BBC apologizes for anti-Pinay comedy sketch

[beth18]

BBC apologizes for anti-Pinay comedy sketch



abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/16/2008 2:13 AM


The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has issued an apology for airing a comedy sketch that portrayed a Filipino woman in a very demeaning manner.

“Firstly, we're sorry if you were in any way offended by the program as this wasn't our intention,” the BBC’s Complaints Division stated.

The complaints division of the network described 'Harry & Paul' as a “post-watershed comedy sketch show well-known for its exaggerated humour and absurd characters.”

“It in no way represents real people and was never intended to offend or demean any viewer,” it added.

An official complaint was emailed to the network following the airing of the show on September 26. The show outraged many Filipinos, women’s groups and even lawmakers prompting the Philippine government to direct the foreign affairs department to act on the issue.

“We recognize that you were personally offended by the sketch and would like to assure you that your complaint has been registered on our audience log,” the complaints division stated.

It said that audience feedback also reaches BBC’s executive board, channel controllers, senior managers and staff.

The letter explained that the offending sketch is from a series known as “Northern Monkey” which is “featured strongly in both series of the program over the last two years.”

RP maid not relevant to comedy

In the show, Harry Enfield played Roger while Paul Whitehouse was his “pet” northerner named “Clive” whom he wanted to “breed”. The maid was given instructions to elicit response from Clive.

“The fact that the maid is from the Philippines isn't relevant to the comedy,” it stated.

The latest to add its voice to the mounting call for an apology from BBC was the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW).

“This appalling portrayal of Filipino women in television is deplorable and an insult to millions of women migrants around the world who are making valuable contributions to the progress of the countries they work for,” the NCRFW said.

Earlier this month, Batangas Rep. Hermilando Mandanas condemned the show.

He also said the Philippine embassy in London had already written to the United Kingdom's media regulatory agency as well as to the mayor of London, the secretary of state for women, and the television network to complain about the said show.

'Gutter humor'

Philippine Ambassador to the UK Edgardo Espiritu criticized the skit as "gutter humor." He said the show counters the advocacy of the British government to observe equality for all and respect for human rights.

Female lawmakers and other organizations followed suit in asking BBC to issue a public apology for presenting a racist, humiliating and disgusting depiction of a Filipina domestic worker.

Filipinos in the UK also condemned the show and mapped out protest actions including an online petition called “Dignity and Respect for the Filipino Worker Campaign”. -- Report from Danny Buenafe, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau chief

[andypaul]

I hope my letter to abs cbn and gma ensures that Phill TV gives Dignity and respect to those different to the mass phill population.

[Gavanddal]

Do you mean that the Philippines government should show more consideration for it's own population who continue to live in poverty?
If the population were able to earn a decent living at home without having to resort to working as domestic servants abroad then the whole global image of the Filipino worker would change.

[johncar54]

Good to see the people living in cloud cuckoo land are alive and well and I would have said stupid, but then I guess I would need to apologise to those who are 'mentally challenged'

[aromulus]

Good to see the people living in cloud cuckoo land are alive and well and I would have said stupid, but then I guess I would need to apologise to those who are 'mentally challenged'

I wonder what would happen if old tv shows like...:Erm:

"Love thy neighbour":omg:

and

"Bread":omg:

were transmitted again.....
:ARsurrender:

[amyburple]

It's good thing that they already apologize :xxgrinning--00xx3::xxgrinning--00xx3::xxgrinning--00xx3:

[PeterB]

Bring back Alf Garnett!

[KeithD]

Pathetic PC.....probably the reason that Spitting Image hasn't been brought back.....can't make fun of anyone can we....someone may find it funny? :doh

No apology required, just let the minority of plonkers with no sense of humour live their own miserable lives.

[aromulus]

Pathetic PC.....probably the reason that Spitting Image hasn't been brought back.....can't make fun of anyone can we....someone may find it funny? :doh

No apology required, just let the minority of plonkers with no sense of humour live their own miserable lives.


Political correctness.....:action-smiley-081:....:omg:

It makes a mockery of the so much vaunted

"Freedom of speech"......:doh

[cruisingkerry]

I ws reading something somewhere - think it was the sunday post (high brow reading) - that they can't show It ain't 'alf hot mum because it would be deemed not politically correct these days - whats gonna happen when no one is allowed to laugh at northerners any more?? will comedy just disappear??

[Mrs.JMajor]

All i can say is............welcome back Beth (alona) :):)

[IanB]

Thsi was nothing to do with political correctness. It would seem that some filipinos were offended by the sketch because they didn't realise that the joke is against the middle class families who mistreat maids (and who abuse poor loveable geordies).

[missmiles]

APOLOGY is NEEDED...

WHY...... well there are many forms on how to JOKE why they are pertaining to FILIPINA.. there are right time and places to joke especially on TELEVISION WORLDWIDE..

[eljean]

they could just really used the word maid but they used the "FILIPINA MAID" on it they are really specific on their jokes about "US" if they took that "FILIPINA" off their script and just used the "MAID" then there would be no COMPLAINTS regarding that matter:D

but then they apologize anyway, then they are forgiven:D

[johncar54]

they could just really used the word maid but they used the "FILIPINA MAID" on it they are really specific on their jokes about "US" if they took that "FILIPINA" off their script and just used the "MAID" then there would be no COMPLAINTS regarding that matter:D
D

If there are people who could complain about this joke, then no matter what they said, someone somewhere would have cause to complain. It was the 'northerners' who were the real butt of this joke (the maid was incidental and not important the person just had to female, she could have been from anywhere) so the only ones who had any cause to complain would have been northerner. I guess that the BBC has not apologised to them means they saw it as a joke.

[IanB]

The main character in the sketch is a geordie man who is humiliated every day by his "master". As far as I know no geordies have complained about this. Why? Because they realise that it is a satire about the way rich southern people in the UK treat foriegners. We know that geordies aren't stupid, so we laugh at the family who treat the geordie as stupid. Similarly, we know that filipina maids do not breed with geordies simply because their masters tell them to do it - we laugh at the situation because it is so ridiculous and because the "master" is being so horrible it makes him look like a monster and a bad person.

Nobody could possibly go away from the joke thinking that filipina maids are stupid, or that their masters make them have sex with geordies.

The joke is against middle class men and middle class families.

[KeithD]

Am I the only one here who thinks Filipina's are stupid? :Erm:


:ARsurrender: :xxparty-smiley-004:


TAXI..................!!!!! :transam-front-ramai

[andypaul]

Do you mean that the Philippines government should show more consideration for it's own population who continue to live in poverty?
If the population were able to earn a decent living at home without having to resort to working as domestic servants abroad then the whole global image of the Filipino worker would change.

It would be nice if they could deal with the major problems at home.
As the recession bites and more ofws come home they may realise there are bigger issues to deal with.


Thsi was nothing to do with political correctness. It would seem that some filipinos were offended by the sketch because they didn't realise that the joke is against the middle class families who mistreat maids (and who abuse poor loveable geordies).

Well put many of us have tried to explain that point. But it appears to be lost on many here.

Im glad my Wife saw it what it was for (maybe she has watched more western humor and understood what is going on)

Im sure harry Enfield and paul White house have both read and seen on the tv news of Maids exploited by families here and abroad.

Mocking those who bully the maids is what im in favour.

Will those upset be protesting about bigoted and racist views shown on Phill TV? Also did the Ambassdor also express strong views on how mentally handicapped people were protrayed or are there none in Phill who need representing?

[tomm]

I wonder what would happen if old tv shows like...:Erm:

"Love thy neighbour":omg:

and

"Bread":omg:

were transmitted again.....
:ARsurrender:

Or how about Benny Hill or Till Death Us Do Part (Alf Garnet). :D
Perhaps I should post a couple of Youtube links.... that will prompt some debate I'm sure. :rolleyes:

[KeithD]

I'm surprised we seen 'Mind Your Language' reshown a few months backs...must have caused riots around the world :rolleyes:

[Mrs.JMajor]

Am I the only one here who thinks Filipina's are stupid? :Erm:


:ARsurrender: :xxparty-smiley-004:


TAXI..................!!!!! :transam-front-ramai

:Erm::icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol:

[keithAngel]

My Honey sometimes says when we are going out she will change cause she doesn't want to look like my maid hehe so I started to call her Made in Philippines.

She is also not keen on us having a young female maid in the house even though i pointed out tongue in cheek that its such a waste of the maids bedroom that comes with the house,

Fred gave me a good idea in another thread on rice cookers i think, so i have suggested that i conduct daily maid interviews and they demo their proficiency she doesn't know whether to laugh or sulk may try it with cooks to lol ahh the joys of English Humour:icon_lol:

[KeithD]

English Maid....

http://www.southernstarsatlanta.com/characters/014.jpg

[keithAngel]

:icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol:

[vbkelly]

i heard somebody says that the pilipinas are over reacting of this issues

[eljean]

English Maid....

http://www.southernstarsatlanta.com/characters/014.jpg

:icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol:

[Mrs.JMajor]

:icon_lol::icon_lol: wow what a pretty English maid lolol

[KeithD]

The posh version comes shaved :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[maria_and_matt]

Am I the only one here who thinks Filipina's are stupid? :Erm:


:ARsurrender: :xxparty-smiley-004:


TAXI..................!!!!! :transam-front-ramai

:yikes: stupid????????

[KeithD]

:yikes: stupid????????
Case for the prosecution:
You want to come to the UK :cwm24:

....I rest my case :D

[PeterB]

She is also not keen on us having a young female maid in the house...

Not a problem here ... our maids are both 18 y/o. :BouncyHappy:

[maria_and_matt]

Case for the prosecution:
You want to come to the UK :cwm24:

....I rest my case :D

:icon_lol:indeed!

[walesrob]

I wonder what would happen if old tv shows like...:Erm:

"Love thy neighbour":omg:

and

"Bread":omg:

were transmitted again.....
:ARsurrender:

Talking of Mind Your Language....

I used to work as a tech op at a TV station in Malta, (we're talking early to mid 90's) we actually transmitted this rubbish, and I was surprised to learn it still has a big following - even one of the stars of the show did an endorsement for us. Incredible.

[nomorericepleas]

Thsi was nothing to do with political correctness. It would seem that some filipinos were offended by the sketch because they didn't realise that the joke is against the middle class families who mistreat maids (and who abuse poor loveable geordies).

yes i'm afraid you are correct. i landed myself in hot water with filipinos before now, cos they they get offended too easily if you say something fairly harmless, just a culture thing i guess, or simple misunderstanding of why it was said in the first place.

i got into trouble asking in a post, if a particular part of the philippines was safe to ride my bike alone without being kidnapped stabbed or robbed.:doh :icon_lol: i thought it was being sensible to ask about NPA activity or chance of nastyness happening. i got all kinds of upset reactions of how dare i suggest bad things would happen to me in that situation, and why do foreigners have the silly notion it is not safe in the philippines.

[nomorericepleas]

why hasnt someone complained that the sketch in question is demeaning to us northern blokes? tut tut.

[KeithD]

......how dare i suggest bad things would happen to me in that situation, and why do foreigners have the silly notion it is not safe in the philippines.
Dress like this and you'll be just fine.....as long as you stay in the trees :rolleyes:

http://www.kepi.cncplusplus.com/images/Archives/R001-021.jpg