all fences before she's thrown to the wolves.
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