To ask if there's something I'm missing about the allegedly "controversial" Diversity performance

[GlummyMcGlummerson]

Diversity performed on Britain's Got Talent, a performance which incorporated a message about BLM. Their performance, as usual, was incredible and sent out some great messages. The video is below.

It's had 10,000 complaints. Why?! am I missing something? Did someone's nipple pop out or something? What is the basis of people's complaints? The only reason I can think is that some people (probably because they're part of the problem) don't like it when others point out that there's racism in the world? Boo hoo to them

I didn’t think there was anything wrong with it and was shocked it got so many complaints, definitely not controversial and very timely

Because some white people are racist small minded snowflakes.el Eho probably use the word coloured and,/or voted Brexit and can't understand why people think they are intolerant. Yet can't handle a 3 minute dance routine.
What a natural response! I think we've all got the 'message' by now.

Late to the party with this, but I don't watch BGT. However after so much coverage in the press I watched the performance tonight on the internet - thought it was great, relevant and thought provoking. A performance that told a story with a message - a dance drama.
Can't see the problem.

@mrsBtheparker

Because some white people are racist small minded snowflakes.el Eho probably use the word coloured and,/or voted Brexit and can't understand why people think they are intolerant. Yet can't handle a 3 minute dance routine. What a natural response! I think we've all got the 'message' by now.

We absolutely haven't and that's why Diversity did the routine.

If you think that the BLM routine was appropriate for BGT, perhaps you’d also like an interpretive dance about the joys of Brexit? Or a choral tribute to President Trump? Or get the EDL in, maybe they’ve got a brass band ensemble they can entertain us all with. I mean I’d you’re going turn the thing into a political forum surely everyone should be able to have a crack at it, inclusivity and all that.

I'd love a dance routine about Brexit

The number of complaints just shows how much the message is still needed.

These arent people who just thought meh not my sort of thing or fuck sake or rolled their eyes or disagreed. They actually went online to lodge a complaint to ITV about it being aired.

Great, I’ll start planning the pro-Brexit interpretive dance choreography tomorrow. I mean according to posters here as long as a performance is “interesting”, “timely” and “tells an important story with a message” for people who haven’t completely agrees with whatever that message might be, it’ll be acceptable for BGT and anyone who doesn’t agree is a stupid dumb bigot! Simples!

The number of complaints just shows how much the message is still needed.

It shows absolutely nothing of the sort. You have no idea why each of those people called, or even who they were. There are any number of reasons why people didn’t want to see that routine on a family entertainment programme, and you are erroneously arriving at conclusions that support one very specific narrative.

You’d hope that the acceptability or otherwise of systemic racism wouldn’t come up 52:48 in a national referendum.

You’d think there’s a clear right winner on that issue.

I loved their performance. I read an article where Jordan Banjo was heartbroken at the level of abuse he and the rest of Diversity got because they dared to present something they were passionate about. It was brave and brilliant imho.

@wafflyversatile

The number of complaints just shows how much the message is still needed.

These arent people who just thought meh not my sort of thing or fuck sake or rolled their eyes or disagreed. They actually went online to lodge a complaint to ITV about it being aired.

Or it could show that the way the message is being presented is backfiring. Many people who have always been critical of racism are finding themselves stepping back from the current approach, something about it doesn't sit right with many of them. I suspect for a lot, they aren't sure why.

There is a bit in the film Trevor Phillips made about race where he talks about being in a cab, and having the cabbie say something to him about the way he understood the governments position on equality. And Phillips is really taken aback, because the message the guy is getting is not at all what he was trying to achieve with the campaign. He doesn't blame the guy for being an inveterate racist though - he thinks there is something wrong with the way they are framing the message.

Lots of nonracist people are just going quiet because they aren't totally on board with the current narrative, but they feel they can't say anything for fear of being called a bigot. And that's bad, people in that position are quite vulnerable to other explanations of what is really going on, and those discussions won't happen out in the open.

In a world where you can watch a teenage boy get locked in a boat and drown at 7.30pm, or a violent date rape at 7pm, or pretty much anything on Hollyoaks, yeah there’s a reason people complained in volume about THIS.

They complained about daves incredible performance at the Brits too, although not in the same volume.

Art isn’t meant to make you comfortable.

"There is no form of protest against racism that is acceptable to a racist". - Bernice King

If that statement makes you uncomfortable -you now know why.

Despite hundreds of incidents of appalling behaviour by men on the telly this year, the 3 most complained about incidents involved women and and black men.

I think it's the people who think BLM has gone ' too far' and there are a lot of them. Also the 'All lives matter' and whatabouters. What about white people killed by police, what about black people killed by other black people, whatabout.... you get the picture.
Someone should start a petition supporting the performance, I'd sign that...

I don’t watch BGT and it wasn’t until I read this thread that I was aware there was any uproar.

I just went to watch the dance clip on YouTube and thought it was phenomenal!

What a moving and passionate performance and it has a sting impact on me.

It absolutely does not warrant a complaint in my eyes. The reference to George Floyd was so brief and in my eyes, not offensive at all. The genius behind it all was that the brevity still managed to move me and I thought the whole routine was beautiful.

Very very talented and creative people and I think it’s wonderful and completely appropriate that they are using their platform to highlight what is wrong with the world.

Ashley must feel so upset by what has happened because it’s clear how much work, effort and emotional drive went into that dance routine.

Shame on all those who complained.

'Art isn’t meant to make you comfortable.'

Yes, this is the crux of it.
People complaining about their evening of family entertainment being disturbed may want to reflect on their privilege, frankly.

I wasn't sure about the slightly schmaltzy 'shutdown has made us all concentrate on what's really important' ending message, but I thought the opening and the BLM narrative were very, very well done and eloquent in a good way.

Art isn’t meant to make you comfortable

But BGT isn't art. It is meant to be mindless, comfortable telly with dogs that dance and kids who juggle. People watch it to feel comfortable not to be reminded of issues they'd rather not face or admit.

The routine was really good. Maybe the silver lining is that more people will watch the routine now and hear the message being communicated.

I think it's the people who think BLM has gone ' too far' and there are a lot of them.
See I have no issue with people who question the agenda of BLM the activist group because some of their ideology is divisive and problematic and, at least last I looked, they had views about trying to dismantle the state etc. It is fair to challenge that and no ideology should be beyond challenge.

But those who tend to say "BLM has gone too far" aren't usually commenting on ideology. They're just annoyed that people are talking about racism which obviously doesn't exist because "Lewis Hamilton won F1 / look at how many black musicians make millions / anyone can achieve what they want with hard work / maybe if they (BAME people) weren't so involved in crime then they'd not get stopped / insert other backwards thinking here".
Then, as you say, there's the whole "all lives matter" types who'd never criticise a breast cancer campaign to remind everyone that all cancers matter.
I wonder how many of these types are also the ones to say 'it's political correctness gone mad!' or 'it's one rule for them and another rule for us' or 'the n word can't be that offensive if they call themselves it...(chuckles smugly to self)' 🙄

'See I have no issue with people who question the agenda of BLM the activist group because some of their ideology is divisive and problematic and, at least last I looked, they had views about trying to dismantle the state etc. It is fair to challenge that and no ideology should be beyond challenge.'

Ah so we can question BLM 'the activist group' without being called Gammons? Thanks for the permission.

Anyway, who knew BGT was 'art'

'Then, as you say, there's the whole "all lives matter" types who'd never criticise a breast cancer campaign to remind everyone that all cancers matter.'

Funny you should say that because I do feel cancers such as bowel, lung and pancreatic should have far more high profile campaigning.

I do feel cancers such as bowel, lung and pancreatic should have far more high profile campaigning.

What are you doing about it, GetOff?

So we can all critique your approach.

Being against racism is about basic human decency and it's something everyone should be against. It's not a matter of political opinion like brexit or trump. So no there shouldn't be a brexit or trump dance. Although BGT is becoming so jingoistic it wouldnt surprise me if it did have a brexit dance in future.

Ah so we can question BLM 'the activist group' without being called Gammons?
Thanks for the permission.
You're not challenging or questioning the ideology of an activist group.
You're arguing that a group of BAME dancers should not use their platform to raise issues of systemic racism because you don't think it exists.

That's not just being a gammon. It's being a racist.

'Then, as you say, there's the whole "all lives matter" types who'd never criticise a breast cancer campaign to remind everyone that all cancers matter.'

Funny you should say that because I do feel cancers such as bowel, lung and pancreatic should have far more high profile campaigning

Good for you.
Except my point wasn't asking whether people might think all cancers need good fundraising.
My point was that those who spout "all lives matter" wouldn't be criticising breast cancer campaigns by bleating on with whataboutery.

Or maybe you would. Maybe you'd genuinely see a friend or colleague doing a fundraiser for a breast cancer charity and start with the "but what about liver cancer... What about lung cancer... Why don't you care about pancreatic cancer... Surely you don't care that much about cancer otherwise you'd be doing something about all cancers... Why are you fundraising for just one cancer charity."

I doubt it though.