To have gone right off Benedict Cumberbatch

[UsedToBeAPaxmanFan]

I read today that Benedict Cumberbatch has had to apologise after using the phrase "coloured actors". Coloured? Seriously?

He did apologise and said that he knew it was wrong, but the fact that it was in his head in the first place is what's so troubling. I am older than him and have always known that "coloured" is an offensive term. Yes, I am aware that it wasn't considered so until the late 60s, but it hasn't been acceptable in his lifetime.

What was he not thinking?

The man clearly meant no offence and has now apologised profusely. There's certainly not a huge story to be made out of this imo.

Well it's ypur choice to have "gone off him", but personally it's no big deal, he's apologised and I think some people are just looking for things to be seen as being ever so PC about.

Clearly I'm in a minority here then. However, it wasn't an acceptable term when he was growing up, so I don't know why he used it. As I said, I'm in my 40s and knew it wasn't acceptable when I was small.

I just think its highly ironic that he thinks he can speak about lack of opportunity/diversity in the acting profession whilst not having a clue about appropriate language.

And yes, I've gone off him, even though he apologised, because it was in his head in the first place.

Complete non-story. YABU OP

So people aren't allowed to be positive about diversity issues unless they are experts in PC terminology?

OP you sound like you are a fully paid up member of the perpetually outraged brigade.

OP YANBU. I agree with you. Extraordinary that the word 'coloured' was in his head to use, and speaks volumes about his mindset and attitude.

I don't think it's an inappropriate word to use. There are certain words which are offensive - the N and P words for example, but I think coloured is ok and he shouldn't need to apologise.

I think it's all about context. If he was saying I hate coloureds, then yes he should be pulled up for it.

I think people just like to get offended and like to appear whiter than white - look how non racist I am being disgusted by this!

People like that are as discriminatory as overt racists.

UsedtobePaxmanfan on what grounds can you say that it wasn't an acceptable term when BC was growing up?

I'm a bit older than him and I clearly remember the change from the use of the term black because it had become offensive, to coloured, which was the acceptable alternative.

Not long ago, some black (or coloured! ) people were starting to reclaim the term negro as their own.

As for using dual or mixed heritage - how on earth can you qualify using that unless you know the person's parents?

You need to get a grip. You must find life a real struggle if this is what you get worked up about

Testing/ means juli: I'm mixed race and I use 'mixed race' to describe myself and have for many years.

It's crass to insist on your right to use a word that people who the word applies to have said they find offensive.

My mums partner is black and she referred to a black person as coloured the other day, I pointed out to her that this was frowned upon and she was shocked!

He made a mistake and he apologised. He was talking on a US show, where they don't (I think?) tend to say black like we would in the UK and he got his terminology mixed up. That's allot seemed to me anyway.

Yabu and being all drama queen over this. He made a mistake and apologised. So I'm taking it that not a single offensive word or thought is somewhere in your mind.

Saw this on the news lady night and knew he would get crucified for it.
It was a slip of the tongue for which he apologised profusely - it hardly makes him a potential BNP member, just someone in the public eye making a mistake.
Incidentally, the baa baa black sheep thing isn't a myth all over the country, I trained as a nursery nurse in Rochdale in the mid '90's and they did try this - we had to sing rainbow sheep. It lasted about a week, confused the children and pissed off the parents no end. This was in a council run nursery in one if the most multicultural areas of the borough.

I have to say I was also very surprised that someone as well educated as BC would use the word 'coloured'.

FWIW [and a bit off topic] but I do feel there are too many of his ilk in the arts; white, upper middle class, privately educated.

I think it is just easier to give people like this a chance in the first place. They have usually been schooled at a top school... with access to high quality facilities for drama, either their parents or friends of parents are already in the dramatic field and are able to act as contacts, they have enough funds to afford to be a low paid jobbing actor at the outset...

The arts are becoming a more and more rarefied group - BC, Eddie Redmayne, Keira Knightley, Dominic West, etc, etc.

No wonder some of them might not be that understanding of the issues faced by others outside the 'magic circle'. Not that I think BC was malicious in what he said, but he does seem very ignorant.

Yabu.

He was speaking about equality, and used the wrong word - words that do change, and become the non-PC term quite quickly.

I'd understand if he was speaking negatively about diversity.

We always did feel that coloured was acceptable (it possibly was at the time). I'm 45. Offensive terms were clearly wrong and I'm sure people can think of the sort of terms I mean. I think it is wrong for totally unracist people (if there is such a term!) such as myself, who thinks people's skin colour is as irrelevant as their hobbies, to be tripped up by their own words and what is deemed to be acceptable that decade when no malicious intent was meant. When describing someone now, I'm on safe territory if the person was white, but if they aren't I don't know what's derogatory. My daughter studied a poem at school recently called half-caste. I think it was written by a man who was half Afro Caribbean and half white British. Apparently that term was acceptable!

Not that I think BC was malicious in what he said, but he does seem very ignorant.

Which actually demonstrates his point very well!

It was a poor choice of language.

However, when you consider what he was talking about at the time and the issues he raised it seems silly to jump on him over this.

You going off him is really going to teach him a big old lesson isn't it OP . Might I respectfully suggest you get a grip and try to understand that we all have lots of things in our heads - lots and lots - some good, some bad, some cringeworthy etch etc. Just because they're there doesn't make us the sum total of any one nugget of stuff. He made a mistake and apologised. That should be the end of it but you carry on your one woman crusade if it makes you feel all lovely and superior.

Yeah I've gone off him too a bit. Ignorant, elitist, privileged behaviour. Shame.

I have never liked the term mixed race because I don't understand who it applies to.

My friend with a Japanese mum and a white dad is apparently not included. Nor is my friend who has a white dad and a Mum from India, especially as she is quite pale, married to a Swede and has very fair kids.

And it is true that the word "black" had to be carefully controlled in the 70's. Chalkboard NOT blackboard was the acceptable term.

What point invisible?