How Terribly Sad For Alistair Stewart After Serving Itn As A Newsreader

[Bobbisox1]

That he’s been forced to step down because of a misjudgement when he called someone and ‘angry ape’ on Twitter
The recipient said he was racist and so ends an unblemished 30 odd years as a newsreader

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-51300799

[AuntPollyGrey]

He can't of tweeted all that its too long!

...and proves how things can be taken differently if quoted out of context

[retrocop]

APG
see post @0917

[Barsel]

The specific part Mr Stewart tweeted is a short speech by a character called Isabella, who has come to plead with Angelo for her brother's life after he is sentenced to die.

Angelo refuses her request, and in response to him she says: 'But man, proud man,

'Dress'd in a little brief authority,

'Most ignorant of what he's most assur'd—

'His glassy essence—like an angry ape

'Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven

'As makes the angels weep; who, with our spleens,

'Would all themselves laugh mortal'

[Ken4155]

Using Bill Shakespeare's almost indecipherable quotes is not, imho, an 'appropriate way' to get one's point understood. I'm in total agreement that Stewart should not have felt 'forced' to step down. But, as an articulate and well educated person of a certain age, he really should have thought better of using the word 'ape' in his response. Whether or not the guy's avatar was showing him to be a black person or not, the chances of him not being white English are pretty high.

[retrocop]

//Normal people don't go around quoting Shakespeare at every given opportunity. Only those who like to believe that, by doing so, they are intellectually above the person they are speaking to.//

Lol
I often mutter, 'Cry Havoc and let loose the dogs of War ' or 'Once more into the breech' when I press the 'Answer Now' button

[AuntPollyGrey]

Maybe he should just have tweeted "Whatever!" or "End of!" instead of trying to be clever...he may still of had his job now. ;-)

[Ellipsis]

> I often mutter, 'Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war ' or 'Once more into the breach' when I press the 'Answer Now' button

Don't mutter it, shout it ... what a great image!

[vulcan42]

Quoting Shakespeare is not trying to appear intellectual because his plays were actually written for the masses. Many, I imagine, are quoted on a daily basis, who has not said "If music be the food of love, play on" or "all that glisters is not gold".

[Ken4155]

Yes, Retro, and whenever i'm out 'n' about and someone asks me how I am, I always reply; "I'm so weary with disaster, tugged with fortune, that I would set my life on any chance to mend it or be rid of it." (Lines I had to learn when playing First Murderer in our school production of Macbeth - a million years ago).

[AuntPollyGrey]

Ken I'm seeing my specialist next week -gonna use that quote lol!

[Deskdiary]

"...as an articulate and well educated person of a certain age, he really should have thought better of using the word 'ape' in his response. Whether or not the guy's avatar was showing him to be a black person or not, the chances of him not being white English are pretty high."

Whoa - that'a a pretty bloody big slippery slope to be going down, isn't it?

[woofgang]

Yes its sad but it was a misjudgement....risky for such a person to argue on Twitter, even riskier to be insulting.

[Bobbisox1]

Oh My, such Shakespearean intellect on here, sorry to say but I could never get away with it :0(

[Ellipsis]

The quote isn't racist. Here's a handy translation of it: https://www.sparknotes.com/nofear/shakespeare/measure-for-measure/page_78/

Alastair Stewart has stepped down after an "error of judgement". The error of judgement was getting involved in the debate at all, when he is so high profile. He didn't have to use his public persona, he could have used an anonymous Twitter handle to debate ... but he chose to use @alstewitn and then get drawn into expressing opinions. That was the error of judgement, not the tweet itself, if you ask me.

Alastair is 67, has had a great career and probably thought to himself ... you know what, stuff it.

[teacake44]

Who the hell is Shakespeare? is a Shakespearean a drink from Mcdonalds?

[steg]

He’s lucky, if he called someone an ‘ape at the fitbaw he would probs have got 3 years in the big hoose and a banning order from all baw parks

[zebo]

//and proves how things can be taken differently if quoted out of context//

Wasn't someone recently in bother for calling someone 'uppity'? The professionally offended chose to put the American interpretation on it rather than the local, ie British, one, where it means 'getting above themselves'.

[david small]

Maybe, on Shakespeare’s final folio, just about discernible are the words PS. I’m not a racist.
A poor thing, but mine own. A quote I say to my wife.

[AuntPollyGrey]

ebo -it was our Boris who called someone Uppitty, I didn't know what the American translation was, just always known it as someone whose up themselves

[AuntPollyGrey]

sorry should be zebo ( got a sticky z on my keyboard) lol!