Another BBC joke that fell flat
We read:
"The bizarre exchange took place during a newspaper review which was broadcast at the end of the ten o'clock bulletin on the BBC News 24 channel. Chris Eakin, a BBC presenter, was commenting on a story about a chimpanzee at the Furuvik Zoo in Sweden who collected stones to throw at visitors.
Eakin then asked viewers: "Can you see any likeness?" before handing back to veteran newsreader George Alagiah. The respected presenter of the BBC's News at Six initially looked a little surprised before attempting to laugh off the comment. Alagiah, 53, who was born in Sri Lanka, changed the topic quickly and continued with the rest of the programme...
However, in the wake of the Carol Thatcher race row, and the comments made by Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand to the actor Andrew Sachs on a Radio 2 broadcast, the corporation has been quick to issue an apology.
Source
Interesting that regular BBC empoyees are quickly forgiven for slurs and abuse uttered on TV but outsiders like Carol Thatcher cannot be forgiven even for things said in private
4 comments:
It's kind of hard to keep caring about how crazy they are across the pond.
It's Britain. Who cares!
Surely the question is - 'do you see any likeness to what or whom?'
I didn't see the clip but I would have assumed he was talking about between the chimp and himself.
This surely must be nothing more than self-deprecating. If, however, he was suggesting a likeness between the chimp and Alagiah - then race MAY be an issue (and no doubt plenty will assume that it was what was intended).
3:53 - people in glass houses ... !
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