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Encyclopedia > Celebrity Big Brother racism controversy
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Contents

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Background

Main article: Celebrity Big Brother 2007 (UK)

A record 30,000 complaints have been received by OFCOM and Channel 4 and 30 of them have been passed to Hertfordshire police for investigation.[1][2] The complaints relate to the alleged racism by several of the housemates.[3][4][1] Viewers were outraged by ganging up on the actress by Danielle Lloyd, Jo O'Meara and Jade Goody poking fun of her accent, and voiced their concerns on Internet forums.[5] Jack Tweed reportedly called her a "fucking Paki"[6] although show producers have denied this, stating that the word used was "cunt" and was bleeped out.[2][7] Celebrity Big Brother 2007 was the fifth series of the United Kingdom reality television series Celebrity Big Brother, a spin-off of Big Brother. ... // Ofcom was designed to be a super regulator, required in an age where many media platforms are converging. ... It has been suggested that Channel Four Television Corporation be merged into this article or section. ... Hertfordshire (pronounced Hartfordshire and abbreviated as Herts) is an inland county in the United Kingdom and part of the East of England Government Office region. ... Manifestations Slavery · Racial profiling · Lynching Hate speech · Hate crime · Hate groups Genocide · Holocaust · Pogrom Ethnocide · Ethnic cleansing · Race war Religious persecution · Gay bashing Movements Discriminatory Aryanism · Neo-Nazism · Supremacism Fundamentalism · Kahanism Anti-discriminatory Abolitionism · Civil rights · Gay rights Womens/Universal suffrage · Mens rights Childrens rights · Youth rights... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Danielle Lloyd (born 16 December 1983, Liverpool, England) is an English model and formerMiss England (2004)[1]. She is currently dating footballer Teddy Sheringham. ... Joanne Valda OMeara (born 29 April 1979) is an English singer and actress. ... Jade Cerisa Lorraine Goody [1] (born June 5, 1981) is a British reality television celebrity. ... A typical Internet forum discussion, with common elements such as emoticons, avatars, and quotes. ... Celebrity Big Brother 2007 is the fifth series of the United Kingdom reality television series Celebrity Big Brother, a spin-off of Big Brother. ... Cunt is an English vulgarism most commonly used in reference to the female genitalia or, more generally, the region extending from the mons veneris to the perineum and inward from the labia into the vagina. ...


Shetty had been branded a "dog" by Lloyd who claimed the star "wanted to be white", and former housemate Jackiey Budden repeatedly referred to her as "the Indian".[8] When the actress cooked a chicken for her housemates, O’Meara refused to eat it commenting that Shetty's cooking was responsible for her "getting the shits." The clique have frequently complained about Shetty and mimicking her accent, protesting against her touching of their food during preparation. Lloyd speculated about eating habits: "They eat with their hands in India, don't they? Or is that China? You don't know where those hands have been."[2] Objecting to the disposal of left-over chicken soup and bones down the toilet, Tweed suggested that Shetty should pick the bones out with her teeth, prompting her reply "There's a lot more I want to do with my teeth." Lloyd commented that she should "fuck off home".[2]. Lloyd has also claimed that Shetty could not speak proper English,[citation needed] while Goody has continued to refer to Shetty as "Shilpa Poppadom" claiming that it was a reference to Indian food.[1] Shetty has been reduced to tears on several occasions, confiding to Ian Watkins: "I feel like I'm losing my dignity."[8] Jackiey Budden (born April 1958 and also known as Jackiey Luckens and Jackiey Goody) is the mother of reality TV star Jade Goody by Andrew Goody. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A mimic is any species that has evolved to appear similar to another successful species in order to dupe predators into avoiding the mimic, or dupe prey into approaching the mimic. ... A bowl of homemade chicken soup. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... This article is about the actor and singer from Steps. ...


Furore

Responses have come from a variety of sources. Carphone Warehouse has suspended its sponsorship of the show[9] and the Act Against Bullying charity has dropped Goody from their list of patrons in spite of the latter's past support, branding her behaviour as "unforgivable".[10] The Eastern Eye newspaper launched an online petition that has registered 20,000 signatures,[2] while Shetty's mother, Sunanda, told the BBC's Asian Network that she hoped her daughter would be able to handle the situation. "My daughter is a strong kid and I am sure she is handling it with dignity," adding that she was "saddened" by the "distasteful" treatment by the other housemates.[11] Former housemate Carole Malone also told the BBC Asian Network that the attacks were motivated by "jealousy" over her beauty and success.[4] Logo Main office, in Acton, West London The Carphone Warehouse is (as of 2004) Europes largest mobile phone retailer, with over 1,300 stores across Europe. ... Carole Malone (b. ... Asian Network logo BBC Asian Network studio at The Mailbox shopping centre, Birmingham. ...


Diplomatic incident

The controversy reached the British Parliament as Labour MP Keith Vaz tabled an early day motion in the House of Commons about the racist treatment, saying: "We would not tolerate this kind of racism on other types of television programme and we should not do so on a programme that is watched by millions of people."[12][13] By 2007-01-17 the row threatened to escalate into an international diplomatic incident. British PM Tony Blair, in response to Vaz's motion, responded "We should oppose racism in all its forms."[14] Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, currently in India on a visit to promote relations, condemned the controversy as "offensive" and the opposite of what Britain stands for: "I want Britain to be seen as a country of fairness and tolerance. Anything that detracts from that I condemn."[2][15] Journalist Nick Robinson, accompanying Brown, stated that Britain's reputation was being "damaged" according to Indian diplomats.[16] Blair is facing a formal complaint from Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma that could sour relations and damage trade between the two countries as angry Indians marched in the streets and burned effigies in protest,[14] and where the show has been termed 'Bigot Brother'.[17] The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative institution in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories (it alone has parliamentary sovereignty). ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... Nigel Keith Anthony Standish Vaz, known simply as Keith Vaz (born November 26, 1956), is a British Labour party politician and Member of Parliament for Leicester East. ... Early day motion is a phrase used in the Westminster system for motions tabled by Members of Parliament for debate on an early day. In practice, they are never debated but are mostly used for MPs to publicise and express support for their own pet projects. ... The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... January 17 is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Prime Minister is in practice the most important political office in the United Kingdom. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the UK Labour Party, and Member of the UK Parliament... The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British cabinet minister responsible for all financial matters. ... James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom and a Labour Party politician. ... Nick Robinson (born 1963) is the Political Editor of the BBC. He was previously the Political Editor of ITV News from November 2002 until 2005, and Chief Political Correspondent of BBC News 24 before that. ... The External Affairs Minister commonly known as the Foreign Minister represents India and the government of India in the international community. ... The effigy of John Gower in Southwark Cathedral, London. ...


Denials

Further rows in the house caused Shetty to speculate if she was a victim of racism, [18] but later denied it: "People say things in anger."[1] In a statement, Channel 4 denied claims of racist bullying against Shetty: "To date there has been no overt racial abuse or racist behaviour directed against Shilpa Shetty within the Big Brother house. However there has undoubtedly been a cultural and class clash between her and three of the British females in the house."[18]


OFCOM continues to receive complaints.[citation needed]


References

  1. ^ a b c d Rows 'not racist', say housemates. news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on 19 January 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Racism, ratings and reality TV: now Big Brother creates a diplomatic incident. politics.guardian.co.uk. Retrieved on 18 January 2007.
  3. ^ Record complaints for Big Brother. media.guardian.co.uk. Retrieved on 17 January 2007.
  4. ^ a b Anger over Big Brother 'racism'. news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on 17 January 2007.
  5. ^ Celeb Big Brother in racism probe. itn.co.uk. Retrieved on 15 January 2007.
  6. ^ Big Brother has a Big Mouth. timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved on 15 January 2007.
  7. ^ Big Brother racism complaints soar. media.guardian.co.uk. Retrieved on 17 January 2007.
  8. ^ a b How the Big Brother row erupted. news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on 18 January 2007.
  9. ^ Big Brother sponsor suspends deal. news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on 19 January 2007.
  10. ^ Big Brother 'racism' complaints flood in to watchdog. entertainment.timesonline.co.uk. Retrieved on 17 January 2007.
  11. ^ Times exclusive: interview with Shilpa Shetty's mother. timesonline.co.uk. Retrieved on 18 January 2007.
  12. ^ Allegations of Racist Behaviour on Big Brother. edmi.parliament.uk. Retrieved on 18 January 2007.
  13. ^ Big Brother row reaches Commons. news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on 17 January 2007.
  14. ^ a b Politicians enter Big Brother row. news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on 18 January 2007.
  15. ^ Blair and Brown dragged into TV racism row. telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved on 18 January 2007.
  16. ^ GB slams BB 'racism'. bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on 18 January 2007.
  17. ^ Big Brother crashes into politics. news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on 18 January 2007.
  18. ^ a b Channel 4 denies Brother 'racism'. news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on 18 January 2007.

 
 

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