Now that Carphone Warehouse has withdrawn its sponsorship of the very troubled Celebrity Big Brother, “with immediate effect”, how much longer can the programme continue to run? Does the show have other substantial backers who want to distance themselves too?
A ridiculous domestic spat featuring one particularly unpleasant participant has dominated our media and been raised internationally at the highest government level both at home and abroad. Surely it’s time to put this behind us now and focus on the real issues of the day?
Why dwell any more on the less pleasant human nature of one of our citizens? Jade will most likely get her just deserts tomorrow and be evicted. How typical is she of British women? We all know she isn’t.
Delhi’s Today newspaper reported that the issue had become the top talking points in Indian blogs, with Shilpa Shetty getting a lot of support.
“You may be hard-pressed to recall any of Shilpa Shetty’s films, but today her name is on everybody’s lips… indeed we have to clean our own backyards before pointing fingers. That seemed to be the message from Indian bloggers,” the newspaper said.
A record 30,000 complains have now been made over alleged racist remarks towards the Bollywood star. I wonder if news of this controversy has filtered through to contestants in the BB house, or are they are still totally oblivious to the headlines they have created.
Carphone Warehouse has been sponsoring the show since 2004. It pays an estimated £3 million a year for Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother. I would describe it as a very poor investment.
Incidentally, the National Bullying helpline has reported a rise in phone calls since the alleged bullying on Celebrity Big Brother, I guess you could call that a positive if it is helping others.
I still maintain the producers could have addressed this earlier – as they would have done with any signs of physical assault.
Interesting thought by Paul Morley on BBLB yesterday – that the three bullies in this case are all the product of modern “popular culture”. An ex-member of a manufactured pop band, a cheating beauty-queen/WAG and BB’s own “greatest” creation. So maybe we shouldn’t be surprised when they turn out to believe in the value and strength of their own “fame”. Is it too much to hope that this debacle could signal the end of acceptance of such routes to wealth and media attention? Probably as the tabloid rags will continue to feast and undoubtedly continue to crucify then rehabituate as usual.
totally oblivious to the headlines they have created
Thats what fascinates me. there was a minor incident with a Girls Allowed Member but I forgave her. I am less willing to forgive Jade for some reason
You notice one thing about this . They are women,men would never behave that way, they lack the viciousness. What do you think Ellee?
Don`t bash me up though
Newmania, You are right. I can’t imagine a bloke getting upset about a stock cube. So how do men express their frustrations/inabilities/lack of confidence? Surely some men bitch too. Perhaps men get “vicious” about other issues.
frustrations/inabilities/lack of confidenc
In a solitary romantic and strangely attractive way Ellee .. looking moody and lost. This attracts women and as that is the only thing that men really care about the problem is solved.
Its great to be the king (gendre)
I suspect men don`t usualy talk to eachother in that melodramatic way for the simple reason that one would have to hit the other ;and thats quite drastic .Just a theory.
BTW I think you are right to look at this . Its the talk of the country. On political matters bloggers are often out of touch with the impressions and images that affect people`s views. David cameron cannot afford to be and that is alot of the anti Cameron problem .
He is the one in the real world , not bloggers.
Ellee – could we return to one of James Higham’s topics and suggest men retreat to their sheds. I’ve noticed the guys in BB go into the garden (although there’s no actual shed for them).
I’ve been watching CBB pretty much all the way (I only watch the celebrity one, can’t stand every day Big Brother!) between revising and at first I was dubious about it being about racism. Still am really. Only one person there’s remarks seemed racist to me, and that is Danielle. She’s the one who said Shilpa should “go home” and that she “couldn’t speak properly” and made remarks about her Indian accent, and customs and various other things.
Jade is more being classist I think – insisting that Shilpa thinks shes “better than her”, when she’s said and done nothing to imply that. It’s a classic working class hang-up complex.
Incidently, since this thing kicked off, ratings have gone through the roof. Considering the fact that we only see small snippets of 24 hours days there, and Ch4 do the editing, it seems obvious they’ve been happy to stir it up a little. Though I think they’ve been taken aback by the response.
Isn’t it also the case Elle, that Ms Goody has been ejected from her fronting role in the Anti-Bullying campaign? It would be nice to think this event will end the awful bore BB has become but I suspect the precise opposite will happen.
Bill, I do remember reading that too, but then the anti-bullying group strenuously denied she was part of their campaign, that’s why I didn’t mention it on my post because it would have been a good line in the circumstances.
Hi, Ellee. I, too, am wondering if they know about it all in the BB house. I presume they do, by now. I suppose if it alerts people to the problem of bullying amongst adults in general, that’s something. I still hope the show bites the dust, though.
The whole thing has been blown out of proportion. Yesterday there where far more news worthy stories. Such as the Royal Marines gallant attempts to rescue one of their own.
Yet the top story playing on all the MSM channels happened to be about a bunch of miss fit D list celebs who can’t behave in civilised fashion.
As for racism, this is a minefield of a subject.
The rules governing what is racist and what isn’t change faster than most people can keep up with.
I do not consider my self racist, but I do believe in treating others as I am treated,and to be politicaly uncorrect, I will call a spade a spade if that is what is required.
I’d love to think that I hear the death rattle of reality TV here.
I suspect I’m being premature.
We can but hope.
The fact that Shilpa thought the attacks on her were were racist and the withdrawal of Carphone Warehouse are turning points. Though Channel 4 might have been pleased about imncreased viewing figures, it has backfired badly, when they could have stopped it going further days ago.
Did you know it’s on the front page of the New York Times now too?
The media are fuelling the fire and only adding to the countrys racial issues. BB has edited and encouraged the bullying when they could have put a stop to it straight away. BB has manipulated the situation and must be enjoying the higher ratings but at what cost? As for men was it okay for Jermaine Jackson to call Jade’s family “white trash”! This is the only racist comment i have heard. Jade will be evicted and led like a lamb to the slaughter. BB built her up and are now knocking her down. I cannot imagine how bad her eviction will be as the baying crowds will be bullying her! & i am sure shouting racist comments & maybe even throwing objects at her. I do not agree with Jade bullying shilpa but i do think this should have been stopped before it became an issue. The media should be covering far more important topics instead of fuelling racism as this will only make the coutries racial issues far greater than they are.
Like one or two above, I was astonished that Big Brother was the main item of news for two days running. The producers must be laughing all the way to the bank.
It’s so tricky to decide these days what is, or isn’t racist, that it is hard for me to comment. It seems to me that the crucial element must be, were the offensive remarks made because of her behaviour or because she was Indian? Would they have made the same sort of remarks about a Jordy or a Taff, or an American if they had behaved in the same way?
If you build someone like Jade Goody up into someone the nation should take an interest in and regard as someone who’s opinion counts, you shouldn’t be surprised at what you get. She is a product of our crazy celebrity culture where we create these airhead icons, such as Paris Hilton, Jodie Marsh and other completely useless people, whilst people who really do great things are widely ignored by the media.
As I say, it’s all bread and circuses- the barbarians are at the gates…
Joe i couldn’t agree more…here’s hoping its death to reality ( or not so reality) television 🙂
Big brother was rubbish here and I see it is no better there.
They should ban it. I watched the behaviour and the comments on the news. Disgraceful.
What would happen to the Labour Party if classism was made illegal!?!
They’ve now decided that the eviction will not take place with a live audience present. Why?
This has just blown up without all sense of reason. I can’t believe that if you vote for shilpa to leave BB you are a racist. What is that about?
Why can’t someone vote shilpa out on the basis of her personality? Why is this such a race issue.
This stinks and I don’t like the polictical involvment this has attracted.
ellee.. tht shilpa shetty is an actress and racism apart she has achieved exactly what any actress intends to do.. i.e. get as much publicity and media attention as she can.. ofcourse one must ensure that racism is minimal for it cannot entirely be eradicated in the foreseeable future but nonetheless the issue at hand is being blown way out of proportion..
Totally at a loss as to what this thing is. Someone has a big brother and he’s not nice? Mystified.