Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that saying Idris Elba isn't suitable to play Bond because he's 'too street'...

311 replies

BinarySearchTree · 20/09/2017 22:44

... is actually a racist comment, which - however 'jokingly' said - is absolutely not an appropriate thing to say in an office environment?

I'm on week two of a new position and between this kind of thing and other dodgy goings-on am debating whether to hand my notice in.

WIBU to mention my discomfort to line manager (who heard whole thing, laughed along etc.) or alternatively to just cut and run? Am I being a bit sensitive?

OP posts:
arethereanyleftatall · 20/09/2017 22:47

Yabu, too sensitive and a silly think by to hand notice in for.
I don't know who this person is, and I wouldn't know what race he is either if described as too street.

steff13 · 20/09/2017 22:47

I think it's racist. The author of the novels (Anthony Horowitz, but Ian Fleming) made the exact same comment two years ago.

arethereanyleftatall · 20/09/2017 22:49

Oooh just googled him. He's gorgeous. Am I allowed to say that?

austenozzy · 20/09/2017 22:50

Was it definitely his race, and not the fact he has a bit of an east end accent that made him 'street'? The way he says "haitch" repeatedly in that bloody sky ad should prevent him from being Bond, imo!

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 20/09/2017 22:51

It's a difficult one. I've read all the books and Bond is posh. He went to Eton. So from a purist point of view you could say that Idris Elba is not right for the role.
However, if "too street" really just means "too black" then it is racist. I would depend on context.
(I shall sit here and think happy Idris Elba thoughts)

HoneyIshrunktheBiscuit · 20/09/2017 22:51

Yes it's dog whistle racism.

wizzywig · 20/09/2017 22:52

If he changed his accent to a more posh one he would be perfect. Otherwise itd be like a guy ritchie gangster film

Original poster
BinarySearchTree · 20/09/2017 22:53

Well I asked the person what they meant by 'too street' and the person's friend/co-worker answered 'too gangster'. I sort of didn't really know what to say after that.

OP posts:
Alisvolatpropiis · 20/09/2017 22:53

Yanbu. Honestly, and this pains me, I think he will be too old to be Bond once Daniel overrated as fuck Craig buggers off but to say is "too street", might as well just come out and say "the man has too much melanin to be Bond".

arethereanyleftatall · 20/09/2017 22:54

See, if you said to me 'name someone street' I'd probably first think of Eminem or someone like that. It's not racist to me.

KimKatCourtney · 20/09/2017 22:54

As he is an actor I'm pretty sure he could do a posh accent and yes it is racist but not worth handing in your notice for

BroomstickOfLove · 20/09/2017 22:54

I don't see how it could be anything other than racist. If Sean Connery could play Bond, then Idris Elba's background can't rule him out.

LastGirlOnTheLeft · 20/09/2017 22:55

Binary....wise up!!

CalmanOnSpeeddial · 20/09/2017 22:55

Depends whether they followed it up with "whereas Colin Salmon would be spot on".

Idris does notably play on his working class Hackney roots in his public persona, so it's not necessarily indicative that the speaker is racist, but it might be code - you can't tell really.

Liadain · 20/09/2017 22:56

Street and gangster are common black stereotypes, aren't they? Yanbu. I think it's definitely a bit off to say that.

Tbh though I love Idris, but I agree that he may be too old for Bond when it's time for a change.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 20/09/2017 22:58

Alis
I agree about his age especially as DC is doing another one.

Mind you I thought DC was too blond to be Bond too.

Original poster
BinarySearchTree · 20/09/2017 23:00

LastGirl - what?

OP posts:
Alisvolatpropiis · 20/09/2017 23:01

Chaz

I too had issues with a blond Bond!

KoolKoala07 · 20/09/2017 23:05

I don't know but I bloody loved him in Luther.

MsJolly · 20/09/2017 23:07

I adore Idris-he is so handsome and I could just lick him all over Blush and I love his voice too...just love him really...sigh

So he could do anything and I would be happy

cluelessnewmum · 20/09/2017 23:07

It's not necessarily racist, there are white actors who you also might say that about (eg Jason Statham, only one that springs to mind!).

And black actors aren't necessarily equated with being street, eg chiwetel ejiofor is posh.

I don't know much about Idris Elba so I don't know if he is street or posh / can act posh.

Think you're looking for reasons to be offended. I would find you a difficult person to manage if this was your threshold for being taking offence.

illustratednews · 20/09/2017 23:08

I don't see Idris as James Bond but I don't think that Danny Dyer could be Bond either.

RaininSummer · 20/09/2017 23:09

I wouldn't have thought that too street meant black. I would thought kind of gangish, hooligan, street wise. The mode of speech would make sense too. Seems an odd reaction to want to resign.

Original poster
BinarySearchTree · 20/09/2017 23:14

Rain - I did mention that there have been a few events in the short time I've been there that I've thought have been a bit off. This is just the latest one, and it might feel more significant in the context of these accumulated goings-on. Hence the AIBU.

OP posts:
CalmanOnSpeeddial · 20/09/2017 23:17

I agree that Idris, though excellent in many many ways (just rewatched Pacific Rim in which he is awesome) is too old now - the Bond films take years to film and edit so if you cast him now and wanted him to do 3 films you'd want him to be in the saddle for ten years, by which time he'd be 55 - and that's before they offered Daniel Craig ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD to do another. I think a new Bond needs to be 25-35 at time of casting.