To think Eammon Holmes needs to go now

[Hugolugo]

He's always been a chubby misogynist with questionable.comments to make about his wife but now he has compared a woman's afro hair to the fur on an alpaca. Has the world gone completely bloody mad? How come he still has that job? And, no, the 'I have old fashioned northern Irish charm' act doesn't make up for it. I for one am certainly not feeling charmed! I have no idea how Ruth puts up with him tbh.

@Whatnext2018 I do truly believe he’s racist and I was actually telling someone this at the weekend. His rant about Meghan Markle made me feel unsettled and upset and I’m not even much of a Meghan fan.

It was the vitriol in the words he reserved for her and the way he excused Harry.

@RobynNora : I think most are bored of Meghan and Harry now.

@toocold54

I don’t watch this morning very often but I’ve seen Dr Zoe with her natural heir several times on the show and he’s never commented on it so he obviously doesn’t think she normally looks like a llama. Similar to if someone had a mohawk you could say they looked like a peacock.

Black people have to deal with subliminal racism all the time regarding their hair so it is ok if someone is offended by his comment and he has rightly apologised.
But I don’t think it was malicious and I don’t think he should be sacked over it. I was unaware that ‘uppity’ was racist too, so I think there’s a big difference between intentionally being racist or deeming and saying words maliciously.

Stop thinking. Just stop.

Someone makes a mistake, apologises for it properly with none of this "I'm sorry if..." half-heartedness, and then learns from it? Great. Let them crack on, learning and growing is part of being a decent person.

Someone issues a "sorry, not sorry, it's your fault for being offended" style apology, learns nothing from the incident, and then carries on making repeated incidents? They shouldn't have a public platform such as a regular TV slot and their employers should be sending the message that once is a mistake, more than once (several more than onces) is intentional and will not be tolerated.

If I was at work in my old job and an employee made a racist comment, the first offence they'd have been sent for a meeting with HR where it would be clearly spelled out to them why it was not acceptable. They would also be booked in for some equality and diversity training. It would be made clear that this was a learning opportunity so that the same mistake was not repeated. Further instances? Disciplinary process comes into play with dismissal as the result. Zero tolerance.

I didn’t even see the racist element, does that make me racist too?
It’s a scary world we’re living in now, frightened to do or say anything.

This actually sums up the issue perfectly - turning the issue of racist language used on live tv, into the fears of white people. Classic DARVO. It isn't black people with the thin skin here.

The fragility lies elsewhere.

Eammon has had his day, week, year and decade and now seems really out of touch

Incredibly ageist and offensive comment

It’s a scary world we’re living in now, frightened to do or say anything.

Don't do or say racist things and you'll be fine.

Regarding Boris Johnson's hair, I have seen animal comparisons.

Ah yes, the well known racist - Boris Johnson. Comments about his hair are in no way related to his race and are instead focused on him being an atter that who hasn't even got the decency to comb his hair when representing the country because he thinks looking like an unkempt bank manager makes him more relatable as part of his "my mate Bozza" persona.

After that should say utter twat

Oh i see we've even got in a 'my daughter has lovely long aryan blonde hair miles long' comment. Beyond fucking parody.

@ttcsucks

Here is why uppity is considered a racist term for anyone struggling to understand the history behind it;

I'm sorry, but this is absolute nonsense in a UK context. While we may share a language with the US, we don't share a history or culture, and as such, the connotations certain words have due to historical or cultural events and experiences in one country, are not necessarily shared by the other.

I'm sure in the US the term 'uppity' can legitimately be said to have racial connotations due to the specific context of the Jim Crow era. In the UK, however, this connotation of the word is entirely foreign, as we didn't have enforced racial segregation in this country. Why on earth would the word uppity have the same connotation in a country that didn't experience the same events that gave rise to the connotation in the first place?!

I have a BA and an MA in English. I teach English Literature. As such, I like to think I have a wide vocabulary - more so than the average person on the street. I have never read or heard the word uppity used in a racist context in this country, ever. I cannot agree or accept that uppity in the UK is a racially charged word. In British English, it simply means arrogant and can be applied to anybody seeming to be so.

I'm not commenting on Eamonn Holmes' behaviour in general, as I don't watch him enough to make a judgement, but I don't think it's fair or right to suggest that he used the word uppity as a racial slur for all of the reasons I have explained above. It's very damaging to throw claims about like this. I think you'll find most British English speakers would have no idea of the American context behind the word.

Agreed, Enid. I have a good command of the English language and I have also just looked at the first five dictionary definitions of uppity - no reference to racism.

I had no idea of the connotations behind uppity but now that I do it's a learning point, no?

That’s genuinely interesting @EnidSpyton - someone should do a Twitter poll on this.

I found it incredible that anyone wouldn’t know the historical racial connotations of uppity and I’m British born and bred.

@Clocktopus : This is a bit biased. Let me suggest that you have straight hair.

Me to you: your hair looks like an animal... not racist
You to me: your hair looks like an animal... racist

Therein lies the problem.

Black people are telling you its racist. But you know better of course. Not suprised to hear this from the sort of person who calls people uppity and supports boris johnson though.

If you're white, you might not notice the racial connotations of the word "uppity" in the US media you consume, or have noticed that the phrase "uppity n***" occurs frequently enough to be more than a coincidence that the words are put together, but you probably have a fair idea about what is involved with a boy getting to third base, or what a freshman is, or how you would picture a man called Barrington Sinclair III, or understand that a joke about the size of a woman's fanny isn't as ride as it would be in the UK. Because the "uppity" references were trying to shame or belittle you, so you let them fly past unnoticed.

To all those people excusing him, or calling it 'banter' ( what a stupid expression usually used to justify inappropriate behaviour). Could you just try and look at the bigger picture for once ?!
It's not about whether you prefer him to Holly and Phil, it's a white male on prime time television making inappropriate remarks. What example does this set ?
What if it excuses others to make insensitive and racist remarks that can be dressed up as 'banter'.
He needs to be held accountable for all that he says. Why should he continually get away with his 'banter' ? Because he's jolly ? Old? Cause he gives a half arsed apology after ?
Shouldn't we as viewers expect, in fact demand better?!
Even if we aren't offended, what about standing in solidarity with other women he feels the need to judge, to comment on their appearance, weight, route home ffs !!!!
I'm so sick of this shit. And to be honest I'm equally sick of those excusing it

Unaware you are saying racist and offensive things = smacks of institutionalised racism.

But is that Eamon’s fault? Or is the world we’ve been raised in?

My grandma isn’t racist at all but she’ll say words about my family that would be deemed racist in today’s language.

I have offended people before because I have used the wrong gender pronouns. And I used a word which is fine in the UK but my American friend found it homophobic.
I definitely think we should call out racism but I think people should be able to make mistakes and then apologise and learn from them.

There are actually racist people out there that will say disgusting things about other races and why they’re inferior and what should be done to them etc.
I don’t think it’s fair to put someone in the same group as those people for saying something they didn’t realise was offensive.

He is beyond rude

Completely agree OP, I disliked him anyway, loathed him after the comment to the rape victim and now this. I have to turn off the tv if so much as see a glimpse of his horrible, fat, smug face.
Vile man.

@toocold54

Unaware you are saying racist and offensive things = smacks of institutionalised racism.

But is that Eamon’s fault? Or is the world we’ve been raised in?

My grandma isn’t racist at all but she’ll say words about my family that would be deemed racist in today’s language.

I have offended people before because I have used the wrong gender pronouns. And I used a word which is fine in the UK but my American friend found it homophobic.
I definitely think we should call out racism but I think people should be able to make mistakes and then apologise and learn from them.

There are actually racist people out there that will say disgusting things about other races and why they’re inferior and what should be done to them etc.
I don’t think it’s fair to put someone in the same group as those people for saying something they didn’t realise was offensive.

So we have levels of racism now? What level is acceptable?

I find it unbelievable that a man of his experience and education doesn't understand why that was such an inappropriate comment to make

When he was talking about the new strictly contestants the other day he said " is it a boy, a girl or whatever"

He has made too many comments now for us to be claiming that he just doesn't understand

I used to quite like him but don't much now. He's better than that awful Schofield. Can't stand him.

There are actually racist people out there that will say disgusting things about other races and why they’re inferior and what should be done to them etc.

Sure, using the N word isn't as bad as lynching but it's the same general shitty arse club, isn't it?

I don’t think it’s fair to put someone in the same group as those people for saying something they didn’t realise was offensive.

And the existence and tolerance of the lesser serves only to encourage the more extreme. In excusing Eamonn, we foster a permissive environment in which "real racists" can thrive.

Just look at this conversation in which white people are falling over themselves to absolve Eamon. That is real, everyday, racism in action.

People use the word uppity to describe someone stuck up or who thinks themselves better than others. That's the definition and that's what it means to me and I suspect, the vast majority of people.

So I personally will continue to use it as I see fit, thanks.
Its pretty entitled to tell people they can't use a descriptive word from the English dictionary to describe someone who is, you know, uppity, as it offends them personally.

I think it is pretty rude to liken someone's hair to alpaca and Zoe Williams should make a complaint if she feels it's necessary.

But yeah fire him, he's fat, white, old and from northern Ireland after all!