To think that Len Goodman was stating a fact about his Nan, not insulting anything or anyone?

[Notjustanymum]

Just that, really. He (at the age of 78) was saying that his Nan had a bigoted view (commonly held in the 1950’s), that any food vaguely “foreign” - including pasta, in the 1970’s, according to my own DF - was muck, which had, in truth, put him off trying it.
He also said that the Coronation Chicken his wife had made was delicious. Why would people complain about that? He was actually disproving his Nan’s statement and saying she was wrong.
I think that too many people try to cancel the views of the past, but it’s totally true that many people of that generation held views that are not acceptable today, and we shouldn’t forget that, as we learn from mistakes.
I really object to the BBC apologising for his statement, as it makes it seem as if he was in the wrong.
So - what do you think?
YABU - we shouldn’t mention past intolerances for fear of offending someone now
YANBU - we should accept that there were intolerances and be happy that people find ways of overcoming these

There’s a restaurant in Saltash ( Cornwall ) called
‘ Foreign Muck ‘. It caused some controversy a few years back I remember.

@Alleycat1 - my parents used to have a holiday home in SW France and got friendly with their neighbours.

They went over for dinner but the one time DM invited them over they seemed quite rude saying 'Oh Madame Yvette won't have the food that way' etc.

French are quite old fashioned though, they like separate dishes (meat, vegetables etc). They do have curry houses, Chinese takeaways but few and far between and even in bigger cities (their nearest were Saintes, La Rochelle and Bordeaux it still seemed very French re cuisine.

Yup, agree with all of tis @kolomo

I too am heartily sick of some twitter bollocks being reported as 'news'.

I read somewhere recently that only 14% of the UK have a Twitter account and I assume of that 14% many people will either not use it very much or it will be work related only (guilty as charged) so the real number spouting this nonsense is probably quite low.

IMO if you read it on Twitter it's rubbish and not representative of the general population so can safely be ignored - remember how Jeremy Corbyn was going to storm the election....according to Twitter ? 😂

Len was having none of it. Didn't like any of it. Turned his nose up at anything "foreign". He is not a nice man.

There's plenty of food that I won't eat, does that mean I'm not nice? I would never eat a spicy curry for example (I'll eat a korma but that's about it) and I wouldn't touch sushi.

Each to their own.

For the professionally offended, I recommend Ricky Gervais, Supernature, on Netflix. It will keep you fanning the flames of self indulgent and unnecessary outrage till next Christmas and give everyone else a rest.

It wasn't that he wouldn't eat the food. It was his sneering, superior, suspicious attitude while refusing to do so.

I agree with you op but I must admit, I did wince when he said it.

Really? The comment made such an impression on you a few years ago that you remember it to this day?

The BBC is rotten to the core. Time to go.

My Indian grandmother was deeply suspicious of English/American food. I recall her being very adventurous and eating a MacDs breakfast! Same thing, happens all over the world. No reason for the BBC to apologise.

I suppose I find the assumption that this was normal, and that working class people born at a certain time were roaring xenophobes, rather tiresome.

My maternal grandfather (born 1910) and my father (born late 20s) were nothing like this.

Open-minded people have existed rather longer than many seem to believe.

As opposed to what? A BBC worshipping thread from the Mumsnet Wokies? If we're going to be so faux-sensitive then you'll have to cancel 99% of history and not just of the country you seem to hate but all countries and races, of whatever hue.

Three different posters on this thread have mentioned this so it’s really not that hard to believe. He came across as a bit of a dick to be honest.

I think there's a difference between saying his nan held these attitudes, and saying that he wouldn't try foods himself because "foreign muck". I've only read the comments so perhaps out of context but they read more the second to me. That he held that view.

Fine not to like something, but to call it foreign muck (and then realise after 78 years that it's actually nice!!!) is a bit off.

What is being cancelled you absolute muppet? Len Goodman is on tv all the time and I am sure as shit still will be. What are you on about a country they seem to hate? You have determined that to be the case from a one sentence post? Idiot.

Do we have to eat certain food to be considered "nice" and if so why? Would you condemn someone from a different ethnic background for liking the food they grew up with and not liking British cuisine?

I like a roast and fish and chips and I also like curries, pastas, North African cuisine but I don't like shellfish does that diminish me in some way? How bizarre if it does.

People often have odd ideas about nationality and foods. I recently stayed with a Portuguese friend and there were times when she tried to stop me ordering a dish in a restaurant because 'English people don't eat things like that'. They included liver and sardines.

the French and Italians openly mock British food. I'd be inclined to agree with them in some cases!
But mocking anything British is totally acceptable apparently!

When we were selling our last house in an area where many Asian families were moving to we had some appallingly racist comments abour how we lived from viewers who seemed to think they could make any comment they wished.

Yes we should speak about the past, acknowledge how far we have come!
He should not be made to feel in the wrong or have anyone apologising for him.
And if anyone is offended, to be honest, we should all be a bit more understanding, take things into the context they are said and stop been upset by everything! It is leading to a pathetic world where people cannot talk about their experience in this live.

Me too.
Heard about this from a friend yesterday and saw it "trending" on my phone this am.
This thread is the third reference. I had written a long post about a French grandma calling my food "shit" but can't be bothered engaging having read Avocant77's post.
Stop the world I want to get off. But maybe not before I've spoken to all the grandmas.

I think the issue is it could give idiots a perceived free pass to repeat it, in the playground, in "work banter" and such, and the issue is that we have so many of these idiots in the population that something like that can snowball and cause harm to an already fatigued group on receipt of such comments.

So in that regard I suppose it was in bad taste, perhaps unnecessary for him to utter it on television.

Having said that, I don't agree with censorship or hypersensitivity because I think it's important to discuss things and openly speak about things, but I realise many will feel a balance must be struck and common sense should prevail.

One would perhaps think 'I'll keep that to myself' but another may think 'well, it's a fact, so why not state it?' and I can't fault either argument. So I don't feel there's a "right" answer either way.

People who are not okay with it being said are presumably not echoing it and so not talking about it, but it's sparked discussion nonetheless which must not be comfortable for the group adversely affected.

I'd probably have kept my mouth shut, but then I'm not his age. I also actually have no idea of the context as I do not watch the BBC. He's also probably given fuel to the fire of 'all old white men need to die so we can progress' which is just as hateful in my opinion.

My grandmother was born in the 30s and there was always loads of pasta in house (its basically all I would eat as a child with food allergies).

My grandmother was not remotely racist though and took in several refugees (african, indian, middle eastern etc...) over her lifetime and would invite them back for holiday visits long after they had moved on though so I imagine she was around worldly cuisine quite alot.

This really.

You sound very kind and inclusive Username91

I can’t believe the BBC have actually apologised for this.