Non, je ne regrette rien
Ever said something you later came to regret?
'Has the BBC gone mad what Carol Thatcher said behind closed doors is between her and the people who were there not the whole world.'
writes Lessle on the PM blog
So, have you gone public with something that, perhaps, should have stayed private? Were there repercussions?
Share your burden of guilt with us in the comments below. Or if you're still feeling far too guilty, email us, and we'll try* and keep it to ourselves.
* promise we'll not name and shame.
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Comments
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"Doh, doh, doh!" I have failed to put my brain in gear so many times. But I now think it's genetic becuase my mother is worse.
She once said "How she could think a doctor would seriously consider marrying her, when she's only a haridresser." Fair enough if she was at home when she said it, but she was at the hairdressers. The comment was made to the girl's sister, scissors in hand.
I once said at work, "If that [expletive deleted], who looks like she spends all day sucking lemons, tells me one more time to blah, blah blah." I put down the phone, turned round, and there she was, looking more like a bulldog who had swallowed a wasp in fact. It was an ice-breaker in a way. We have remained good friends 10 years after I left that job.
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What a wonderful start to the year.
The News of the World, that gaurdian of nation decency took Prince Harry to task for use of the term 'Paki'.
We live in an age of acronyms and abbreviations. So as long as it was not used offensively, what was the problem?
As has already been pointed out that it was no more racist than Aussie, Kiwi or Paddy.
If Pakistani's object to the term Paki, then the British can equally object to the term Brit.
On the 'One Show' the other week, a female Asian interviewer repeatedly used the expression, Brit. So why was she not sacked?
The relevence of the term surely comes from what it infers. If it is used as an insult, then Brit has connotations of the In
the same way Paki infers terrorist. It is for each nation to sort out how its nationals are perceived.
And now the the One Show has sacked Carol Thatcher for using the word golliwog. And to justify their action a BBC 'executive'
was aired claiming the the word invoked a hiddeous character.
Since when? A lovable child's toy. The former iconic trade mark of Robertson's Jam.
We live in fear of these Politically Correct beings, who have have made a wonderful living out of what they have decided to
be correct and Heaven help anyone who disagrees.
I remember a time when Trevor Philip's was just a journalist. I don't see any signs of knighthoods being dished out to the
likes of Jeremy Paxman.This situation must now exceed the McCathy years in the United States.
And if the BBC are so righteous, then please justify the retention of Jonathon Ross. How could he survive the Ross/Brand fiasco and his disgusting interview with Gwenneth Paltrow.
ARe we the public expected to view Ross' interviewing techniques as a 21st century version ofSir Michael Parkinson.
I am afraid the BBC has totally compromised its responsibility to the public and to the nation.
Good luck to Carol Thatcher and tuff luck on the BBC.
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I was once introduced to an Austrian student by some friends. My mind went blank and the stupid words that spilled out were: 'Hitler was Austrian, wasn't he?' - Bad enough, but the Austrian fellow was also Jewish.
Really, really, bad.
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Two relevant anecdotes and 2 questions
In the late 70's, a friend who worked for the BBC, used the phrase 'n****r in the woodpile' in a team meeting. After the meeting, three members of the team, a young black man and two others, told her how offensive they found the expression. My friend, who had used thoughtlessly, was appalled at what she had done, apologised to the group, reconvened the meeting and apologised to everyone who was there.
I worked with a man who used derogatory terms about young women. A group of us told him that it was unacceptable and that it cast him in an appalling light. At first baffled by what we said, he later thought, apologised and changed his language.
Question.
Did Carol Thatcher's colleagues speak to her before reporting her?
If not, why not?
Had she had made no apology at this point, then go ahead and report her. Nasty behaviour all round?
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In her jovial way, Carol did something silly; in sophisticated company, she said something silly - guilless offensive gabble; she must be a wollygog.
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Will you marry me? (twice) (slow learner)
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Ever said anything that you have later regretted?
How about...
"Will you marry me?"
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Shortly after arriving in Nigeria in the late 70's, I was trying to get to know some of my lecturer colleagues. in conversation with a member of staff, I agreed with a point he had made and said,' Yes, I believe in calling a spade a spade'. I was then overcome with embarrassment and confusion, much to the bewilderment of my colleague!
Later when I was visiting his family, the smallest child was being totally mischievious, which they laughingly commented on. I chuckled and said, ' Yes, he is a little monkey, isn't he!' You could have cut the air with a knife!! It was only then that I realised how badly dear Mr Darwin's theories had been skewed by my own race. I never, never made that mistake again!
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On The One Show a few nights ago did I not hear Adrian Chiles use the term 'calling a spade a spade' on air. I do wish I could remember which night it was so you could play back the recording.
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It's not so much the comment, it's how it's received.
We're led to believe that Thatchers comments were received badly by the rest of peoplein the room and a subsequent complaint was made. This seems wholly justified to me and not a simple knee jerk reaction.
I can sympathize with jasimmonds view, questioning whether Thatcher was approached to offer an apology, but that's not always so easy. Maybe the occasion wasn't right (weren't they waiting in a green room to go on air?), or she disappeared too quickly before people had time to reflect then react. In short, we all try make the effort to avoid offensive language - she should try doubly so given her position.
Guilty as charged!
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I should confess, a few years ago I was asked if I wanted to work with Eddie Mair.
I said yes.
Rupert
( iPM Ed )
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Carol Thatcher was still at work, perhaps not in front of the cameras, but at work when the comment was made. No doubt we have all said things on the spur of the moment that were wrong, however, her 'crime' is in not seeing anything wrong with the term 'golliwog'. This just shows she is congenitally, institutionally racist and as such she should pay the price and not work on a programme which celebrates diversity: a concept with which she seems unable to empathise.
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Rupert@11
We all make mistakes...
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#11
Stop moaning and appreciate your licence-fee paid salary, Allman.
It's only fair, to praise the Mair.
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With my seat belt off and turned half way round in the seat to observe my students progress reversing round a corner, he commented that my position looked very uncomfortable, to which I replied “yes you have to be quite an extortionist to get into this position”. A few metres on I realised my mistake and adjusted to contortionist, to which the student said “I heard you the first time Paul”, and my retort to that was the lesson price remains the same Martin.
Carol Thatcher’s comment was obviously intemperate, but look at the person who made the complaint, a more vile and obnoxious person one cannot imagine. Jo Brand suggested sending excrement to members of a political party and is now under investigation by the police. There is one very good reason for terminating Ms Brand’s contract, she is not funny amusing or witty.
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Carol Thatchers comments were crass and potentially offensive though I find the BBC response hypocritical when contrasted with their "approval" of bad language broadcast that many would find equally offensive and the "let off" for Ross.
The increasing tendancy for a self appointed elite to seek to determine just what may or may not be said is offensive to me in its self righteous stance. Please may I have a formal apology( in of course exactly the form I require) from the Thatcher snitch!
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There are very very many things in this world that people should find far far more offensive than any single word but which receive nothing like the publicity that the single unbroadcast G***** word incident has received.
As a result of 'tales being told out of the green room' those who are offended by the word, and the rest of us, have heard it more times than they, or we, would ever have been likely to have heard it in the rest of our lives.
If they had only said what they had to say at the time, in the green room, and then kept their thoughts to themselves, the use of the offending word would not have enjoyed the renaissance in usage that it will now most certainly enjoy.
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I feel the BBC was right to fire Carol Thatcher from the One Show, and people who cannot see how offensive the term she used is/has become seem to me to be particularly insensitive.
However the BBC has laid itself open to charges of hypocrisy in the difference in their treatment of Thatcher and Ross.
Finally I'd be interested to know whether Jo Brand was up in arms against Ross and Russell Brand and called for their heads, or as fellow comedians were they a special case?
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Carol Thather did make a mistake, but why the witch hunt? Let her apologise and move on. I don't understand why some BBC stars get a slapped wrist, or a three month career break - Jonathan Ross, and others get the sack. Personally I would like to see the back of Jonathan Ross' cringe-making jokes and let's be honest, his very poor sense of humour.
What I don't understand is the attitude of Carol's fellow co workds on the One Show.
The show isn't exactly high brow, banality seems to be the format with dull presenters, presenting even duller topics, with sycophantic fawning over the guests who are usually "selling" something - a new play, a new book, etc, etc...
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