Is the character of Gus racist?

[Velvetee]

Does anyone else think the writers who depict Gus on Eastenders are racist?

From day one, Gus's character has been depicted as the Square's loveable idiot. Everyone seems to dump on him and take the complete pee out of him. Now he has the "loveable rogue" Sean Slater abusing and ordering him about in his own home. It's highly unrealistic and ridiculous.

Eastenders in all the years it's been on, has never portrayed any black character in a positive light. They are either insipid, criminal, vain or stupid. Or am I just reading more into it than there is?

[marwel7]

Firstly,Sean Slater is not a lovable rogue.He is a bully.A nasty piece of work who uses and abuses peple.This has been evident since he first appeared.
As for Gus,I don't think it would matter whether he was black or white,he is the kind of person that this kind of thing happens to.The writers could certainly be accused of a number of things: incompetence,a jaundiced view of life,not developing Gus, using him simply as a dramatic device,but I don't think rascism comes into it.
As for your last point,I don't think Eastenders portrays any of it's characters in a positive light.

[andy-hughes]

I'd agree with marwel7 - the portrayal of EE characters as insipid, crfiminal, vain or stupid doesn't apply to black charactrers, it applies to characters full-stop!

Every one of them, past or present has some of those characteristic, and a deprerssing number have all of them, and more besides.

[Velvetee]

I suppose, it's basically just a ridiculous programme then.

[blondie83]

Gus's character has nothing to do with his colour, black or white, it his character would still have the same storylines.