Is Merely Impersonating An Accent Racist?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-29722860

[janbee]

This is all just so ridiculous. Lance Percival was never considered racist when he did his calypso thingy.
People nowadays need to lighten up and stop being soooooo sensitive all the time. So many people have had sense of humour bypasses

[237SJ]

Does this mean I`m never going to hear "I`m going to Barbados" by Typically Tropical ever again?

[douglas9401]

No, but going around looking for 'racism' at every turn should be.

[douglas9401]

Should be a crime that is. :-(

[youngmafbog]

No, I dont think so but I see the usual labour lot do.

[Svejk]

Lammy said it was worse than the Vatican's black smoke.

[douglas9401]

Somebody (and I think I know who) will be along shortly to say yes and tell us why at great and convoluted length.

[Gromit]

No it isn't.
The song has not been banned, Read is withdrawing it from sale.
It seems like an odd choice for an anti immigrant Party to sing a song in a immigrant accent. There are plenty of regional UK accents and Brotish folk tunes to use. The choice of a West Indian style and accent was unwise.

And besides, Read always was a wally.

[maggiebee]

janbee - that's another blast from the past - Lance Percival's calypso was hilarious to a teenager. We did our own version about the Beatles too.

Is it also racist if you do an Irish, Australian or Scottish accent? Does it have to be a "black" accent to become racist?

[kvalidir]

Accents in themselves aren't offensive or racist- they can be however when paired with unsavoury views and 'jokes' that aren't funny.

[janbee]

Maggie, I know. Was it on TW3? on a Saturday night . We all used to think it was funny and never ever thought of it as being offensive or racist in any way.

[jourdain2]

The furore is ridiculous. The singer should have stood by his opinion and not withdrawn the record. I suppose that this means that 'Fascinating Aida' should re-make their 'Cheap Flights' Ryanair spoof without Irish accents or mock Irish dancing. Answer to OP is a categorical 'No' .... I tell elderly pupils (I teach basic French) to copy 'Allo 'Allo in order to get them started with confidence with the accent.

[kvalidir]

Exactly jourdain accent sin themselves aren't offensive. ' Allo, allo' is hilarious, the problem with this song is it ha political connotations in it's support for Nigel Farage and UKIP. Ed Sheeran sings with a West Indian accent in some of his lives set stuff- it's not the accent, it's the political affiliation that's causing the issue, he seems not to understand this.

[ChillDoubt]

Ironically, the ultra PC Nazis have simply added more fuel to the UKIP cause.
Let them continue, because come the revolution......

[BlackadderV]

I hope you don't teach them to copy Officer Crabtree.

[Slapshot]

More garbage... it's funny, we've lost the sense of perspective on what's funny and what it truly offensive..... problem here is that some lefty halfwit will be laughing merrily about this!!

[youngmafbog]

//when paired with unsavoury views //

And this means ??

[Gromit]

The song is still on iTunes for all you fans...

[jourdain2]

No, Blackadder - he's brilliant isn't he - but the general sounds can transfer directly into proper French once people can make them confidently.

[ludwig]

Good moaning