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Can't see the film? Watch it here.
In the wake of the North Lincolnshire refinery strikes, impressionist and long-time Greenpeace member Alistair McGowan set out to discover if protests can still make a difference.
McGowan has been a member of Greenpeace since the early 1990s and recently clubbed together with fellow protestors to buy a patch of land in the middle of the site of the proposed third Heathrow runway.
In his report, McGowan met other people trying to make a difference. People like Brian Haw, who has been camped out in front of the Houses of Parliament for the last seven years in protest of the Iraq war.
"I'm not into stunts," Haw told McGowan. "But all of us haven't done enough. Two million took to the streets [in protest of the war in 2003], from all sections of society. But the trouble is, they went home again."
"It is making a difference," said Haw of his vigil. "I've been told by people from all countries of the world, that it gives them hope."
But it's not just on the political margins that protest can be found. In the 1980s MP Clare Short made her name taking direct action against the pornography industry. But she told McGowan that, when it comes to protest, we should learn the lessons of political history.
"The French and the Russians had violent revolutions which achieved enormous historical change but at an enormous cost," she said.
But Short also predicted that, in future, the voices of dissent could get louder, saying: "In this next year or two, which is going to be much harder economically, the mood is going to change. People will come back to protest and those kinds of politics."
More information:
Government, citizens and rights site
Liberty guide to peaceful protest
But what do you think? Can raising your voice in protest still make a difference? Share your views.
Comments
What is going on with The One show? I can not believe Adrian and Jo and the situation with Carol T. It was obvious on the night that Jo had a problem with Carol, the body language! It was very easy to see that these two would not get on, they are polar opposites. Is this a case of The One Show and the BBC trying to be edgy again? Is this why the two were on the same show. Carol's input could have been put out any night. If I had a choice I would rather Carol T than J Ross anyday but he of course always comes out smelling of roses. I have watched this show from the beginning and since Christine arrived it is a lot more fun to watch. Maybe now I need to find something else to watch at seven, I just cannot stand people who cannot keep private conversations private.
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Banner waving protestors or violent protestors achieve nothing except that the latter tend to attract the attention of the police!
Both GROUPS are out to make a SPECIFIC point, but the individuals within each GROUP of protestors have their own IDEA's about what action should be taken to resolve the issue they are protesting about.
They are illogical.
The proper use of the Statute Laws of the Land are the only way that any real problem can be resolved.
The Law is flawed, and corruption is rife within any SYSTEM these days, so can they win?
Sometimes.
Pete Lambert, Oxford.
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Carol Thatcher has always conducted herself well, as a very decent human being.
Would the BBC like to start doing the very same.
I also feel that the BBC needs to realise that they may feel as if they are safe (being funded by a system that cannot dry up - TV license) but what goes around comes around.
Come on BBC you used to be a corporation that was reliable and respected. Please return to your former ways.
Expedant
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I cannot believe the petty mindedness of Chiles over the Carol Thatcher comment. PC gone made and Chiles scoring cheap points to promote his future.
He's gone down in everyone's estimation. Perhaps the stigma of Carol's surname is the real problem Chiles has! She would have made a wonderful presenter on the show and would have fitted very nicely in his seat! Carol comes across as a down to earth person and I cannot believe she meant the comment to be interpreted as racist.
She was the REAL added value to the programme. Great pity Chiles lowered his standards to disclose a private conversation. The One Show's loss of viewers in this instance will be another show's gain as me and my family are all disgusted with Chiles' behaviour and refuse to watch him. What is wrong with the BBC? One rule for Ross and another for Carol? Jonathan Ross is another one we will not either listen to on the radio or watch on TV ever again. Bring back Carol!
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Ridiculous and petty, I won't be watching the One Show anymore. How could you sack Ms Thatcher???
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I have really gone off Adrian Childs what a snitch. In the 'real' world would he be fit to broadcast on a family show down to his alleged fornicating past, NO !!!!
GET HIM OFF! and his side-kick (eyelid flickering Christine Bailffast Girly giggly eye candy, NOT!)
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GOOD OLD BBC. LEFTIES IN, ANYONE ELSE OUT. I AGREE WITH ANNIE ET AL RE CAROL THATCHER'S TREATMENT. MY MONEY IS ON CHILES OR BRAND. I WILL WATCH TONIGHT TO SEE THE GUILT ON CHILES FACE. AFTER THAT ITS NO MORE ONE SHOW FOR ME! I HOPE CHRISTINE SEES THE LIGHT AND RESIGNS.
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Bring Thatcher Back!
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Bring
Back
Carol!
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Protesting certainly doesnt work on the BBC?
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Bring Carol Thacher back. The show is not the same without her.
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Adrian what are you on with? Carole T did not say anything that was racisist as far as I can see. You come from the Black Country are we now to change that because its not PC I collected the gollys of the front of the Robinsons Jam when I was little and still have some of them and it never occurred to me that it was racist. You can go too far. We have a dove that is white in colour and goes down the chimney to keep warm and comes out covered in soot hence her name Sooty is this racist
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Fantastic. Lets have an article on how to protest. Promoting illegal activities.
How much of my license fee have you just wasted on a pathetic bit of reporting? What a joke.
Now as for Ms T, bring her back, Brand can go and preform her so called humour somewhere else, dont find the woman funny at all, another waste of my license fee.
Now the Frost report was really excellent and shows that there are some excellent parts of the one show.
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So I won't ever be seeing Alistair in the departure lounges of Heathrow then...
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Does the man that has camped outside the houses of parliment for 6 years go to the shops, or does he just stay there all the time??
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Do protests make a difference? Probably not much because I protest strongly at the sacking of Carol Thatcher whilst Ross remains on the tv/radio being paid a totally obscene amount of money.
I also protest at Adrian Chiles and Jo Brand making public her remarks made apparently in jest, and certainly in private, and wonder if this was done to achieve what they did achieve, Carol gone.
As my protest will obviously make no difference at all, well, obviously the answer is NO
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Why are you allowing these nimbys (McGowen) and airheads (greens) airtime, they are not saviours but terrorists who have infiltrated the government.
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For an anthemic song for all those on or facing the dole queue at the moment, try this link and leave a message of solidarity
http://www.myspace.com/jonnynovaband
Written and performed by one of the many musicians for whom patchy employment is a way of life
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Alistair
Before I can consider my view of your Heathrow protest can you answer me one simple question.
When did you last use an airplane?
John
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Thatcher
I cannot belive you people.
She used a generally accepted racist insult in her place of work. She has been punished for it. End of story.
On air, off air, Chiles, etc etc is all irrelevent.
John
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Its a bit rich of McGowan and his friends to be complaining about the new runway. Is he trying to tell us that they have never been in a plane? This was a very one sided report - why didn't we hear from BAA, the owners of the power station or from the government to hear the other side of these issues?
Why didn't McGowan use the protests against Ross, or even more topical, the protests against Carole T getting the sack as examples of (in)effective protest.......
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The English (and I use the term deliberately) tend to let their complaints fester until the final straw breaks the camels back. At the moment we are governed by dishonest politicians who refuse to admit that we have lost our sovereignty. The realisation of the Lindsey workers that Italians can come here and take 'British' jobs has drawn attention to this.
It is only a matter of time before there is a revolution in this country. The country is divided between the Establishment and the electorate whose views are disegarded.
Bryan Smalley
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What is going on with the world and the bbc, political corectness gone mad. Bring back Carol Thatcher. The word GOLLIWOG in the collins dictionary means soft black-faced doll. How Why and Who is this offending, an inanimate doll ??? and referd to in a private conversation at that. Sombody dose need to be sacked and that's the politicaly correct idiots that are trampoling all over our freedom of speech.
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If it was a private conversation in the workplace, should the dispute not be dealt with in an employer/employee situation.
Any worker/employee would feel at great disadvantage if their employer poured out all the private details to the worlds media.
CT should sue the beeb, clearly another case of the beeb not carrying out their duties in a professional manner.
I am disappointed in Adrian Childs stance on this. We do not watch the one show to get involved with his private (see daily mail for story) life with miss blakely.
Amen
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I'm with Adrian on this one! To describe someone as a 'golliwog' is hugely offensive and Adrian Chiles, would have found it extremely difficult to work with someone holding these attitudes. More power to your elbow, Adrian. I didn't hear her, but if that's the opinion she holds about someone, then she shouldn't be voicing any of her opinions on a family show like 'The One Show'. It is racist and unpleasant. Reminds me of the sort of thing my (now dead) ex-Colonial grandmother used to say.
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Alistair McGowan says that it is great to protest for things that you believe in. Does that mean that as a supporter of the third runway at Heathrow, he would support my right to protest outside his house, against his protest against the runway? After all I am only protesting about what I believe in.
The Earth has changed its climate many times since it formed and has used many ways to do it. Currently it is being helped by human kind and I believe that we should help the Earth to achieve its goal by creating as much Co2 as we can. The Earth will do it's own thing and I am proud to be a true Friend of the Earth. The Earth will survive but thankfully Alister McGowan wont.
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Disappointed, but not surprised, that Chiles made no apology for his inflammatory comments about Atheists last night.
Any other segment of society & he would have been dropped as quick as they dropped Thatcher. He made is ignorant comments in public, yet he gets away with it. He probably doesn't even think that anyone could possibly be upset about it.
Sigh. Last time I ever watch the One Show.
Ian, Bedford
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Do Protests work we shall see?
REPLACE CHRISTINE BLAKELY WITH AN INTELLIGENT PRESENTER
BRING BACK MYLEENE KLASS!
CHILDS THE SNITCH SHOULD STICK TO FOOTBALL!
I think that the BBC we pay our licence fee to need to listern to popular consensus on the sacking of Carol.
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We are all products of the era in which we grew up, Carole T probably had a gollywog doll just as my sister did, I collected and wore the badges. Am I racist? If so please tell the indian girlfriend I once had!
To say that someone looks like the doll that probably played a large part of her childhood is not a racist comment - just an innocent remark from someone of her generation.
This was surely an occasion where a quiet word was in order behind the scenes. I'm appalled at Adrian Chiles for deliberately stoking this up, I too noticed the hostility of Jo Brand to CT and felt sorry for her being in such unpleasant company.
The BBC is so quick to condemn and show a knee-jerk reaction to any word which might possibly, in some circumstances, somewhere, cause some slight offence to someone. Words are not racist, people are; if the person behind the word isn't racist then there is no racism.
Ironically, this type of reaction exacerbates community relations by infuriating anyone with any common sense.
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Back to Alistair McGowan v Heathrow saga.
I had a colleague who was a passionate environmentalist - her right and choice, which I respect - and was often in the local media opposing road upgrading (much of which is from a safety perspective - and we are healthcare professionals...) and air expansion. Trouble was her fiance lived 100 miles away, at the other end of that very road. And many of her family were of Norwegian descent - a hell of a cycle. She also had us sponsoring her trip to Zanzibar - another marathon cycle.. - to plant some trees.
Can't have it both ways Alistair. See you in the lounge soon.
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PLEASE, PLEASE MAY WE HAVE SOME COMMENT ABOUT CAROL THATCHER. I AM SURE ANDRIAN DID NOT SAY THOSE THINGS THAT ARE IN TODAYS PAPERS.
CAROL THATCHER IS WONDERFUL AND UNIQUE.
I WILL NOT MAKE ANY COMPARISONS ABOUT OTHER CONTROVERSIAL POLICIES THE BBC HAVE MADE LATELY BUT THIS ONE IS BURACRACY ''GONE MAD''
PLEASE MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TOMORROW NIGHT (THURSDAY) SO AS WE KNOW THE TRUTH.
PETER
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At least beautiful Christine has not got the sack.
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Shame on all invoved in the C Thatcher affair. Whose is the small minded individual?? If it was Childs he is a hypocrite.
Got it wrong again BBC. Sack Ross not her!!
Double standards going on here. I soppose the loonny left have something to do with it!!!
You have lost a viewer.
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If it really was Adrian Chiles who objected to Carol Thatcher's comment (and I can't believe it was Jo Brand) then in my opinion he should apologise on air for being such a PC, Guardianista animal and far far worse for reporting what was a private conversation.
The guy has come across as an absolute wimp and I for one will not see him in the same light ever again and have even stopped watching the show as a result.
Shame on you Chiles for depriving viewers of a unique, refreshing personality and to the BBC for an over-the-top reaction in total contrast to the J Ross affair.
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The remark made by Carol Thatcher in The One Show Green Room last Thursday caused considerable offence.
The One Show's Green Room is a busy space and, on Thursday, there were external guests and several members of the One Show production team present, as well as Adrian, Christine and our celebrity guest Jo Brand.
In some reports it has been suggested that the word in question was used in jest. This was not the case and the use of the word to describe a black sportsman caused instant offence.
Jo questioned Carol about it at the time but, contrary to some recent press reports, neither she nor Adrian contacted the press. The following day, a number of people who had either heard the comment or learned of it, made their feelings known to the show’s executive producer, who raised the issue with Carol.
By this point, the press had contacted the BBC with details of the incident asking for comments. Carol was given every opportunity to discuss the issue and offer an unconditional apology but declined to do so.
Carol’s occasional role as a roving reporter for The One Show requires her to work closely with the team, report on a broad variety of issues and meet a wide range of people across the country, many of whom are unlikely to find her comment acceptable in any circumstances. As a result, The One Show will not be asking Carol to appear on the show again.
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The BBC is in the hands of a politically indoctrinated elite whose common sense has long been replaced by some twisted, politically-correct dogma. I used to read the Guardian and think like that - then I grew up!
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I cannot believe Adrian Chiles attitude towards CT. To discuss a private conversation is the lowest of the low...he will do anything to advance his career and Jo Brand....well the she comes from the political correct club.
Why not put her and Alistair on the same program then the whole country will turn off...I have.
Rubbish
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This is the last time I watch the One Show.
With that dippy irish girl, attached to an ex football pundit, who was not very good at that either.....
GOLLIWOG, is a perfect word, it is about time that we installed our freedom of speach, isn't it what our grandfathers was fighting for 65 yrs ago. Bring back Carol T, and get rid of the pair of idiots fronting the programme at the moment, and replace with carol T. Typical BBC, got that idiot J Ross back, even though he made another comment. BBC you are C*a*
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i dont think CT will be that sorley missed.. as long as you keep Hardeep Singh Kohli :D
also, what is the song used on this vid at 2:10?
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Can protest make a difference ?
Well lets see.
Myself and my wife object strongly to the treatment meeted out to Carol Thatcher by the BBC PC Police.
Sadly, I doubt that the BBC and their staff who objected to trivial and private remarks have the class to admit that they were wrong,despite almost universal support for Carol Thatcher.
It is to her credit that she declined to play the apology game.
I dont expect anything to change anytime soon but the One Show has lost the respect and patronage of two viewers.
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i was a little but disturbed at the article about protesting,,
1) Does anyone protesting about the runway, realise that runway, will mean the creation of much needed creation of jobs and employment
2) how dare a well of(probably a millionaire) celebrity deny umemployed a chance to work
3) is the man that has camped in front of Parliement for the last 7 years
a) a millionaire
b) a charity case with people support ing him
c) claiming state unemployment benifit while not activly seeking employment
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comment 35 is not really satisfactory and seemed quite bias IMO
WE STILL PROTEST!
BRING BACK THATCHER .
DOWN WITH THE BBC!
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Who is offendid by the word golliwog.
If you search for pics of golliwogs on yahoo the first pic is of a white golliwog as they come in all sorts of colours. So dose this meen that we all should be offendid because I'm not!!!!!!!
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We are all discusted at the treatment of Carol Thatcher. Have we yet found out who the snitch was? We hope that this person is ashamed of themselves. Did this so called friend or collegue gain from this childish act, in which they 'told on someone'. Has it really come to this when you can't have a private conversation without it being blown out of all perportion. It seems to us that there are rules for some and rules for others, the Johnathan Ross incident. I am a 21 year old who has been to university and who as a younger child used to collect the 'gollywog' badges from the jam jars, am I a racist, should I be sacked from my job. My father has a fishermans 'gollywog' badge on his fishing hat should I report him? We hope that the 'snitch' makes an apology to Carol, however if it is done in private im sure this statement will remain unpublicied. We will not be watching The One Show anymore, not while there are people like Adrian Childs presenting it.
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Host-Ryan's post (above) shows the usual BBC detachment from what the majority of the British people acutually think. They hold a tiny minority opinion devoid of any common sense (view this blog) and consider that the majority of British people are misguided in their opinion. What arrogance!
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Agree with Alistair - our history attests that the humble British public's protest campaigns have worked in many cases. We are working hard in the most peace-oriented way to protest against unfair treatment for the weak, again and again, whenever necessary.
Of course BBC has to be fair in broadcasting any story, showing the for and against Vox Pop and all. So most of us were gutted when the Gaza appeal was shunned.
However, today my licence fee has been justified again (well, partially) showing Alistair's video report encouraging viewers to think for themselves regarding civil protest.
Please don't remain silent in democracy; use your vote if you are entitled to, and join petitions. Gordon is forced to listen to voters sooner or later and I believe he is a decent man unlike his predecessor.
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Let's forget, just for a moment, about whether 'golliwog' is racist (I used to have one when I was 3 years old and never made the connection, then or now, with 'ethnic minorities') and whether Carol T should have been dropped for using the word, probably quite innocently and in private.
Let's instead remember the question posed here: Can Protests Make a Difference?
Of course they can! And must!
If we relinquish the right to voice our opinions, however strongly we feel necessary, then we relinquish our right to HAVE any opinions and we may as well just roll over and let the tyrants rule the world (yes, that includes you, Mr G Brown)
So, instead of just complaining, have a look at dosomethingaboutit.org.uk and join a positive movement for change.
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Is this the winter of Adrian Childs'discontent?
BBC jobs for the left, Carol has been victimised doesnt seem to have been given the right to reply here.
Are the BBc following procedures or has some looney left producer made a bias descision?
Or do they have a phobia of people who cannot get their tounges around their 'r''s
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Lets see a bit of protest in action and see if it has any effect on the One Show execs.
I'd like to start an on-line protest 'Bring back Carol Thatcher to the One Show' - who's with me?
What right do the One Show execs have to dismiss Carol's services, why is it that the entertainment industry and TV/radio in particular believe they are above employment law? If Carol had been working in any other field her private conversations could not be used against her in this way without leading to a tribunal and claims of unfair dismissal.
Reinstate Carol NOW!!
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As Terry Wogan constantly reminds us, "it is our BBC"
So you dunderheads who run our Corporation, it is about time you performed our bidding, starting with the re-instatement with public apology of Carol Thatcher, the sacking without pay of Ross and Chiles.
But of course this will never happen because nobody in authority will ever read this blog.
Time to protest ..................................
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dosomethingaboutit.org.uk
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My protest probably will not conform to "the one show"s pc views....but how about booking a comedian who can take a joke (not one who is a joke). what kind of logic does the BBC have who takes the views of a comic who has been condemned herself for her "humour" on the Live at the Apollo Show?
And as for our macho sports presenter Adrian Chiles..has he not been in the company any of the sportsmen and women he represents? I doubt if "golliwog" is the strongest thing he will have experienced in the conversation! Possibly a wee chat to Jonathon Ross will convince him that maybe Carol wasn't so bad after all. I hope that Christine is proud to sit next to the smug snitch who assists her in presenting this fairly mediocre show.
Carol Thatcher was a breath of fresh air in in the smog of BBCs unhealthy political correctness...I doubt if she would want to return even if asked and I am glad that she never issued the grovelling apology that the corporation wanted her to.
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Re. the diabolical treatment of Carol Thatcher - perhaps Adrian Childs and Jo Brand can confirm they were not the whistleblowers.
Sadly, I do not think the BBC will backtrack on their decision as she doesn't earn £6mil. per year!
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Interesting to see comments on this blog item relative to Carol Thatcher's treatment by the BBC. "What do you think of tonight's programme" blog is inundated with comments in support of Carol.
If you think your comments will not be read then go to the BBC home page and Contact Us for the complaints procedure. You can complain on line - simple. Maybe then they will listen to us, the licence-fee paying public.
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So, the BBC sacks Carol T becuase of something she said in the 'green room'. Presumably, they now will be even handed and check conversations of all BBC employees on all stations (radio & tv) at any time while they are on BBC premises and if they ever make any form of remark that the PC brigade count as racist they will be sacked unless the unreservedly apologise - and even if they do - no doubt they'll publicise the whole thing as well. Just one thing BBC - if anyone on the BBC makes a joke about the scots being tight, or the welsh having friendships with sheep, or the irsh thick or northern english wearing cloth caps - that counts as racist as well. Soon they'll be nodbody employed at the BBC given the precedent set. Oh yes, then there are all the other pc prejudices that could be added to the list.....maybe by March the BBC will be an empty shell.
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I don't know if protesting works ... let's see.
I protest that Carol Thatcher was dropped from the One Show for making a joke in "private" Of course it may well be that only protests that have the approval of the One Show thought police will receive consideration.
By the way will David Frost now be banned from the One Show for broadcasting a joke that referred to "blacks" and "Catholics" in the same sentence?
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Bring back Carol T, J Ross did more damage as his program was broadcast to the viewing Nation. I agree that what Carol said in private was just that, probably a throw away comment. Remember 'Love thy Neighbour', the sitcom we enjoyed when we were young. PC has gone too far !!!
BRING BACK CAROL T.
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To 'Komonsenz'
Do you mean to say that 'blacks' are not allowed to be 'Catholics'?
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The title of this blog is "Can Protests Make a Difference?" well, let's see. We are protesting about the treatment of Carol Thatcher as being unfair, sexists and over-sensitive. Reinstate her and apologise to her.
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Host-Ryan - have you never made a comment about anyone at any time while on BBC premises that could be seen as offensive by someone? Have you never laughed at a joke by someone else on BBC premises that maybe wasn't 100% pc? Rember this is a conversation off air - so at the drinks machine - have you never laughed or smiled even at a remark made by someone in private to you about a colleague who maybe was fat? (or should I say they were holders of a mass greater than the optimum?) or a colleague who was skinny?bald?old?spotty? etc - I bet you can't hand on heart say you're perfect. Therefore admit it - the BBC was wrong or it should sack you also!.
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The BBC's resopnse to complaints/protests about Jonathan Ross's comments regarding an 80 year old lady were:
"Regular listeners will be familiar with Jonathan's irreverence and innuendo. This light-hearted exchange contained no offensive language, named no individuals and there was clearly no intention to offend anyone. Nothing broadcast by the BBC was linked to a specific individual or would allow the public to link these comments to an individual."
Carol Thatcher "had no intention to offend anyone", and the we, the public, were not able to link them to a specific individual as the comments were not broadcast. Why does Jonathan Ross get away with his lewd and offensive comments and gets to keep his job, when Carol makes one remark - in a private conversation, which was not meant for broadcast - get sacked.
I protest and have made an official complaint to the BBC via the Contact Us page on the site. I recommend the people commenting on this site do the same forthwith.
I protest.
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Isn't free speech wonderful?
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Mr McGowan is an interesting man, a brilliant impressionist and very poor at geometry.
We need to make assumptions (which are reasonable) to test this. The first assumption I make is that whether a third runway is built at Heathrow will not alter the desire of people to fly or not to fly. If people still have the same desire to fly they will fly the same amount providing they can get to where they want to go by plane at a similar or lower cost. Therefore for long haul flights, if they cannot fly from Heathrow they will fly from Schipol or Charles De Gaulle or Frankfurt. For shorthaul flights Luton, Gatwick, Stanstead, City Airport, Southampton or Farnborough (using private jets). Let us generously say the shorthaul diversions equal out flight distance with flying from Heathrow and forget about the extra miles driven. The diverted Longhaul flights are not going from thedeparture point to destination point by the shortest route and therefore increases the amount of flight distance.
I do agree more longhaul flying from Schipol will reduce the London pollution as this pollution has been exported to Schipol and added to by the extra distance flown.
Please note I am not arguing for more flying but just for flying in the most economic way.
Greenpeace promoting extra flying while pretenting to be against flying, should be no surprise. Greenpeace has long added to the pollution of the world. Their demonstrations to which they fly increasing numbers of people and cause increasing numbers of police to turn up, to add to pollution.
Their infamous lying about the Shell oil platform which they forced to be dismantled on land, using vast amounts of energy, by knowingly falsely claiming it was full of polluted oil. Also ,of course, this action by Greenpeace was directly responsible for Shell sponsoring Schumacker in Formulae One leading to increases in Formula One popularity and all the extra carbon produced by extra crowds driving to see it.
I am a law abiding and strongly believe that trashing Alastair MacGowans house (or anyone else's) is absolutely wrong despite his attempts to increase the world's carbon footprint by encouraging extra flying to which I am strongly opposed. I hope Mr MacGowan agrees with me.
So Mr MacGowan I am looking forward to your campaign to stop people having children as no one disputes the increase in the World's population has the most direct affect on increasing greenhouse gases. Or perhaps this would offend his ill thought out convictions. Or if you feel this msot effective solution is too difficult perhaps you will see what can be done to discourage unnecessary travel. Of course you travelled less this year than last didn't you!
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Incidentally, Mr Chiles, now that you've read all this (and we know you have) and if you were responsible for the complaint which caused Ms Thatcher to be sacked, don't you think it's time you did the decent thing and resigned?
Perhaps then we could have a presenter who didn't mumble and stutter his way through the entire programme, freely interrupting guests and constantly leaning forward to stick his dumb head in front of the camera...
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Chiles has now reached the same level as WBA....bottom!!
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Sorry, my comment at no.64 could be interpreted as mumblist and stutterist and I unreservedly apologise.
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To-days press state that only two persons were present when Carol Thatcher made her remark about a golliwog. Who expressed the "crocodile" horror?
Was it our sensation seeking Adrian Chiles or Jo Brand? Either way it is an obvious attempt to gain self gratification points from a remark made without malice or racism.
As a former senior director of the company that owned and used the famous trademark I never found such hypocritical reaction from the public to such a beloved toy and emblem.
Could the release of over 150 million golliwog labels each year have happened if people had shared such a narrow attitude now shown by your presenters.
With much disgust but not surprised that you have again "got it wrong"
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Carole Thatcher could have made the comment live on air and I would still have defended her (for the reasons I stated at no. 29).
I once had the misfortune to be supply teaching in a 'challenging' all-white comprehensive. At the end of the day I complained that many of the children behaved like chimpanzees - just imagine if it had been a predominantly non-white school and I'd had Adrian Chiles and Jo Brand as colleagues. That is how easy it is for a simple innocent phrase to be misinterpreted by the malicious PC thought police.
Shame on you Adrian Chiles, you no longer cheer up my day. When people I'd credited with decency behave in this way I really do feel the world has gone mad. No wonder so many thoroughly decent people are cracking up.
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I feel we should attempt to make peaceful protests, I personally did so regarding the (poll tax) taking part in marches both in Scotland and England, it was a terribly unfare tax ,I have never regretted taking part in those marches,as it was better than sitting at home complaining and doing nothing. If we had not demonstrated it sould possibly still exist.
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Clearly protests do not work. The public wanted the BBC to broadcast a charity appeal. The BBC refused. Most of the public wanted rid of Ross. The BBC carry on paying him obscene amounts for rubbish. Most of the public want Carol Thatcher to front the One Show in preference to the rubbish there at the moment, and the BBC just sack her for nothing. Come to think of it, it's not only protest that don't work, it's the BBC that doesn't work properly either.
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I firstly would like to say Carol has my full support she is one of those English excentrics whose company you would always want to seek,same as Winston Churchill ,I guess he would have been sacked from the BBC. in this day and age of political correctness.
The Gollywog means a lot to people the age of Carol as we all had the lovable doll as a child that we loved.There was no intention of racism on Carols part ,in her PRIVATE CONVERSATION, its time the BBC grew up and used common sense in making its judgements and yes she was right there are a number of tennis players that have hair like the Robinsons golly- FACT-Picking on the innocent seems the way forward for the BBC whether its an elderly genlemen or a single middle aged lady Oh Well !
I wont be watching the One Show for the time being !
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On tonight's programme Sir David Frost repeated a seriously racist comment, talking about "Blacks". Can we look forward to him being banned from the BBC, or is it perhaps deemed acceptable as the words were supposedly used by some old black boxer?
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In the light of Carole Thatcher's dismissal for likening someone's hairstyle to a golliwog, of beloved badge fame, how could David Frost make a joke about the catholic faith's allowed birth control - and not also be dismissed. Which would have been just as ludicrous. Is this a case of somebody gunning for her? Maybe somebody was jealous and that's why her comment was reported but why, oh why, did the PC police jump on the remark. Does the mention of a golliwog give offence? If so, should I apologise to all those people I must have offended in the past by saying the word - and even knitting one for my daughter when she was a child.
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Why does your comment rating say zero? When in fact there are a lot of comments?
Seems your ability to work things out are a reflection of your ability to get things right.
Jinty64
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Why does your comment rating say zero? When in fact there are a lot of comments?
Seems your ability to work things out are a reflection of your inability to get things right.
Jinty64
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By the way, one question that was noticeable by its absence tonight:
"So Alistair (McGowan), can you confirm that you will never fly in an aeroplane again?"
Perhaps this can be confirmed in tomorrow night's progamme - in the interest of fairness and balance of course, as with all the other topics that the show deals with!
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The comment that Carol T made was not racist, it was done in a private conversation and not broadcast so why was she sacked.
I cannot understand the BBC Carol makes a great contribution to the programme. I hope the BBC see their mistake and bring her back.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
I was joined Greenpeace in the 1970s when they were a tiny group operating out of one office. I went all kinds of demonstrations; Save the Whale, Nuclear Power - No Thanks, Rock Against Racism etc. The one thing I learnt from all that marching was that plenty of people joined the marches with hidden agendas. There were people who had an inverse snobbery towards the middle class, who hated the establishment, and whose only motivation was to attack property and hurt policemen.
Alistair should check his facts. According to the IPCC's own reports, global aviation accounts for half the CO2 emissions of shipping. Shipping is adding 1.12 billion tonnes per annum compared to 650 million tonnes from aviation. Why aren't they protesting about shipping?
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Can protests make a difference?
Protesting on the One Show's blog apparently makes no difference at all.
Personally, at the invitation of the One Show I, with nigh on 500 other incensed bloggers, took the trouble contributed to the "are you ashamed to talk about God?" blog, (my 7 blogs numbered 245, 383, 431, 436, 447, 491 and 496) only to find that
last night's One Show, with a leading Methodist Christian and Alpha enthusiast, Sir David Frost taking part, completely ignored what we had to say.
Are these One Show blogs just for our own amusement or does anyone at the One Show read them and if so do you/they take any notice of what we have to say about the features they ask us to report back on?
Peter Lewis - Sheffield
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Ref Carol Thatcher's words and her resulting sacking:
I understand that she refused to apologise unreservedly.
This speaks volumes about her to me.
Peter Lewis - Sheffield
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Adrian Chiles is insufferable and Christine B also. Full of their own importance and just the sort of people I would expect to talk to the Press. They are pathetic. Would be better if they were just locked in a room the two of them and then the viewers would not have to see them almost sitting on each other on the sofa.
Carol Thatcher is lucky not to be working with these two self satisfied people again.
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This is the first time we have felt so angry that we have complained - we agree totally with comments about Carol. Come on BBC listen to your customers and reinstate her with no delay.
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I shall not be watching the one show again! Carol Thatcher was a breath of fresh air to that otherwise banal nonsense which comes from other contributors on the show.
She deserves an unreserved apology from the BBC for the way in which she has been pilloried in the press. Its utterly disgusting that she has been treated this way.
I would recommend that she consider legal action for the way in which this private conversation has been leaked to the press.
And as for Jo Brand, she is one of the most offensive people on TV so I find it incredibly hard to believe that she climbed aboard her moral high horse when Carol made a her ill advised comment!
Carol, you are better off without them!!!
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We are with Carol on this one. Another example of BBC poor management.
What hypocracy on the part of Jo Brand after what she has said about Margaret Thatcher in the past and the other offensive remarks she regularly makes on air in the name of comedy.
Adrian you have lost 2 more viewers to the One show after your performance last night.
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Recently I have found the one show becoming boring and one way to brighten it up and to make amends to the offended even if he did not know about it is for Adrian Child to resign and the job of host offerd to
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who know doubt as an acredited sportsman may also be able to fulfill other roles within the BBC and show we are not and Island race insular from our European partners, and maybe Adrian may find a job with French television. This would also show that the BBC really mean it when they say they are not racist, well prove it.
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Keep Protesting. BRING BACK CAROL THATCHER The lefties in the BBC think this will go away. and it is clearly bullying on the BBc's part. I think their attitude has been one of arogance. The message they posted was a big mistake in itself and was poorly worded. The One show will not make a comment because of the public back lash on the subject. This will not go away. The executive producer of the ONE SHOW should resign!
PROTEST!
PROTEST!
PROTEST!
This Corporation belongs to the licence payers,us, we pay the wages of these people.
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The One Show has lost it's best presenter in Carol Thatcher. The BBC has got to do some PROPER explaining about this one, in the light of the JR/RB situation. Why should they not sack JR?
We hope Carol now gets her own chat show on one of the other channels to be broadcast at 7pm. Her show would be extremely popular.
We have watched The One Show since it began but will not be tuning in from now on and I hope a lot more other viewers follow suit in support of Carol.
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Those who have banned Carol Thatcher are behaving like children in a playground who won't talk to people they don't agree with. I despair. Carol should have been encouraged to publicly undergo restorative justice on the programme to raise the issues and educate others. Carol should have been commissioned to do a feature in which she met people who are offended by her comment and she should have been made to discuss the issues openly with them.
The funniest episode of "Extras" was the one in which the issue of the word "gollywog" came up. When I was a child I associated this word with Jam and collecting badges. I was never taught any other meaning and have never felt any prejudice towards others on account of colour or race. If Carol Thatcher used the term in a derogative sense then she should be made to face the issues.
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Continued from blog numbers 80 and 81:
Carol Thatcher (bless ‘er) – like mother like daughter.
Did the PM Maggie ever publicly apologise for anything?
Peter Lewis - Sheffield
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For anyone over the age of 50 who collected golliwogs from Robertsons jam pots, the hairstyle of Wilfred Tsonga is clealry understood. This does not in any way indicate that the person who made the comparison is racist. The very offensive manner of the BBC lady interviewed on the Today programme this morning indicated the unbalanced attitudes which seem to pervade the BBC. If Thatcher is banned from the show then I for one will be happy to join her.
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As a child I loved my golliwog dearly - it was merely a black doll as opposed to a white doll - and until I learned later in life about political correctness I had no idea that I had committed a criminal offence. I find Jo Brand continually offensive whereas at least Carol Thatcher is a jolly joke: I wouldn't want to watch either of them for any time it has to be said, but Carol is entitled to say what she wants in a private get-together isn't she? Or is that a criminal offence too? I thought the woman who spoke on the BBC News this morning was one of your typical lefties so Carol doesn't stand a chance in any argument with the producers of The One Show. Good for Carol for not apologising. As a tax payer I think it's time the BBC represented the views of Middle England and not the Hard Left.
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Just wanted to add my two pence worth to the debate......like many others, this is the first time I have felt compelled to comment on anything on TV but really feel that the sacking of Carol Thatcher for what?? is utterly ridiculous!
Will not be watching the One Show again.......
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I have not complained to the B.B.C. in the past.
However, I feel so strongly about the Carol Thatcher situation, that I have to make this comment.
I believe that whoever made this decision, has made a big mistake.
1)This was obviously a "private" situation.
2)Carol is an honest person, and should be "trusted" when she said she meant no offence.
3)Everyone I have spoken to agrees that there was no need to take this drastic step and that she should be reinstated as soon as possible.
From a disillusioned, B.B.C. supporter.
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In the hope that BBC controllers do begin to listen, I make my point with a little background information.
I am not a natural protester - preferring to improve my little world with action.
I am not a fan of Carol Thatcher, and would not miss her on The ONe Show at all.
I had until this week regarded The ONE Show as the first natural successor to 'Tonight' - the ground-breaking early evening magazine programme from the 60's.
I have made it a 'must see' every night (mostly recorded!).
But, I with many others, am totally dismayed by the shoddy treatment of Carol Thatcher by The ONE Show production team and by the BBC.
I watched the BBC Controller of something on Breakfast this morning, stating a case for Ms Thatcher's dismissal in a way that would have thrilled Mao's Red Guard, the KGB, the Gestapo, the only thing different being the punishment meted out.
Even by your own words, BBC lady, it was a conversation between 3 people in a room of 12 people, all having different conversations. This is a private matter. If Adrian or Jo Brand want to take offence, that is their private business. You are really out of order, BBC.
Stop this nonsense now! Look at yourselves and consider the minefield into which you have now placed yourselves. Where will this all end?
Of course there is no justice, which, we, the British public who you should disregard at your peril, can see with one eye closed! Jonathan Ross's behaviour and many of the so-called comedians is far worse and goes unpunished by the standards you have now set.
By all means, show mercy to Ross et al, but you must apply the same standard to Ms Thatcher.
By the way, did you see the lawyer on the news backing the BBC position? Did you see his hairstyle? Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Will I be punished for that!
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I love the show and watch most nights. I like Adrian (although time limitations do force him to be rather impatient with guests) and I love Christine - OK I am man of a certain age.
Up to now I have never really thought about the production team - I just take the show at face value and consider it to be a very entertaining 30 minutes. The Carol Thatcher incident has now caused me to think about the people behind the scenes and precisely what type of person might be offended by a remark of this nature made by a colleague.
If this was not the BBC the offended party would report the incident to their line manager who would then take it up with HR. If HR considered it serious enough they would speak with the 'offender' get their side of the story and, if the compaint was upheld, give them a warning about future conduct. All of this would of course take place in private as part of a grievence procedure. I am now really curious as to which memeber of the One Show team finds it so necessary to demonstrate their right-on, middle class, political correctness to the whole world.
Whether Carol Thatcher was wrong to make the comment for me is not the issue. I believe the issue is why have the BBC found it so necessary to make this matter public.
Are we now going to have daily updates from the BBC about all the grievences raised by their staff? Maybe we could have a public vote on what the outcome should be; perhaps they could call it Strictly Come Disciplinary Process. To sack this person call 0908 .... etc.
What a shambles.
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In my opinion it appears to depend on who you are and who you're complaining about.
Thousands demanded the sacking of Jonathan Ross but he BEEB claimed he was simply being 'creative' -
Half a dozen 'celebs' complain about a 'cuddly golliwog' comment made by Carol Thatcher and she's sacked with all the po-faced solemnity of excommunication.
It was clear from body language during the programme that Jo Brand didn't like Carol Thatcher so I'm not surprised that the so-called comedienne flounced in a self-righteous huff.
Personally I object to Jo Brand's foul mouth but under the current regime at the BEEB I can't imagine her being thrown out.
Double standards at the BBC are now so obvious that I wonder how much longer the Corporation can claim a fee from me.
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This latest debacle with the BBC is incredible. Ross and Brand made an extraordinarily offensive gaff on air and Ross is suspended and then is hailed upon his return. Thatcher makes a comment off air and is sacked. Presumably you don't find Aussie, Kiwi, Brit etc offensive as you regularly use words like that. Racism is not just about black people, you need to be consistent unless you approve of the self imposed condition in the UK of encouraging the tail to wag the dog.
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Protests are clearly a waste of time with the BBC. A clear majority of respondents on the blogs oppose the sacking of Carole Thatcher. What does the BBC do they send someone called Jay Hunt to do the rounds of the studios trying to justify the action taken by the BBC in firing Carol Thatcher. On Radio 4's Today programme she is reported by the BBC to have said :"Thatcher's comment had been "deemed by a very substantial proportion of the public to be hugely offensive". Since she also said that there were about twelve people in the room when the remark was made how on earth can she make such a comment? What she really means is that she and the talentless, overpaid Chiles regard it as offensive. I personally don't regard the comment as offensive but DO REGARD as OFFENSIVE the likes of Jay Hunt dictating to the British public what can and cannot be said in conversations. The BBC seems to be littered with pedants like her determined to indoctrinate the masses.
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I am amazed at what a load of polictically correct Nazis the people at the one show are. Growing up in the 50's we collected tokens from Robertsons jams to get a G badge. It was never racist, tasteless sure but hey lets all demonize Carol shame Jonathan Ross can make sick phone calls but Carol can't have a private conversation.
The One Show has lost the plot I have been watching it but did wonder when Boris Becker a tennis champion had to sit through an item on frozen peas with a really puzzled look on his face what the programme was actually trying to achieve, is it Blue Peter or a grown up show, I don't think the producers have worked it out yet. Because of the Carol thing I will never watch it again.
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What a nonsense I thought the BBC and Adrian Chiles were made of better stuff than that. BRING BACK CAROL THATCHER. It seems strange to me that she gets the push for her comments made not in public and yet at one time in last nights show Alistair McGowan turned the programme into a party political broadcast on behalf of Green Peace and clearly stated that HE was opposed to the third runway at Heath Row but is he going to be reprimanded I doubt it. Come on BBC and you Adrian Grow up and start seeing how life really is we all hear things we do not like but do not take offence.
One last thing I am 66, when we were small children most of us had Gollies (better not use their real name no wish to offend) and I doubt if any of us associated its name with any race creed or colour it was a toy no more no less. It is my view that it is people with a chip on their shoulder who will see it as anything else But I doubt if I can really say that.
One last thing I am glad I am 66 and lived in a time when people had common sense unlike now.
Dave G.
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BBC LICENSE FEE
It is time to do away with this form of funding for the BBC.
The management obviously have no conception of budget control and continue to waste our money and insult us with impunity.
Their management and staff have far too high an opinion of themselves and believe they only have to say something for it to be true.They also claim to have sole rights over the moral high ground which considering the gutter language and wit prevalent in an excessive number of programs is indeed surprising and probably stems from them being so grossly overpaid.The negative and harmful influence they have inflicted on our society has gone on for far too long and should not be underestimated.
Enough is enough.
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I am all for making a protest. The credit crunch was enabled by our lack of protest as the the world economy became dictated by greed. The only way us less powerful people can have impact is by acting.
By acting withour wallet, our feet and our pen.
I have been 'compacting' for over a year; not buying anything new, clothes' household stuff etc and have found a freedom to live not only more sustainably but have more fun too. And saved money, beat the credit crunch, save money!
See Uni of Bath press release. I got lots of publicity locally and in the Times HE and Weekly News and am now giving talks to the community. Buying stuff we don't need but want with money we don't have is what got us into this state and what are the govenment doing? Advising us to more of the same! This is our chance to change society for better where people count more than money. USE-LESS LIVE-MORE
University student and staff member starts second year without shopping
A staff member and part-time student at the University of Bath is starting her second year of abstaining from shopping, in a bid to do her bit for the environment.
Christine Bone, an administrator and student on the MSc in Responsibility and Business Practice, is committed to ‘compacting’, a movement which started in America and shuns all shopping for anything new for a specific period of time.
Compacters can borrow, barter or buy second hand but pledge to buy only new goods such as food, toiletries and medicines.
“I started out hoping to do a whole year, and my husband and I made a bet with each other of £100 that we couldn’t keep the compact, but we both did,” said Mrs Bone.
“I loved shopping and it was a big part of my life but the course I am doing about business, community and sustainability really made me want to go beyond recycling and re-using to actually reduce what I buy in the first place.
“I’ve coped without new clothes but it’s things that literally wear out, like shoes, that pose the problems. There have certainly been some interesting quandaries along the way.
“It’s not all gloom and deprivation: as well as saving lots of money I’ve freed up time to do other things.”
Over Christmas Mrs Bone put the compact on hold to be able to buy gifts for her three sons who have left home but rely on Christmas presents to re-stock their wardrobe.
“We did use the presents though to buy things they really needed, rather than electrical goods or gimmicky stocking fillers,” said Mrs Bone.
“I’m not going to be preachy about compacting because I have a lot to learn and we all have to make compromises, but I hope that it might catch on now that people are really feeling the pinch. It’s about making your own rules and keeping to them, whatever they are.”
Christine is really keen to encourage others to have a go and will share her experiences at the next open meeting of Transition Bath on Tuesday 13 January, 7.15pm at Widcombe Social Club. Everyone is welcome to attend. People are asked to bring food to share if they would like to have supper. A bar will also be available.
Transition Bath is part of the Transition network, where local communities are planning their move from an oil-fuelled economy to one existing on a fraction of current usage.
The group aims to rebuild a localised economy in Bath, to collect and develop traditional and modern skills, and re-establish local resource resilience, at the same time building a vibrant inclusive community.
For more information about the event please visit the Transition Bath website at www.transitionbath.org.uk
I'm happy to share my experince on your show- I love it
Sent with love
Christine Bone
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The one show asked does protesting get you anywhere. The answer has to be no, as the number of people protesting about the treatment of Carol Thatcher has done nothing to get here reinstated. Very disappointed with the BBC. Way over the top, petty and practicing double standards, Jo Brand frequently offends in the name of humour, does anyone do anyhting- no.
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I seriously doubt that protesting against any of the actions taken by the BBC will have any effect at all, but in the wake of some of their recent decisions I am afraid that I no longer have any faith in their impartiality.
The "Jonathon Ross" debacle, their failure to broadcast a humanitarian appeal for the children in Gaza, and now finally the sacking of Carol Thatcher. They clearly do have double standards and are far from impartial.
Carol Thatcher's "crime" was to use a word that many of us have grown up with and viewed with affection. I, like many others, collected them from Jam pots to get the badges and had cuddly toys that I adored.
I have always watched the One Show and enjoyed it, but this incident has left a very nasty taste and like many others who have commented, Adrian Chiles has gone down dramatically in my estimation
So yes, two viewers lost although probably not missed. I agree with previous comments that protesting to the BBC is a waste of time and effort when they are trying to indoctrinate the masses
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Yes protest can work see this one
Lets put people before money
A CRASH CAMPAIGN - URGENT ACTION NEEDED
The G20 Must Discuss Monetary Reform at its 2nd April Meeting
and We Must Make Sure It's on Their Agenda
The way money is created today as profit-making debt, both nationally and internationally, cannot avoid leading to recurrent highly damaging booms and busts. In normal times too, it results in a skewed system of financial rewards and penalties that motivates almost everyone in the world to get money in socially, environmentally, and economically damaging ways.
This means that not only active citizens should support monetary reform. So should non-governmental organisations (NGOs) concerned with social issues (poverty, welfare, social injustice, health, human rights, etc), environmental issues (climate change, energy supply and use, water, food and agriculture, etc); the problems of ‘developing’ countries; and general economic and public policy issues (world future prospects; local and community economic development; ethical investing, trading and consuming; corporate social responsibility; etc).
The G20 (twenty of the economically most important countries in the world) is replacing the G7 as the top international forum for discussing the world’s economic problems. It is meeting at the beginning of April in London to discuss international co-operation in handling the present global financial crisis.
So far, their policies have ignored the importance of national and international monetary reform. It is vital that they should be persuaded to put these topics on their agenda and we must make sure that this happens.
What to do. People in all the G20 countries should act urgently:
to mobilise pressure on their governments by early March to include national and international monetary reform in their April agenda, and
to achieve widespread media coverage in their countries about why those reforms are necessary.
That can be done through many channels. They include writing and other ways of communicating:
to the politicians who represent us in our legislatures;
to the press and broadcasting media;
to NGOs that support our concern for development, social justice, environment, ethical economics, or any of the numerous causes that suffer from how the present money system works;
to other people able to do any of these things themselves, and
by speaking at meetings about those concerns.
In an enterprise of this kind, even the smallest action may turn out to have a big impact.
Please feel free to use any information from the attached campaign document, which is in Word format, to help you put across the case for monetary reform. It explains why monetary reform is needed and suggests some possible solutions.
A pdf version can be downloaded from www.jamesrobertson.com/g20monetaryreform.pdf
There is no need to reply to this email. We can contemplate our joint achievement on 2nd April and thereafter.
Meanwhile, during the next eight weeks, this will have to be a highly de-centralised co-operative project. It is potentially very influential if self-energised and co-ordinated by its participants with one another in their own and other G20 countries - pursuing the shared aim of encouraging and pressuring the governments of the G20 countries to take monetary reform very seriously.
If, during this time, anyone has short news items to report on progress from which others could take encouragement and example, please send them to james@jamesrobertson.com
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Has anybody considered how 'funny' it is to be referred to in such terms as Carole T did.
Only from my studies on difference & diversity did I come to undersatnd how a painful such derogatory names are and be sure Carole did, she's educated enough to know that it is not aceptable. I feel she was openly flaunting her racism in a public setting and I'n not surprised that there were complaints. Had she apologised immediately it would have all blown over. I think she knew what she was doing. Anyway there is plenty more talent out there let's give somone else a chance.
CB
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Listening to the controller of BBC1 on the Today programme this morning, made me realise there are some very very sad people involved in the One Show and the BBC in general.
Offence of this type can only be taken by the people it is aimed at. It may make other people uncomfortable, but to offend them to the point of getting someone sacked seems hollow and false to me.
Get a grip BBC, your starting to look ridiculous.
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I am very angry that Carol Thatcher has been treated in this way. When Carol was a child, like myself she probably had a golliwog as a toy. Jay from the BBC, in defending their dreadful behaviour, suggested that a golliwog was a grotesque toy. What a sad life she has had. I have knitted much loved golliwogs for my children when they were young.
Carol was always a joy to watch, very amusing, interesting and enthusiastic. I have always enjoyed the One Show. Shame on you for what you have done. A very angry viewer. p.s.Am I now viewed as a rascist because I have taken a stand , for Carol Thatcher and this humble toy. To have labelled carol asa rascist over this is incredible. Carol deserves an apology from the One Show and the BBC.
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Adrian, get a life son. I know, as a Wolves supporter, how frustrated you must feel at the Baggies current plight but don't take it out on Carol, lighten up you are becoming a bit of a luvvie. And while I am on, can you stop constantly referring to your notes, it makes you look desperate.
Bring back Carol she brings freshness to an increasingly enervating atmosphere.
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The 'host-ryan' comment above makes me feel like I've just been told off by a very strict teacher.
So now I will sit down shut-up and do as I'm told.
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I can barely believe that I actually completed the ridiculous process of 'registering' before I was able to leave my comments. Anyway I've done it now.
Where do I start?
Adrian Chiles is quite simply an oaf. His laddish, 'i don't care, any old hairstyle/jumper/carrier bag for a briefcase attitude will do is just so boring.
Quite who ever thought that he would make a good front man for any television programme is a mystery to me. The way he rushes every single guest milliseconds after asking them a question with that constant "yeah, yeah, yeah, mmm, mmm, mmm" is excruciating. If there is not the time to hear the answer why ask the flaming question, It's pointless.
Christine, bless her, is at best harmless.
Carol Thatcher, while I think that her privately stated views and comments should remain just that is quite frankly mad (and not in an endearing way either) and simply adds to the generally surreal and bonkers makeup of the programme. It just convinces me more than ever that the BBC, like all large companies is now run by people who are too young, too inexperienced in real life, too caught up in their own agendas and have no idea fo what the majority of licence fee payers really want. Get The One Show off the air please. Thank god the cricket from the West Indies is on Sky when I get home from work.
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Please can you sack Adrian for no other reason than he is miserable. Also Christine should go to as she seems to smile too much, and Giles, I am sure he has referred to someone as a 'WAG' once - that is soooo offensive.
Now all of you grow up and make friends - and dear BBC - if you are going to maintain the sacking of Carol, at least get rid of Jonathan Ross for a more heinous offence.
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oooh forgot to mention ... does anyone know the rules about compulsory purchase orders .. maybe you'd want to pass it on to Alistair.
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My 6 year old grand-daughter has about 20 dolls which she loves in her way and enjoys playing with. They come in all shapes and colours, some have orange hair, yellow hair, white hair, frizzy hair, and some have long noses, some have big lips (a certain brand name comes to mind) and some have big heads. Would any of these dolls appear offensive to people who share these characteristics?
If so, will the shops be taking them off the shelves?
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I, my wife and 10yr old son have been a one show fans for long time Adrian and Christine have a great chemistry and it has been a real pleasure watching the show,every nigh,t but we will no longer watch it, Because of the outrageous way bbc have treated Carol Thatcher, her reports have been really entertainting and shows she is down to earth and, Golliwogs were and still are an icon they have been great toys and on jars of marmalade for years and years. then some fool decides they are offensive, they are of history, iam shocked that Adrian objected to her private conversation as he seems as entertaining
and down to earth person now sadly it seems im wrong about him really surprised of his reaction he must remember golli wogs. i guess my comments will be ignored
The beeb can air J ross disgusting prank phone call at least the other person resigned, they suspend and still pay him £6 million a year, but sack someone for making a private remark the BBC is becoming a joke
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Lets hope our protests do work and that Ms Carol Thatcher will be reinstated forthwith and the production team give serious corsideraion to the chastizing of the overzealous individual who made such a fuss over a remark madre off air in a private place, which has been apologised for already.
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re post number 107 - has the poster considered how offensive it is to some to spell their name incorrectly ?
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What is wrong with the BBC and the rest of the world? Carol T was making a perfectly innocent comment in a private conversation and gets sacked for it. I grew up with a golliwog doll, my daughter had a 'brown coloured' doll and we are most definitely not racist. In fact my daughter always had coloured girls amonst her close friends while at school.
How can the BBC justify sacking Carol when the likes of Clarkson, Brand, Ross, Ramsy, etc, etc get away with offensive language, actions and comments?
Carol brings a breath of fresh air to the TV and is a pleasure to watch as she tours the country carrying out interviews.
Adrian is the one who should be sacked. Not because he may or may not be the one who snitched but because he cannot string a sentence together without 'er' and 'um' being repeatedly used. He is also infuriating as he asks a guest a question and then is seen busy reading his notes instead of listening to the guest's reply. Christine was marvellous on her own - give her the chance to shine without Adrian and his ineptitude.
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One rule for one, and rule for another. Jonathan Ross can make obscene calls on air to millions of people and only gets a slapped wrist, but Carol T gets the sack over a childish comment - because I think we're all agreed that nothing racist was meant. Thought police, political snobbery, political correctness gone mad, pettymindedness - that about sums up the hypocritical attitudes operating at the BBC
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I never though I would be writing in to support a Thatcher - but the way you have treated Carol Thatcher is disgusting. The BBC is riddled with discrimination - you are discriminating against those who will not be PC. You are creating a very divided and unfair society.
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Gollywog was and always will be a Jam and Marmalade spread , and anyone with a mass of curly hair like myself many years ago would be called by the name, please someone with a bit of sense allow old words backwithout comment ,
I admire Carol for refusing to apologise as she has done nothing wrong unlike Ross and his rude comments about an old mans Grandaughter
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Please reinstate CAROL THATCHER immediately. Shame on you 'The One Show'.
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In addition to my early blogs, numbered 80, 81 and 90:
Will Carol Thatcher or somebody please tell my why she / Carol Thatcher reportedly refused to apologise UNRESERVEDLY for what she said?
Which I believe gave the BBC extra ammunition
Peter Lewis - Sheffield
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What is it with the BBC and or The One Show. You are so 2 faced. You will allow Mr Ross to get away with all sorts of crudeness and swearing on air, which I find offensive, and yet if Carol T says something in private that Jo Brand and Adrian do not like then she must be sacked from the show. Moreover, inlike Mr Ross it is not just for 3 months. You can take it from me, I have now gone from watching the show every night (without fail) to turning over to the other side to avoid it. In fact I am getting to like the other side and stay there the rest of the evening. When you have decided to apologise to Carol, then perhaps I will watch again. Re-instate her and I will definately be back.
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Why was Alistair McGowan allowed to make his poltical view points on the One Show trough the discussion about protests?
It stink of favouritism. Disgraceful.
God Save Our Carol T.
God Save our Gollies.
Hope I dont offend god by using the phrase God? Please not.
Sign up to Carol Thatcher support Petition
http://www.petitiononline.com/1thatc8/petition.html
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I am absolutely apalled that Carol Thatcher has been dropped for something so trivial as that remark "Gollywog" when someone like Jo Brand is making a living for telling crude jokes, and the the likes of Johnathon Ross has been allowed to continue his arogant way across out screens, it so clear that Jo Brand didn't like her and at some point she was going to make her life hell, There should be some sort of enquirey into how this was handled and maybe some sort of method to allow sanity to prevail
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This matter of Carol Thatcher smacks of hypocricy. It is one law for the JR rich and the rest can go to Dante's Inferno. I wonder if the BBC presenters and staff are just a little bit on the Diva pills. By the way, how can I get a reduction on my £ 139.50 tax for the BBC's Licence?
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This attitude of the BBC with regards to Carol T is the sort of thing that drives people into the arms of the BNP
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I was suprised to see that there was not mention of the Golly incident on the One Show home page. Nor a Carol Thatcher thread on the blogg.
Unfortunately the One Show has revealed an ugly side of itself which is contrary to the image it portrays. I was niave enough to be fooled by the friendly veneer and will be more sceptical in future.
Its interesting that the BBC have introduced this one strike and you are out policy. On QI the other day somone referred to the Queen in a derogotory manner which I found offensive. Where do I write to get them suspended.
Good luck to Carol, I have always found her warm, friendly and amusing. There should perhaps be an over 50's chanel where we can talk about gollies without shame and suspicion.
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This obsession with correctness is getting out of hand. Jay Hunt would do well to concentrate on wider program quality issues and stop waving the PC banner. Carol Thatcher knows perfectly well not to use certain expressions on air and didn't do so. Perhaps the same punishment as foul mouthed Mr. Ross might be in order. Three months off before full reinstatement.
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Oh dear, another massive, stupid own-goal and misjugement by 'our' BBC...
I doubt we'll ever be told who the nasty troublemaking, word-twisting sneak was, but One Show has certainly lost many thousands of friends - all for the sake of a misplaced and obsessive PC-mania...
It seems to me that the BBC's definition of 'diversity' is dictated by its own definition of what is acceptable...
Here's news, guys; there are views in the country that differ from yours - and it is offensive to many of US that YOU seek to impose your 'version' of 'acceptability' on us - especially when WE pay YOUR salaries....
Go on, I dare you - just think about it; WE pay YOU.... and yet YOU tell US what is acceptable. Now that's not right, is it..?
No it's not; sacking CT just stinks...
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God is unoffendable.
Carol Thatcher is indefensible
Peter Lewis – Shefield
See also my other contributions at 126, 90, 81 and 80
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Protests! Yes, I protest at the treatment of Carol Thatcher. She has nothing more than a minor discourtesy, issued in a place traditionally private. Some trouble making sneak revealed it and she got the sack. Who revealed it? Ross was horribly offensive, his and Brand's rudeness was perverted and it was done for all the world to see and he got 3 months suspension. What's going on at the BBC? Very little modern humour raises even the trace of a smile. Want a laugh? you'll need to go back to re-runs of 20 years standing. Want to enjoy some TV in mixed company while retaining a modicum of self respect and lack of embarrassment? - Almost impossible. Is protest going change anything? Not unless top management go and some brains and morals are imported. Rant? yes this is - I never used to be like this but I was brought up in the days when the BBC was the best. I suppose everything has its ups and downs. Let's pray for an up - it'll be a long climb, but the good stuff that's still put out by the BBC proves the talents still there. Reveal it and sack the Green Room Sneak.
astoundingrebmem
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YET ANOTHER LOUD FILTHLY MOUTHED BRAND...
IS THIS THE KETTLE CALLING THE POT " BLACK " OOOPS
GET CAROL BACK AND BAN ALL JO BRANDS FUTURE TIME ON TV NOW
DISGRACEFULL BBC
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does the person who wrote comment 35 work for the BBC and was in the green room at the time if not they should not act as if they know what really happened, or is it the BBC in pretending to be a viewer'
BRING BACK CAROL THATCHER AND DOWN WITH ALL SNITCHES
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Protest? I protest at the overpaid presenters like Adrian Childs. Anyone outside of BBC think he is worth £2M? The BBC used to be brilliant before the lefties took over. Sacking Carol Thatcher smacks of having a go at Lady Thatcher. Nulab is taking us all down with them. There will be trouble when the s**t really hits the fan. This is when Hunt, Childs etc will find out what is important to the majority. The use of the word golliwog will be fairly near the bottom of our priorities!! The PC brigade are a set of loonies. The only thing that cheers me up is knowing that quite soon there will be nothing in the shops they can spend their ridiculous salaries on!! I will never watch The One Show again whilst Childs is on.
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I totally agree with cleverdancingsusie.
Jo Brand showed great dislike for Carol Thatcher. I am sorry about her sacking
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I feel so strongly about the treatment of Carol Thatcher that I just had to write in and complain which is what everyone else seems to be doing.
Watching the episode where Jo Brand was on with( I used to like J.B but not any more) you could tell by the body language what she thought of C.T, this country and the BBC have gone politically correct mad, just to say its not that I am a Maggie Thatcher fan far from it, that I defend C.T., just sorry that whatever I say I still have to pay the license fee for the BBC to pay presenters like Adrian Childs.
I will not be watching the one show anymore, especially after last nights show as well, why are we paying people like Alister McGowan to put the case for the green peace lobby, protesters do not care about the disruption to ordinary people trying to go about their day to day lives, and the cost we have to pay for the policing of the protests, why was there no one on the show to put this side of the protests, this shows what the One Show is for the minority of people with just ONE OPINION theirs.
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What on earth is offensive about a golliwog. Its a childs toy for gods sake. People everywhere are called silly names but nobody takes offence if the context is just a light hearted aside and even more so if said in private. The BBC has gone quite mad with its left liberal PC nonsense and we for one will not be watching any more of that nasty little sneak Chiles or the smirking Bleakly. He makes me ashamed to be an honest down to earth brummie Back to Emmerdale then for us. Its bad but not as bad as the One Show now is
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I think that the BBC has lost the plot. Who ever was offended needs to think again. Can we not call Australians Aussies, Irish people Paddy? Golliwogs used to be a term of affection. Most people that had a g******g loved it. Howelse can you describe a Black doll or a frizzy hair style? Give us another name to use BBC, but it will still be a Golliwog.
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I wonder if the Exec Producer of the One Show and her team reads this Blog and the others comets added tovarious other One Show blogs by ordinary people over the last 24 hours ?
I wonder if it will make any difference that the majority of bloggers appear to have registered a profound dislike for Adrian and his challenged his ability as a presenter ? How much will this hurt him and his career ? What credibility will he and Jo Brand have in the future ?
The majority of views appear to suggest the BBC have got it wrong (again). If nothing else the decision to sack Carol smacks more of political correctness and rash judgement.
Did the Exec producer really consider the implications of her actions ? It would appear not.
Whatever the right and wrongs of the conversation in the green room - private or public - jest or raceist comment, the consequences are much greater than perhaps the BBC realised. In light of how the BBC eventually dealt with J Ross, suspending him for three months after a period of "sober" investigation, Carol summary dismissal smacks more of score settling by the BBC (Because of who Carol's mother is) rather than the just and appropriate response to an inappropriate and potentially offensive comment.
I would be careful not use the G word in company, in my place of work, or where I thought it may cause offence (even if I had not intended it to do). I am aware that some people find some words or opinions offensive so I am careful not to say them.
Certainly Carol did get it wrong given the audience around her she should have used more discretion ... (clearly during the programme Ms Brand was quite hostile towards Carol): but does the punishment fit the crime... no - not if the bench mark is the offensive things said by J Ross which were heard heard by many more people than the twelve in the Green Room after the One Show !
I find it hard to believe that people who only heard what Carol said second hand can be DEEPLY OFFENDED unless of course they are looking for a reason to be offended . It is not what Carol said that they were DEEPLY OFFENDED by, but may I suggest, who Carol is !
In which case the BBC's claim about diversity is utter tosh - diversity is also about respecting another person even if you do not agree with their opinions, idealogies, beliefs and viewpoint (or their mother's ). Diversity is about being open minded - open minded to appreciate the difference between what a former Prime Minsiter did and who the person of her daughter is.
Many people the blog have suggested that they will be voting with their remotes and switching over at 7.00pm when the One Show starts ... will this protest have any effect on the decsion- will the BBC reinstate Carol Thatcher ? (I doubt it).
I wonder whether we will have a comment from the presenters on the show tonight ? (I doubt it )
There are more comments on the One Show's Blogs about Carol than any other subject - can the BBC, the One Show and Carol Thatcher find a way out of all this ?
(I doubt it)
You can however protest further by adding your name to this petition
http://www.petitiononline.com/1thatc8/petition.html
I would like to think I have a voice ... it is one thing to let me have my say - it is something else to hear what I am saying !
Come on One Show sort this mess out soon before you get voted off the Air !!
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How can the BBC possibly censure Carol Thatcher for a remark said in jest in private. What is offensive about golliwogs anyway. If I were a golliwog I'd jolly well sue the BBC. At this rate everybody will be withholding their licence fee in protest. If anyone is offensive it is Ross and he is allowed to keep his job. What a mad topsy turvy world the BBC now inhabits. They seem to have lost touch with common sense, decency and British tradition.
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I really think that the BBC has shot itself in the foot over the Carole Thatcher incident. The lady who represented the BBC's actions on this morning's Today Programme can count herself lucky that Humphries was not 'on duty'. To compare CT's use off air,of a word whch is in my dictionary to the diatribe of abuse used by Ross and Brand, on air and including words which are not in my dictionary is absurd. If she thinks that the comparitive apologies are relevant, then she is grossly mistaken.
The net result is to deprive The One Show of one of its few quality presenters.
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Back to the plot….
“Can protests make a difference”
Methinks Carol Thatcher’s protests will make a big difference for her in future and on the evidence presented in the media, rightly so I think.
See my previous blogs – 135, 126, 90, 81 and 80
Peter Lewis - Sheffield
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I love the One Show but I am totally shocked that Adrian was so shocked by Carol using the word Golliwog that it has caused such a furore and the sacking of Carol. I think it stinks and I feel I can no longer watch the show it leaves such a bad taste. I have a Golliwog so I don't suppose Adrian will want me as a viewer.
We are taking political correctness to an extreme now.
Enjoyed watching you Adrian but it is bye bye.
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Bring back Carol or you have lost two more viewers. It is a pity Adrian is so politically correct. He had better give up his job.
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Again sticking to the topic of this blog, namely “Can protests make a difference”:
The protests of the Carol Thatcher fans here, some of whom have threatened not to watch the One Show in future (but will they stick to their threats?) will not make a ha’peth of difference to those who run, present and appear on the show.
Peter Lewis - Sheffield
Previous “Can protests make a difference” blog contributions 148, 135, 126, 90, 81 and 80
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Protest. I would like to protest against the treatment of Carole Thatcher for a silly and private remark. I would like to Protest about the person who felt it necessary to "tell tales" and wonder if he/she can be sure they have never cause offence. I would like to Protest about the double standards of the BBC. Jonathan Ross and the crude and offensive remarks in many programmes which are consider to be acceptable, against this action for a careless unbroadcasted remark. Do I also now have to stop watching The One Show along with J Ross.
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Like the vast majority of people who have left comments, I too would like to protest about the treatment of Carol Thatcher by the BBC. I will not be watching the show again as I feel she was treated appallingly badly. The BBC really showed their true colours in this affair and it wouls appear are completely alienated from the ordinary man in the street.
Adrian Chiles had already gone down in my estimation after his unpleasant remarks about atheists in one of this weeks shows, and now this latest debacle merely confirms me in my determination not to waste time on this petty little show. I shall watch developments with interest to see if all our protests make a fig of difference - but I'm not holding my breath!
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What is the BBC playing at? Its' treatment of the Carol Thatcher incident is beyond sensible understanding, particularly when juxtaposed with the Jonathan Ross episode. Does the BBC not understand that the foul language and sexual innuendo broadcast by Ross and others, dare I say Jo Brand et al is much more offensive to public taste!
TTtoymaker.
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You can always tell a brummie. But you can't tell him much!
If anybody should be sacked it is Adrian Chiles.
His television style leaves a lot to be desired.
He seems rather short sighted and clearly struggles to read the autocue. Frowning, and at times even leaning forward to get a better view. This means he is unable to make eye contact with his co-presenter or other guests leaving the viewer with a feeling of insincerity on his part.
He even has trouble with his fluidity when reading the autocue. Unnatural phrase breaks which don't coincide with ends of sentences further exacerbating feelings of insincerity in the viewer.
'A great face for radio', as they say.
I would like to add a voice of support for Carol Thatcher. She should not have been removed from the programme.
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Why ban Carol T. for a private conversation, when J.Ross and R.Brand can get away saying and doing the things they do live on air. But when given a second chance tke it for granted!
Carol is a nice, friendly, jolly person and should put down for saying something in private!
IT'S NOT RIGHT !!!!!!!
BRING CAROL BACK !!!!!!
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I will not watch the one show again since they sacked Carol Thatcher. You are biased and afraid of your jobs, hence the dirty trick played on Carol.
I hope your programme becomes a flop, and to be honest it really is crap!
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I am disappointed by the BBC's treatment of Carol Thatcher. If anything, she is guilty of misjudgement insofar as the tennis player in question does not actually resemble a gollywog.
However, the BBC has chosen to focus on the supposed 'racist' connotations of the incident and supposed 'offence' caused, thereby perpetuating the perception of a gollywog as a representation of racial division.
I doubt she would have been subject to the same treatment if she had compared a blonde white female tennis player to a barbie(tm) doll with potentially sexist connotations?
I implore the BBC to see sense and rescind this 'ban'.
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Protests to the BBC have no effect.
The BBC does not respond to the opinions of the decent people of Britain as can be seen by the awful people they employ i.e. Ross, Bland, Chiles, Clarkson, Skinner and many others.
The BBC needs to be disbanded.
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Where is the bit about Carol Thatcher? Has she been whitewashed out? We don't like what she said, therefore, she doesn't exist. But Wossie and Clarkson? They are important to us, so we have to do what is best for the BBC. Can we fall any lower?
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I have never gone in for protesting. Now I am doing it for the second time in one night. The Green Room, home to the luvvies and the BBC chosen, serves booze. Because of this, things said, "in the good old days" remained in the Green Room. The new breed, halting , stumbling, grumbling, close to inarticulate, suddenly find a reason for being. Poor Carol Thatcher, it must have looked as if she was facing the blades of a combined harvester.
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Clearly protest doesn't work if it is directed against the BBC through these posts.
The royal brat Harry for using the 'Paki' word gets a smack on the hand and is sent on some Army equality course at the tax-payers expense.
Carol Thatcher gets fired by the BBC for using the word Golliwog.
I don't see any equality here. So I can protest as much as I like but the BBC is in the hands of the PC brigade and as such is self-serving. The majority are therefore disenfranchised.
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