Sir Trevor McDonald

[jimmysipples]

I don't like Bernard Mannings comedy, it is dated and maybe wasn't suitable in this day and age but I am curious as to peoples opinions. Should Sir Trevor be allowed to get away with calling him a "fat white b**t*rd"?

Is this not a form of racism also? If the shoe was on the other foot, there would be public outcry. I do not support any kind of racism, but i am also not a fan of double standards. Are there any coloured ABers out there who laughed at Sir Trev's comments the way some white would laugh at Bernards? Does this not reflect how all of these comments should be taken? with a pinch of salt and not with the uproar which normally happens?

People may say it was said as a joke (which is still unacceptable to many) but i have saw the clip a few times now and it wasn't a joke. There was severe anger and hatred in Sir Trevors eyes as he made the comment.

I wasn't gonna bring this up in the AB as I reckoned it would just get me ridiculed but then I thought "why not" as the page would be full of comments had it been the other way round.

We cant have a half hearted approach to all of the race issues in the uk. Either its the same rule for all regarding comments or as i'd prefer we all just chill out and learn to laugh again at all walks of life, because not one of us is perfect.

[Joe_the_Lion]

jimmysipples, I do not have a racist bone in my body. But you have to remember that black people just aren't as cultured and civilised as white people.

Look at the murders in London, before I even read the news I know that the vast majority of them are committed by our colured cousins.

Don't get me wrong, black people are fantastic sportsmen, dancers and musicians, but when it comes to a little intelligence, they are as thick as mud.

Bernard Manning was a comedy genius and deserved all his wealth and fame. Trevor McDonut is here just becuase he is black. Simple as that.

Yes, it is double standards. I appreciate the satire of it and the subversion, but if a white person said it about a coloured man, he would lose his job, his credibility and his knighthood (if he had one)

[NJOK]

Well, that's that debate sorted then.

[Black Noir]

OOOOOh Joe - theres a set of balls!!

Can= Worms

will have to check back here later to see if you get slated !

[Oneeyedvic]

nice to see you back minter - been missing your logic.

[Supernick]

If Lenny Henry had spent all his life as a reknowed racist, and then someone white on a topical news COMEDY show said the same thing - (i.e. the fat black b*stard), then no-one would complain. It would be ironic. He hasn't, so it would obviously be completely out of order. Likewise, if Trevor McDonald called Ronnie Barker a fat white b*stard it would be completely out of order.

NJOK's Little Britain example is PERFECT.

[sp1814]

Anyone who thinks that modern comedy is governed by the rules of PC is as wrong as a supermodel applying for Mensa.

I dare anyone to try and come up with some PC comedies from the past 10 years. Go on - name five.

I'll give you some un-PC comedies:

Nighty Night
Curb Your Enthusiam
Extras
The Office
Peep Show
Absolutely Fabulous

Now...anyone care to give me five un-PC comedies.

Go on.

We're waiting.

Re: Trevor McDonald. I've only seen about five minutes of the show. Didn't make me laugh. Gutted that he's given ammunition to the "it's all one-sided/it's so unfair/they get away with everything (ad lib to fade)" brigade.

Flip-flop...I think the reason why Sir Trev gets away with it is because people feel genuine love for the man. There's absolutely no way we could possibly believe that he is racist.

However, Bernard Manning is a different case. We know really that he was a racist (he admitted it explicitly on Mrs Merton).

Therefore, when Sir Trevor makes a joke like that, he's connecting with the core deomographic who are watching the show (young, intelligent people probably used to watch 'Have I Got News For You').

Wish he hadn't said it, but Mr Manning said much, much worse...didn't he?

[Reverandfunk]

The Bernard Manning topic was done to death last week, personally I never really watched him some love him, some hate him. So what?

Trevor McDonald is a man with no talent, (a shop window dummy could read the news) so whatever he says is of no relevance to me. If it was someone important i.e a politician or someone who mattered then I might have been slightly bothered but probably not.

[Joe_the_Lion]

SP do you want 5 un-PC comedies or PC comedies? You have not made it clear.

[NJOK]

I agree with your comments on Trevor McDonald, Rev.

I've never understood why he's Britain's Favourite Newsreader TM. He's far too wooden, unbelievably bad at spontaneity and lightness (as evidenced when he tries to deliver funny lines on the British Television Awards) and his interview technique is sub-Parkie in its rigorousness - his Tonight with... show is just an embarrassment.

I still love Carol Barnes.

[sp1814]

Oh...I forgot a few more un-PC comedies:

American Dad
Family Guy
Little Britain
The Catherine Tate Show
Goodness Gracious Me
Father Ted

There. That's ten.

[Leilapups]

NJOK
I thought your anlayis was brilliant - it encapsulated what the issues are of racism, humour and why some people are incapable of understanding why the behaviour of BM and TM are so different. However it may have been a leetle too interlectually challenging for some

[Doc Spock]

Read somewhere last week about some South American tribes where baby girls are buried alive in the forest as they are not wanted.
Not a race of people I would like to associate with, so that's why I call myself a racist.
Sorry to say I totally agree with JTL on this.
The only thing an indigenous black south african ever did in the way of culture was making a dug out canoe. Have the seen the tribal dances,very strange prehistoric type behaviour.

[sp1814]

Doc Spock.

Yeah, it's weird when people do those weird tribal dances in Africa.

I saw one on telly the other day, where all these Africans dressed up in white trousers and shirts with straw hats on, then proceeded to hit each other with sticks.

Oh how I laughed at our African cous...

Oh..hang on. That was Morris Dancers...and it was in Gloucestershire.

Silly me eh?

(Heh heh heh...glass houses and all that).

[jimmysipples]

This has certainly put the work day in for me. I love a good debate and I have no preferences towards either of the 2 in the question. I just wanted to know peoples opinions on this matter and I certainly got that.

Some of you thought I was a white man with a problem, some agreed with what i said, some disagreed but for the small exception of some I've discovered that most of you's have a valued opinion on this.

It's something in this country that will never be completely erradicated or banished and I commend anyone who ever tries to do it. But as for me, I'm a white irish man with a black nigerian partner and maybe thats why I find myself in middle ground over the whole issue and had to ask for the opinions of other walks of life. Thanks to all of you.

[Joe_the_Lion]

SP, you know I respect you and listen fully to your often witty and thought out answers.

But, I have to say Morris Dancers (as odd as they are) do not eat people or shrink heads like the African eqivalent.

[NJOK]

I wish more ABers wrote posts in 'character' like you, Joe.

[Doc Spock]

well sp1814, morris dancers don't end the day sticking somebody in a pile of old tyres, dousing with petrol then setting fire to them. Wouldn't like that on the village green now would you.

[China Doll]

I would agree with the many comments here that state that Bernard Manning actually held the opinions he 'joked' about. And he was indeed fat and white... I don't know his parentage to comment on that.

Bernard Manning was a biggot. His jokes aren't funny (to me) because they are actually his opinion which shows a massive amount of ignorance on his part. All he ever seemed to do to me was to perpetuate stereotypes and hatred. I have a problem with anyone that does that and calls it humour.

Trever as far as I'm aware has no major issues with fat, white men with dubious parentage so I can only pressume he was indulging in satire. Whether it makes it right or not I don't know but I found it funny.

Incidently.... I don't just dislike Bernard Manning cause he was a biggot, his mother in law jokes were rubbish too!

[China Doll]

Good Lord Spock I hope you're indulging in some satire there.... tho badly!

I can't believe that you would actually post some an ignorant answer... I'm actually flabbergasted.

[NJOK]

These Vulcans don't understand our illogical Earth ways.