Is British Tv Too "white"?

[ToraToraTora]

http://news.sky.com/story/1227815/lenny-henry-attacks-britains-white-tv

[Bazile]

Old_Geezer

Take your pick - which one shall i put into the waiting taxi , to send round ?

Fancy that one with the red head apparel ?

http://codemilabe.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/aint-somali-women-stunning.html

[emmie]

most Somali women don't dress like that here. Not that i have noticed.

[Baldric]

None of them for me thanks Baz!

[tonyav]

I find it hard to tell what nationality some women are when they insist on wearing something that resembles a Black bin bag.

[Bazile]

Baldric - do i take it your declination is not on the ground of looks ?

[Baldric]

They look lovely Baz but wouldn't half get me in bother with the OH!

What did you think I was going to say, surely not something Colourist?

[Bazile]

Colourists ? - isn't that someone who mixes your paint for you in B&Q ?

[emmie]

that would be the local hairdresser

[Baldric]

Wow, learn something everyday, haven't seen the inside of a Barber's Shop in over 20 years, home clippers and No. 4 all over for me!

[jomifl]

The corollary of this is a Dutchman telling me that 'Midsomer Murders' is unrealistic because it doesn't have enough blacks(his words). There are some parts of UK, not all that far from London where you won't see one all day.

[emmie]

tell him to come here, you will see plenty, rainbow nation...

[Old_Geezer]

Wow Baz ! Send the first one Monday, the second Tuesday, the third ....

[jomifl]

It is surely a matter of viewpoint, If you live in an 'ethnically enriched' area you might think that ethnic minorites are under-represented. If however you live in the shires then you might wonder why there are so many ethnic minorities on TV.

[New Judge]

Yes you're quite right jomifl. And more to the point it doesn't really matter.

TV drama is just that - drama. It does nor have to be representative of real life. It does not have to contain the correct proportion of black people, gay people, straight people, drunks, criminals, young people, old people, vicars or tarts. It is quite true that the proportion of ethnic minorities in most urban areas is far greater than in some rural areas, but somebody from the shires might well suggest that programmes like Eastenders are "too black" because many of them may well not see a black face from one weeks end to the next.

My original post was flippant (and in fact I was surprised that my description fell foul of AB's censors, because the blanked out word only related to the red stuff that flows through our veins). TV drama does not have to reflect or represent real life.

[emmie]

if Emmerdale did then we would be in big trouble, that show is off the scale

[joggerjayne]

Really?

Seriously?

The ethnic balance on telly must reflect the population?

Because ... ???

Are some people actually taking him seriously?

Have people got nothing else to worry about?

It's not a jury. It's not the legal system, or the Police. It's just the telly.

Is Brighton the only part of the country that hasn't gone completely mad?

[emmie]

i don't think the Brightonians are any saner than the rest of the country, not the last time i was in situ

[joggerjayne]

Probably not. But we don't get worked up about total non issues like this. I've always thought Lenny Henry was great. Now I'm thinking he's just an idiot with obsessive hang ups.

[weecalf]

A chance for Lenny to raise a laugh when was the last time Len ?

[naomi24]

I don’t watch soaps or much of what passes for ‘entertainment’ on television, but I can’t say I’ve noticed a distinct absence of black people on my screen. They are certainly well-represented in programmes on current affairs. Whilst people consider colour to be important, prejudice will remain. People like Lenny Henry create and sustain division.