celebrity big brother 4,000 complaints

[quadrophenia]

story here

of course she knew what she was getting into, she's a bollywood actress, and as someone else pointed out, (on radio not on here) bollywood is 100 times worse, it's fully of bitching and backstabbing... Sorry but just because she's from another country does not make her some vulnerable naive little victim.

And channel4 knew exactly what they were doing as well. Do you honestly think they just pick a group of people not knowing how things will turn out? no they deliberately pick people who they know will clash, because happy harmonious bliss doesn't make for interesting viewing, but bitching and backstabbing makes excellent viewing, and if you throw in a bit of victimising as well it makes for complaints which makes for more viewers which makes for more money when it comes to the voting.

but even if everything you say is true, wannabe, does it make those girls behaviour towards her not racist? not bullying? i don't see your point, tbh. i frankly completely believed shilpa the other night when she said that it had been 'the most mortifying experience of her life'.

I hope and pray that this will finally end the god-awful stream of rubbish starring Jade Goody that keeps on appearing on TV and in gossip mags. She should have quietly faded into obscurity after her intial 15 mins of fame.

Regardless of what Shilpa expected, or what she is getting out of this in terms of PR (and I don't think for a mintue that she is as nice and tolerant and even tempered in reality), she has behaved pretty impeccably so far, so good for her.

with the whale thing i took it that shilpa was laughing that she hadn't understood the word, not that she was actually laughing at the girls for saying it that way. she was saying a what? a www...what? and the girls kept saying waaayyyyooooow. so shilpa's thinking what is this word i don't know, gosh this is embarrassing, then she laughs when she realises it's whale.

I've got a new thesis here, been thinking about this and i think now that this is in the news and everyone's focussing on CBB, that the celeb mags will think twice about featuring any of the culprits on the cover, and the better Shilpa does the worse they look.

So maybe it can be turned into a positive. We think that we are a multi-cultural, tolerant society, but if you scratch the surface we still have a long way to go especially when it comes to certain ethnic minorities including asians. My dh is jewish and you wouldn't believe the racial slurs he encounters regularly, from people who don't understand they are being racist. But that's another story.

If this situation brings it to the surface for debate, makes people examine what being racist really means, and ends up with people like Jade going from being popular to being associated with racism and hence a lot less popular, i think it's good. Especially if its teenagers, the main audience and definitely the main voting audience for CBB, who have a bit of a think.

It's still uncomfortable to watch and it's embarrassing us as a nation, and i'm not saying C4 or Endemol are any less exploitative. But couldn't it have a positive effect in the end?

Ditto bullying... or am i being completely naive?

Of course Endemol choose the inmates for conflict, but now that it has become Lord of the Flies with racism they have a duty to do something about it.
i agree with whoever said further down the depressing thing is that there's only been 4,000 complaints, I wonder what the viewing figures are.
I shall be interested to see how they edit it tonight now it's got all this publicity - will they try and make Shilpa out to look in the wrong? It was shocking how they played down the racism last night on BBBM.

Dot like you i hope that some good will come of all this. FWIW i think it may enlighten some people and put others on the defence. Some people just shout louder when their beliefs are threatened.

I think the level of attack gererally reflects the level of fear. I suspect that the coven members do fear Shilpa in some way, I'm just trying to figure out what it is that threatens them.

Dave Gorman's blog entry re BBLB

This comment just about sums it up for me

"I think several of the housemates are intolerant and are behaving in a reprehensible manner."

interesting though, he seems conflicted about whether the three girls are being racist, at least partly because he is worried that they will be thrown to the wolves when they get out. he seems happy to say jackiey is because of 'that indian'. i suppose i think that she opened the floodgates, and that they are continuing it.
i nevertheless believe that by not acting at least to stop the bullying (which i'm sure they did before, and lord knows they could do on the QT as they're in control of broadcast material) they are failing in their duty of care. and by refusing to let people say the word 'racism' on their shows they make a farce (an even bigger one, that is) of the whole thing.

Seasons - she's pretty!

She's pretty, and very successful (yes yes I know nobody except me has heard of her on here) but in India she is a megastar, she couldn't walk down the streets there.

The rest of the 'celebs' in the house are has beens and never were's.

True monkey, but why fear someone because they are pretty? Would they act like that with Cat Deeley? Beyonce? I just think it is about more than looks. Partly that but partly class and race also.

I have read a bit about the nature of bullying and fear just crops up again and again as a motivating factor. Do they fear she could highlight their lack of something- talent, compassion, education, grace? Just thinking aloud....

I think it's that she has genuine class and they are burping, farting, fanny scratching imbeciles.

I will also be interested to see how quickly Cleo aligns herself with Shilpa if BB does say or do anything about it - she's sitting on the fence because she doesn't know which side is popular IMO.

apparently tonight's show ends with Shilpa saying something like there's no bullying or racism - something like that.

Well slappa mah thigh - she hasn't heard half the comments made has she?

did youjust see the clip on BBLB? - pmsl!!!

I think Shilpa can handle herself very nicely

I was looking forward to cbb and a bit of mindless entertainment but I can't bring myself to watch it anymore, it always seems to descend into bullying of some sort and it's not enjoyable to watch that. It's depressing that people are so horrible

My word! Narinder and Craig Phillips on BBLB - excellent, particularly Narinder very articulate and got all relevant points across.

White trash definitely used originally by black people in the American South to insult poor white farmers. Now of course it's used by white and black alike.
I know it's not a nice phrase but it does seem to sum up the likes of Jade Goody and Danielle Nobody very well.

bit about origin of phrase

As monkeymonkeymoomoo said - she is being bullied because she is pretty.

Its just like in school... the very pretty girls who perhaps got talent spotted for modelling or a schoolgirl who got picked for a film or a play, would always get picked on by the bitchy types at school.

The whole thing is down to jealousy of her refined speaking voice, her intelligence and her looks. The 3 silly cows have barely got a brain cell between them, are common and have no class. The only way they know how to put someone down is to pick on what they see as weakness... Shilpa's accent, use of bleach, her way of cooking... anything they can find. They feel threatened and it is very pathetic.

And she made Dermot use the '"r" word, so at least that's out in the open, better than before. I only saw the last half, so i take it Shilpa stuck up for herself? Can't wait to see it later..

okay... cos of my job i get sent stuff.

here's the statement from ch4.

CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER

A Channel 4 statement follows regarding bullying in the Big Brother house:

"Matters of bullying or racial abuse in any form are taken extremely seriously by Channel 4 and Endemol. The nature of the show often includes incidents where conflicts arise and housemates are encouraged to resolve issues among themselves.

Housemates are closely monitored at all times to ensure they have the appropriate support inside the house which includes being able to talk in confidence to producers. Shilpa herself has not voiced any concerns of racial slurs or bullying against her.

Appropriate measures to reprimand individual behaviour would take place where necessary."

i also have the precis for tonight's show but am obliged to respect the embargo until the show's finished but i'll put it up then if anyone wants to see it.

jermaine very nearly says the 'r' word, though, points out to Cleo that she too is pretty and classy and yet has not attracted this attention.

so what was said on BBLB?

cleo doesnt get picked on because she is not a threat she might be a glamourous older woman - but she could not be mistaken for being size 8, young, pretty, sophisticated and talented. and i say that event though I am not a fan of shilpa.

well that's not what jermaine jackson thinks...