The Blogospheres on Big Brother, Shilpa Shetty, Bullying and Racism

shilpa_big_brother.jpgThe racism allegations surrounding a popular reality television show in the UK – Big Brother appears to occupy a lot of real estate in the blogosphere. Big Brother airs on Channel4, which is a public-service television station, broadcast in the United Kingdom Well, regardless of whether the remarks made in the Big Brother house were racist or not, they've got the Indian and the UK blogospheres talking about racism in all its contexts and people discussing their own experiences as Indians or Brits. The person seen as the victim is Shilpa Shetty, an Indian actor. A thriving discussion at Sepia Mutiny with all kinds of opinions being voiced about “Bigot Brother”. A very active discussion is on at Pickled Politics. From one of the comments

Fact is: there has been racism on television. The Asian community (for once) united to condemn it.
Give me hysteria over apathy any day.

Bloggers are discussing if it's racism or just plain bullying. While many bloggers had in half-seriousness asked why this actor was choosing to appear on this show in the first place, the discussions now are mostly about Channel 4's take on the issue, and the behaviour of the housemates towards Shilpa Shetty.

On the allegations of racism.While they’re definitely being ignorant, stupid and mean, the fact that the person on the receiving end of all this is brown adds a racial undertone to the entire thing. As someone on the news said today ‘If they were making fun of a French girl’s accent they wouldn’t call that racist would they?’

Bollywood Press on the amount of press Shilpa Shetty is getting. Classically Liberal remarks that the Indian Government appears to have no other important issues to take care of. Broadcastallense has some views on the show which has sparked protests from people who have never seen it.

At the end of the day, it's unlikely Channel Four will do much about the whole thing other than make a few cliched ‘statements’. They've got exactly what they wanted.

Bock the Robber has a take on the supposed class clash at the Big Brother house. Some others approach with a certain caution and even a little cynicism.

Being a victim of racism is turning out to be a win-win situation for Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty. No publicity is bad publicity. Who would have thought that a story on UK's Celebrity Big Brother would hog headlines even in international media.

Guy Fawkes’ Blog on Gordon Brown's response. Theadagetimes remarks on how Gordon Brown's visit to India has been shadowed by the controversy and how Channel4 seems to have benefited from the increased viewership.

In large sections of the media, Brown’s comments on Shetty were given more prominence than his speech on globalisation and economic issues in Bangalore on Wednesday.

Diretribe reminds us that one can only expect so much from reality television. Paperghost.com remarks how people assume that racism can be excused as ignorance or stupidity.

People are trying to excuse these comments on the grounds that they display stupidity and a lack of education, rather than some form of actual racism. Oh well, that's alright then. Let's tolerate racist remarks on the basis that they're coming from idiots as opposed intelligent racists!

And while Channel4 definitely seems to have increased viewership, some bloggers are urging others not to encourage the show by switching the telly off.

I am no longer going to watch Celebrity Big Brother, or its spin-offs, or Channel 4, or its subsidiaries. I urge you not to watch the shows and not to vote for contestants of Celebrity Big Brother, because if you do you’re supporting a policy of tolerance for stupidity, bullying, and, at the least, inadvertent racism.

L'Amour et le crâne wonders why racism is being excused under the garb of silly-girl-bitching. Rationally Speaking on racism and violent anti-racism as witnessed by the protests in India.

A whopping 19,300 viewers have filed complains with the broadcaster, which means that way too many people have too much time on their hands, or simply have their priorities a bit off, considering everything else that is happening in the world (including in India itself, of course).

World of India! comments on how Indians are racist themselves. Sonia Faleiro does a piece on the celebs at the Big Brother.

And Thought Experiments sums it up thus

The Big Brother Racism story reveals another terrible truth about our world – it can no longer be satirised. The simple facts of the case are so wildly implausible, so deliriously stupid, that satirists can only stand back in awe and admiration. Some very coarse individuals on a TV game show that involves being imprisoned inside a house express, in terms of laughable ignorance, a degree of racial prejudice against another inmate. Professionally outraged people become professional outraged and Gordon Brown's visit to India is turned into a ludicrous pantomime in which people burn effigies of somebody or other connected with Big Brother, newspaper headlines crow about the racism of the British and Brown himself has to keep grinding out the platitudes about what a terrible thing racism is – yadda-yadda-yadda.


Desicritics.org
remarks that while the intent maybe to bully, its form takes a racist colour.

The issue isn't just that Shetty is being subjected to intimidation – that much is obvious. The issue at stake here is that for whatever reasons that might have caused the coven to develop a dislike for Shilpa, they are choosing to act on that by picking on things that are blatantly racist. To refuse to identify her by her name, to generalise about Indians as a whole on the basis of their interactions with her, to tell her to “f*****g go back home”, and to “go back to the slums” is nothing if not racist. The motivations behind making those statements may or may not be racist – that is not what I question at this point. However, the manner in which the feelings of the coven are verbalised is definitely racist, and as a consequence totally unacceptable.

39 comments

  • Sri

    I totally agree with Ms.Neha. This issue of racism has come into the limelight because it has happened with one of our celebreties. We as Asians have to undergo this kind of experience most of the time once we are in a different country. This ‘Big Brother’ programme seems to dig into the real personalities of people. It would be very helpful if people around us stop behaving the way they want. As intelligent beings, we need to understand each others feelings and try to be more respectful to one another. It is absolutely a normal tendency for a person to think ‘I am not you, so I do not care.’ This kind of attitude triggers embarrasing situations to the parties in question. Will this issue at least enlighten some of us and help to create a better world.
    The point to be realised over here is not about racism but to be in ‘Someone else’s shoes and be more understanding’ and create a better world at least for our next generation. Why not think a bit more deep and come out of superficial tendencies?

  • 21st century loser

    most people in uk hold these views and show little inclination of the hurt they can cause. The uk will be hosting the 2012 olympics and this is a fitting global platform to raise this subject amongst the commonwealth nations. The issue is to expose the unpalatable reality which reality TV has exposed. See you soon.

  • sri well said there,but again i think racism is not related to education….or how smart you are… it is a pride that you have and believe it like your religion. but i believe the inner good in one and have faith on humanity and hope thins reality show helped some to look at the big picture in the future of humanity.

  • angela smith

    I feel major concerns about responsibility in a TV company with public funding have been raised. Ethnic characteristics such as accent and colour (“she wants to be white”) were used as weapons of attack. This may not fulfil legal criteria as racism but in terms of social interaction it is clearly racist. The so-called coven packed together to isolate and victimise Shilpa with a continuous barrage of nastiness. Of course, Shilpa could leave and is well paid and publicised for her ordeal; my concern is for the many, many young women who endure this kind of treatment without such balancing benefits. The refusal of the prodeucers and executives of Channel 4 to intervene is worse than spineless: it condones this kind of bullying and betrays its victims. Letting Jade Goody be a lone scapegoat is reprehensible, her cohorts are equally to blame and allowing those two to continue having the privilege of access to national exposure greenlights tiny-minded wannabes to indulge in vicious behaviour in emulation of these “stars”.The producers and executives who had the power to stop the bullying and chose not to, must be held to account.

  • 21st century loser

    Thankyou angela for your insight.I have emailed channel 4 about their support for the programme and its content. Your totally right in that Ms Goody has unwitting aired her views in public and had them broadcast. There is footage on Utube of Jack calling Ms Shetty a “paki” which was spun as another rant. It seems that channel 4 had chosen to air the confrontion between jade and shilpa as it would have a great pull with viewers. This was a purely commercial decision and thay will be judged accordlingly. It is with much regret that people and moreover young children have seen shilpa as woman with a funny accent. Carphone warehouse have withdrawn their contract precisely because of the fallout that is yet to come. It is an unpalatable fact that most english/white people will see this as a storm in a tea cup and brush it aside. Already this is happening as the media pursues the story to maximise the bottom line. Unfortunately for some of the madia, presenters, producers, managers,support teams, executives, advertisers and companies that have become associated with this preceived minor infringement have not learnt lessons from the likes of Reebok,Barclays de Zote Webb and others. I will not purchase products or services from companies or individuals that associate themselves with Ms Goody/Endemol and Channel 4 group. I would also urge customers not to purchase anything having Ms Goody’s picture on it or endorsement as this can indirectly provide oxegen to legitimizing their views. The more pressure that can be brought to bare internationally the greater effect it will have. India will have an increasing influential role on the geo/policalial scene as will other “developing” nations. This was highlighted by Mr Brown’s recent visit. Ultimately the same pressure that was applied to the south african regime will result in concentrating the minds of channel 4 and company. One only need ask any white africaans the reception they received abroad. I recall a very english phase from my childhood that seems to fit quite aptly – “calling a spade a spade” aswell as “just splitting hairs”.

  • […] 原文:The Blogospheres on Big Brother, Shilpa Shetty, Bullying and Racism作者:Neha Viswanathan翻译:abstract校对:Portnoy […]

  • […] Las Blogósferas sobre Big Brother, Shilpa Shetty, intimidación y racismo […]

  • indian-american

    The very fact that this “tempest in a teapot” has invoked such a global response shows that something real is going on. I, for one feel that commercial motivations notwithstanding, Channel 4 has done a service in airing some of the views/biases/prejudices/”ignorance” that many whites have of non-whites (I’ve lived in the US for 40 years and can testify to this – in the land of the free!) and that the world may be a slightly better place as a result.

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  • anu

    the indian people are paranoid. the indian press is very unethical, unprincipled and crappy anyway. they don’t even understand what “racism” is. people generally classify their opponents whereever they are.
    i watched the whole series with shilpa. i don’t think that any of the things that were said were “racist”. the statements that the stupid indian press beleives or likes to market as “racist” were more of a demonstration of frustration in the minds of their respectice speakers. older white caucasians tend to be stupid and somewhat racist. but what the heck. they are stupid. not to forget the fact that they don’t realise how unfortunate they are themself being unable to go out in sun without getting skin cancer, and being from a culture/background where trust and respect in relationships rarely exists. look at the divorce and sexual cheating rate there. i think we should also make some “group/category” jokes for white-caucasians. not that i am racist, but “the american” and “the british” are generally stupid, undereducated and ignorant people. why not make fun of people who we can actually laugh at and have an actual reason to laugh at them.
    for all we know, that girl’s mom was probably doing her boyfriend. not that its a bad thing (for the mom). hehe. the fat and stupid jade goody apparantly doesnt realise that fat content of all the crap she eats all the time. its a tendency of stupid people to cuss and say crap or get into fights instead of saying something that makes some sense and has some logic behind it.

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