Which CBeebies White Men Would You Sack To Make Room For Diversity?

[FoodUnit]

I'm fed up with the surplus white able-bodied men in children's programmes - especially those who really aren't all that. I mean Justin Fletcher and Chris from Show Me Show Me seem to have got in on talent - but Andy from Andy's Wild Adventures - what's the deal with him? Same for Mr Bloom and Alex. It would be really easy to replace these white men with more diverse presenters.

The same goes for cartoons like Mike the Knight- why don't they, just at the commissioning stage, have a process where they ask: Does this character actually NEED to be an able-bodied white male? If not, they could change them to somebody other than an ABWM. Wouldn't that be great?

So I'm just interested in knowing who else you think could be binned without any great loss in the name of diversity?

Captain Barnacles.

The number taker (shudder)

The number taker should be sacked on the grounds that he is bloody frightening alone!

Indeed, and why does number three, and the female meanies (shape japer and spooky spoon) have to sodding well be pink?

Ha ha yes Captain Barnacles is such an annoying patriarchal stereotype!

Im all for diversity but i think you're suggestion is ridiculous. For starters the job should go to the best "candidate", not just the nearest ethnic person.

I think the question should be why arent there more people of ethnic origin in certain careers e.g television, if these are encoraged then when opportunities present themselves, you've more of a chance of a black, asian etc applying in order to then get the job all other things being equal.

Ethnic minorities do not want a job because of their colour, they want it on merit, this is what equal opportiniies is all about.

Gunznroses, are you suggesting that Captain Barnacles got the part because he was the best out of a wide field of cartoon marine animals of all genders and levels of physical ability? Because I think it was fixed.

"Ethnic minorities do not want a job because of their colour, they want it on merit, this is what equal opportiniies is all about."

Exactly, I'm talking about all the ABWM who have not got there on merit, who have just got in because of entitlement and male privilege, or because of unimaginative stereotyping by the creators.... This creates a barrier which prevents diverse talent, because the positions are being clogged up by this average, not particularly talented ABWM.

Seriously, the people who commissioned and make the following: Zingzillas, Everything's fecking Rosie, Tweenies. They are crimes against girls' education and development in the first place and the reason why Cbeebies is now "broken" in our house.

Funnily enough I don't object per se to Postman Pat and Bob the Builder (although Wendy doesn't actually do anything much but in fairness neither does Bob) as long as they are counterbalanced by other programmes with strong female characters.

Andy's situation to me is different- his heart was never really into presenting in Cbeebies- always seemed unable to keep a straight face and looked suicidal behind the mask most of the time. He should have been removed rather than given more air time.

I don't mind postman Pat and Bob the Builder - but lament the lack of 'Bess the Builder' or 'Fay the Farmer'.... or anything that actually gives a female a nameable vocation

Oh the meritocracy solution. That solution that just happens to give most of the plum jobs to the men. Seems we have always had positive discrimination, just in favour of men.

Captain Barnacles . Not fond of Grandpa from Grandpa in my pocket. Why does he always know best? Or rather why is what he thinks the best way forward? I personally much prefer Great Aunt Loretta and think she should be the central character. It would be much more interesting and wouldn't involve any sacking just a redistribution of emphasis away from the boring characters of Jason and Grandpa.

i really don't see why you are complaining, women make up a tiny proportion of the population, somewhere between one armed accordionists and redheaded zoroastrians, if i recall the latest census data correctly

it follows perfectly that cbeebies, for which you pay a teeny licence fee, reflects that with programming that features men and boys in dominant roles

I think Wendy should read Wifework though, in Bob the builder.

I think I'd much prefer 'grandma in my pocket' though. :) I agree that Loretta is the best character

Tunip - i have no idea who captainbarnacles is! As far as him being the best,do you concrete evidence to support your assumption that he wasnt the best candidate ?

Foodunit - i agree more with your point on "unimaginative stereotyping", this is also a large part of the problem, for instance the story of snow white, just somehow doesnt fit for a black, asian etc girl, its quite obviously meant for a white girl. If these story lines were more imaginative then we would see more suitable ethnic minorities applying/auditioning for these parts.

Captain Barnacles is a cartoon character from the octonauts, for the uninitiated.

Captain Barnacles is a cartoon captain in Octonauts. There is only one token female character (probably a last minute edition) - who takes photos.

I still think Zingzillas shouldn't be allowed. It is a disgrace. And Everything's Rosie. Tweenies is just dated in terms of gender equality. I am sometimes aghast at what we thought was normal back in the 1980s even at university.

I love chibi. :)

I can dimly remember from Pigeon St, and FoodUnit is quite right that I can hardly think of any other women labelled by their jobs from kids' TV. And that was 20 years ago!

I would love Postman Polly or Fireman Sal, or how about Vet Vi or Traindriver Tess?

Tweak is a girl, and an engineer. She's also a rabbit.

Remember how scarce and precious a resource women are, and then you'll totally understand why programmers, writers and the like don't want to waste them by filling up cartoons and link sequences with them all willynilly

''Im all for diversity but i think you're suggestion is ridiculous. For starters the job should go to the best "candidate", not just the nearest ethnic person.''

Well, there's the problem. The 'best candidate' will always be a white male so long as TV programs are written with the main character being a white male.

Oh yes, Octonauts! Of course. Had slipped my mind. The male characters all go off and "do" stuff while the sole female character stays on board the ship (presumably baking cookies).

Captain barnacles, mike the knight and driver dan are cartoon characters.

They tend not to audition. Just sayin'

Ah, Mr Bloom. I have am imaginary life about the actor that plays him...He takes Cocaine all weekend, goes to strip joints AND I bet he went to Drama Centre London...

um sorry, off topic

My DD sticks her arm up her jumper and pretends to be Kerry. I don't know what to do about this, I think it's because she likes her long curly hair and wants to be like her.