Bye Bye Danny

[citoyen]

The aspect that amazes me is that Baker, and some other people in the media, seem to be saying that they didn't know, or had simply forgotten, that Meghan Markle is mixed race. This seems incredible to me

Tbh, I had forgotten she was mixed race but that’s merely a reflection of how little time I spend thinking about her.

But that’s also why I would never post a tweet about her, hence I’m unlikely to be caught out by it.

There was an apposite piece on David Sedaris’s thing on radio 4 this week. He told the story about how a woman at one of his shows goaded him with repeated questions about Donald Trump to which he initially responded with noncommittal answers until he eventually gave in and said something suitably outrageous. Turned out the woman was a CNN journalist and she posted his comments on Twitter, and the predictable shitstorm ensued. He explained that this kind of thing is one of the reasons he is not on social media. He was able to laugh it off and because he’s not on social media he was also able to ignore it. Danny Baker and other idiots who are caught out by their own carelessness should take note.

[bludger]

Yes, well, it would be difficult for the BBC to sack them, seeing as how they don’t work for the BBC.

wel that's handy because I never said they did

You highlighted how Danny Baker has been sacked yet other racists who work for different organisations* hadn’t lost their job. Which is a non sequitur.

If the editor of the Radio Times got sacked for printing pictures of naked women you’d probably be the one wondering why the editor of Razzle wasn’t sacked for doing the same.

*you refer to the Mail as the ‘Daily Heil’ - so you recognise that it is a racist institution, hence it should be no surprise that it will employ racists. The BBC is not a racist institution and that’s the significant difference, and why it’s therefore unacceptable for one of its presenters to make jokes with racial connotations. Try thinking it through a bit, eh?

[citoyen]

Not at all. To refer back to what you actually said:

My only gripe is that the media are selective when giving blatant racists the boot.

“The media” is not some homogenous entity with a single set of values. Hence it is nonsensical to complain about inconsistency between different media organisations.

[bludger]

Thanks for confirming that I never said Boris Johnson or rod liddle were or are employed by the BBC, we got there eventually.

[Wowbagger]

I find it remarkably inconsistent of the BBC to sack Danny Baker for racism but to continually give a platform to Nigel Farage.

[Jaded]

I find it remarkably inconsistent of the BBC to sack Danny Baker for racism but to continually give a platform to Nigel Farage.

It's 'Balance' you know!

[citoyen]

I find it remarkably inconsistent of the BBC to sack Danny Baker for racism but to continually give a platform to Nigel Farage.

It’s consistent with them being lily-livered appeasers though.

[citoyen]

Thanks for confirming that I never said Boris Johnson or rod liddle were or are employed by the BBC, we got there eventually.

Sorry for overestimating your intelligence and thinking you’d be able to understand the point I was actually making.

[bludger]

I'm intelligent enough to know that you're too emotionally invested in your bizarre misreading of my post and taking the side of a racist disgraced ex DJ to do the decent thing and fess up that you banged your fists on the keyboard without actually taking a minute first.

There is no point here. Just angry reactionary sentiment at the fact that racism is not OK anymore.

I wouldn't worry too much, he'll probably be on the Brexit party or UKIP payroll or doing the Fox News / Russia Today circuit braying outrage about political correctness gone mad innit before long so you can get your fix of the man.

[citoyen]

I'm intelligent enough to know that you're too emotionally invested in your bizarre misreading of my post and taking the side of a racist disgraced ex DJ to do the decent thing and fess up that you banged your fists on the keyboard without actually taking a minute first.

Amusing image but wrong on every point.

I haven’t taken Danny Baker’s side on this at any time. And I didn’t misread your post.

I wouldn't worry too much, he'll probably be on the Brexit party or UKIP payroll or doing the Fox News / Russia Today circuit braying outrage about political correctness gone mad innit before long so you can get your fix of the man.

Right. And you’re accusing me of misreading your posts.

Just calm down before you give yourself an aneurysm.

[Pingu]

I find it remarkably inconsistent of the BBC to sack Danny Baker for racism but to continually give a platform to Nigel Farage.

And pulling HIGNFY: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/may/10/heidi-allen-asks-bbc-why-did-you-pull-have-i-got-news-for-you

[rafletcher]

And you think he’s (DB) a “blatant racist”?  On what basis 

On the basis of it being my view that he's another nasty old man who thinks monkey jokes about black and mixed race people are acceptable.

If you actually think it was 'all an accident' I have a 300 foot long bridge to sell you.

Unsurprisingly his fellow Millwall FC fans (notorious for making ape noises at black and mixed race players) are all on his side. https://millwall-forum.vitalfootball.co.uk/threads/danny-baker-racist.35777/

Ah, on the basis you don’t like him. Well that’s alright then. Let’s hope you don’t have to be juror anytime soon.

[mattc]

I eagerly await Bludger's Nobel prize, for services to anti-racism in football and internet cycling forums.

(I haven't yet found any evidence of him doing anything to stop racism, but that shouldn't be an obstacle ... )

[Mr Larrington]

I find it remarkably inconsistent of the BBC to sack Danny Baker for racism but to continually give a platform to Nigel Farage.

And pulling HIGNFY: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/may/10/heidi-allen-asks-bbc-why-did-you-pull-have-i-got-news-for-you

If Heidi Allen thinks pulling HIGNFY was the wrong thing to do then it almost certainly wasn't.

[ian]

I like any stand against prejudice that seems entirely constructed out of other prejudices.

Personally, I'm still not sure who Danny Baker, so he might, in fact, hold a KKK membership card (gets you half price at Olive Garden on Wednesdays). But he says he isn't, so like the grand old Bishop of Occam, I'll take up the razor and go with man's own explanation that he was a bit of thoughtless dick.

Had I not read about the broken people trolling her online, I would have been unaware of her heritage. I stretched to vaguely knowing she was American. I spent an entire five minutes on Saturday trying, with the help of my wife, to figure out who the Countess of Wessex was. We got as far as her being one of the Not-Kate ones. I was once castigated strongly by two Swedish ladies for lack of knowledge about the British royals. I know, that's not the sort of sentence you expect to feature two Swedish ladies. I also once to bluff it Thailand, which didn't work out very well since my hosts turned out to know far than me about British royalty. I do the same with football, you know, when it's easier to just pretend you know something than offend your host with a blunt 'honestly, I couldn't give a shit.' Some, erm, excellent kicking. It never works.

Reminds me of the chapter in Jon Ronson's You've Been Shamed about the woman who makes sarcastic tweet before getting on a long haul flight, with what now should be predictable conclusions.

[madamemugwump]

https://news.sky.com/story/danny-baker-receives-standing-ovation-in-first-show-since-racist-tweet-11718814

That does not read to me as someone who is genuinely apologetic. I think that's a shame. He's had time time to reflect and put his post into a context wider than his own intentions.

And this is just dickheadery...

if anyone does want to the rush the stage, I'm a Millwall fan with a snooker cue

...and I feel sure there'll be Millwall fans that want to disassociate themselves from that remark.

[ian]

Well, if he didn't intend to be racist then I'm not really clear how many apologies for something he didn't do are required. Is there an international measure of supplication we can adopt?

[Croft]

I think trying to prove intent one way or another is both difficult and unreliable. As I understand it, the grounds on which he was sacked weren't on the basis he intended to be racist, but that he showed a lack of appropriate professional conduct by not considering the consequences of his actions.

Just like the speeding motorist who hits someone. You don't have to prove they are intending to hit someone to demonstrate that they were behaving inappropriately.

[Man in a tree]

I think trying to prove intent one way or another is both difficult and unreliable. As I understand it, the grounds on which he was sacked weren't on the basis he intended to be racist, but that he showed a lack of appropriate professional conduct by not considering the consequences of his actions.

Just like the speeding motorist who hits someone. You don't have to prove they are intending to hit someone to demonstrate that they were behaving inappropriately.

A good point, well made.

[mattc]

https://news.sky.com/story/danny-baker-receives-standing-ovation-in-first-show-since-racist-tweet-11718814

That does not read to me as someone who is genuinely apologetic. I think that's a shame. He's had time time to reflect and put his post into a context wider than his own intentions.

Why on earth SHOULD he have apologised during that show?? Was that what people bought tickets to see (mostly weeks/months before, I would guess)?

Would the Royals concerned benefit from such behaviour? Were they there?

Do YOU apologise to everyone you meet for a week after upsetting someone?? 

Is there an international measure of supplication we can adopt?

You really don't learn, do you ian? The answer is N+1!

i.e. you should always apologise just slightly more contritely than you actually did - THEN you may achieve forgiveness from your more enlightened critics, my son.

[madamemugwump]

I didn't say he should apologise. He's already done that, that's the point. I did say he doesn't sound very apologetic. As if his apology counts for nothing.

Edit: actually, it seems that I am mistaken about Baker being apologetic. This report in the Independant paints a different picture....

https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/danny-baker-tweet-tour-live-show-ovation-twitter-photo-royal-baby-sacked-bbc/

He described his tweet as “revolting” and “misjudged” but again denied being racist.

*takes note to be more skeptical of SkyNews coverage*

[pumpkin]

Publicity gained/tickets sold
That's entertainment.