Tuesday, June 05, 2012



'Bigger. Fatter. Gypsier' advertising campaign used by British TV Channel  for its wedding series to be investigated for 'racism'



We read:
"The Advertising Standards Authority is to formally investigate Channel 4's advertising for Big Fat Gypsy Weddings, after the Irish Traveller community successfully appealed the regulator's original decision.

Adverts used to promote the show have been criticised for using the words: 'Bigger. Fatter. Gypsier' in large letters across images of travellers, including one of young children.

The London Travellers' Unit and two members of the London Assembly have likened the word 'gypsier' to other terms deemed racist and abusive.

In March the ASA dismissed more than 370 complaints against the campaign, but decided that an investigation was unnecessary as Channel 4's TV and billboard ads were not likely to cause widespread offence.

But now the ASA has made an embarrassing climb down and admitted its decision not to review the complaints was 'flawed.'

The green light for the investigation to commence was given after a meeting between Lord Smith and independent reviewer Sir Hayden Phillips, a former senior civil servant.

The decision to investigate the series ,which has pulled in up to 8 million viewers, is damaging to the show's sponsor Honda and the car company admitted some viewers had rang them directly to lodge a complaint.

Source

If Gypsies think it is racism to call someone a Gypsy, that doesn't say much for their self-esteem, does it.  Do they themselves think being a Gypsy is discreditable?  If so, why criticize others who appear to think likewise?


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jon, you cannot apply logic to an emotional situation. This smacks of the "n-word" rules in the U.S. Unless you are sufficiently "black," you are not allowed to use the word in any context. "Black enough" people are, on the other hand, not only allowed to use the word, but expected to do so on a regular basis to prove how "black" they really are!

stinky said...

So "fat" is bad now? I thought it was beautiful, just differently enabled?

Man, it's almost like narcissists deliberately restrict themselves to soft, safe targets and try to keep them walking on eggshells or something.

Go Away Bird said...

I guess the opera still gose on becuase the FAT LADY lost her job to POLITICAL CORRECTNESS