To think Stacey Dooley was right in her response to David Lammy

[CoolCarrie]

“ Africa doesn’t need white saviours” says Lammy commenting on pictures of Stacey Dooley on a comic relief trip. Why pick on her? Loads of celebrities over the years have gone to Africa to show how money is helping the poorest of the poor, and the huge difference it has made over the years.
What Africa does need is governments that are not corrupt and better leaders.

www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/david-lammy-refused-offer-to-make-comic-relief-film-in-africa-says-charity-amid-white-saviour-row-a4078966.html

I agree with her, why doesn't he go there and help

Lammy has explained that. He certainly doesn't want to be part of the Comic Relief PR machine, and nor should be have to be.

And tbh, comparing him to Lenny Henry is just proving his point about surface stereotyping.

I'd like to see see Lammy say this to Bob Geldof. He'd knock him out

As if!!! FFS ...

I dunno, I really see his point. Her pretty-pretty selfies of her holding a Ugandan child who isn’t even looking at the camera are cringe. And her response reminded me of David Brent on Comic Relief day.

I instinctively thought he was right too. But then I realised that it's not clear whether, under his version of this line of thought, it's okay for Lenny Henry to do the trip or pose for pictures. Kwame Kwei-Armah? Jameela Jamil? Chelsey Davy?

Is it skin colour or heritage or nationality that is the key factor?

I genuinely would not be sure if the correct answer to this if similar cropped up at work. It would be quite nice to get the "rules" completely straight.

Aeroflot I have already stated on this thread that he has explained why he didn't go and it supports his point about Dooley. Have you even read his reasons?

I am not comparing him to Lenny Henry, just that it was a black man that founded comic relief. What does Lammy do to help, it is very easy to criticise, but action speaks louder than words.

What a hypocrite, do as I say, not as I do.

Not really. He's quite rightly pointed out that he's not a film maker. It's not his job to go and do the charities and journalists jobs for them. He's allowed to criticise. He's an MP.

Comic relief never used to be like this yes celebs went heard stories saw terrible things but the likes of Lenny Henry Billy Connolly used to blend in and try and not intrude but in recent years it is all about the likes for the slebs and it is just highlighting the sleb culture imo.

Isen't it better for somebody to help, than nobody! Or should we just leave the people that need help to fend for themselves.

"My job as a politician is to raise the issue. The people of Africa do not need a British politician to make a film. I want African people to speak for themselves, not UK celebs acting as tour guides."

Lammys explanation. Note "I want African people to speak for themselves". THIS is the point.

The trouble with Lenny Henry and David Lammy is that I find it very difficult to tell them apart......

Comic relief never used to be like this yes celebs went heard stories saw terrible things but the likes of Lenny Henry Billy Connolly used to blend in and try and not intrude but in recent years it is all about the likes for the slebs and it is just highlighting the sleb culture imo.

Instagram culture hasn't helped. Nobody does anything unobtrusively any more. Unfortunately, that makes for particularly bad optics here.

Bertrand, while I understand what you did there, I fear many will be nodding in agreement.

Remember the Femi/Lammy-gate?

I'm not a Stacey Dooley fan at the best of times, and I don't think her response is her best time at all.

I agree with David Lammy.

Bertrand please, please tell me you're being very sarcastic and making a point...

I think he's right.

It's sickening to see all those Comic Relief (and other charities) films with slebs picking up babies and telling us how horrific it is, whilst surrounded by a camera crew, security and a catering crew

@downcasteyes

Thank you

I agree with David Lammy and I felt her response was childish and petulant. And it’s not just because she’s a female. Ed Sheeran got the same reaction for his awful film in Liberia when he offered to pay for a hotel for street children as did Tom Hardy & Eddie Redmayne. It’s possible to raise money for good causes without humiliating the cause in question.

Comic Relief does need updating and a re-think - who gives a fuck what a bunch of smug comedians tell us to care about.

However, Stacey Dooley is the wrong target as she is a serious investigative journalist having covered child exploitation, domestic violence and the economic exploitation of women, sex work etc. She is a breath of fresh air compared with many of the stale and male slebs involved. Charity and international development has moved on.

There is no need to send a celeb to film the stories. Technology and communications have moved on and people can film their own stories and the bbc can buy the footage.

This is interesting actually, and not something I have actually really thought about in this way (have seen the discussion of the celebs doing it for their own gain, but not necessarily the 'white saviour' thing). I think Lammy is probably right.

But

I think Lammy picked on Stacey Dooley (and despite him saying it's not personal, she has been singled out quite specifically here) because as a young woman she is an easy target.

I can think of any number of posh blokes who write for the papers without “training” in journalism either (one has to wonder what the hell that would involve) but oddly, no one ever seems to have a problem with that.

In the old days - I don’t know when the practice stopped - would be journalists had to spend a certain amount of time working on a provincial newspaper in order to qualify for NUJ membership. That was considered training I think.

Be fair @BertrandRussell - Lammy himself has used "African" and "Black" interchangeably in this. I'd like to know which one he means. Henry did found CR and is of Caribbean descent, not (directly) African descent, so it's a pertinent point. (Yes I know there'll be dog whistle racism on the thread too, but can't we just report & ignore that? Reaction only encourages them.)

I do feel for LH in all of this. He's spoken eloquently about his difficulty reconciling aspects of his identity and has become a really moving dramatist working around those themes. It's really unfortunate that he's caught in this crossfire.

But she still posed with a little black baby though I expected her because of her investigative background a better understanding but clearly not.

Comic Relief does need updating and a re-think - who gives a fuck what a bunch of smug comedians tell us to care about.

TBH I think they're at the intersection of two really outdated phenomena; Colonially tinged charity & also slightly jarring telethon formats.

Why choose a female journalist, rather than the "proper" celebs then if he wanted to make this point, she has made really good documentaries focusing on themes males ignore!