James's Blog : Telly Blog

WARNING++++LENGTHY RANT....

From entertaining a nation of couch potatoes (and I very much include myself in that) to causing a furore raising very much a hot potato, Big Brother has hit world media attention and attracted nearly 40,000 viewer complaints – unprecedented in the history of television.

The issue is that of the ‘bullying’ and ‘racism’ of Jade, Danielle and Jo towards Shilpa. In my mind, I’m have absolutely no doubt that it is very much a case of bullying of the unsavoury playground variety and racism that, although not 1970's sitcom-overt, is still borne of unacceptable comments and behaviour by the three girls in question.

Don’t get me wrong, Bollywood beauty, Shilpa, isn’t the defenceless, shrinking wallflower people are making her out to be – she has very firm opinions and I imagine in a debate she has no hesitation in sticking right by them, but she has displayed a dignity and poise that the Elstree Three can only dream of and certainly hasn’t deserved out and out bullying and snide racist behind-the-back asides that even she doesn’t yet know about.

Normally, I wouldn’t get quite so het up in what many, often rightly, view as trivial reality television, but I have a real personal vendetta against bullies and against mindless prejudice.

I think it’s important to reiterate that this is ‘Celebrity’ Big Brother. These are people who are in the public domain and are therefore surrounded by a posse of managers, agents, PR people and image makers, all of whom will have had ample opportunity to ensure their clients are au fait with what is and isn’t the right thing to say or do in public. These people are also experienced enough in round-the-clock scrutiny to know better. To blame this all on naïvety, youth or inexperience doesn’t wash.

In fact, in the light of the almost certain outcome of this evening’s vote, the programme makers and broadcasters, Endemol and Channel Four, have cancelled the baying crowds for tonight’s eviction and have publicly stated that a quiet eviction will give Jade an opportunity to ‘speak to her advisers regarding the situation’. A bit like shutting the door after the horse has bolted, surely.

Although the result is said to be pretty much decided already, I nevertheless urge you all to vote to evict Jade by phoning 09011 32 33 09 or text JADE to 84466. Calls cost 50p, mobile and other network rates may vary. Texts cost 50p plus standard message rate. All proceeds of tonight’s vote will go towards charities chosen by the housemates (although perhaps it would have been more appropriate to give the money to culture and race education projects and anti-bullying campaigns.)

It may well seem harsh, but I really do hope we get to see Jade’s spectacular fall from grace, despite the obligatory ‘I Was Misunderstood’ headlines we’re bound to be subjected to, the week after her exit, in a certain genre of magazine. Her rather ironically named perfume ‘Shhh…’ has been taken off the shelves already and in a career that’s been fed by the media and therefore the public and therefore the media again, it’s difficult to see how the situation can be easily glossed over or even repaired. The girl really doesn't possess genuine remorse and I can imagine if we were able to see her live as-it-happens first-hand reaction to being told of the situation, I've no doubt her first safety-net is aggressive defence.

The country being able to see this calamity come to such a suitable conclusion, I believe, is good, because it really is an important message to this country that everyone is responsible for their actions. Something forgotten in a society that seems to cherish a yobbish culture and think that a damn-everyone-else attitude is big and clever. And, I might add, this is nothing to do with coming from an unprivileged background – an oft cited excuse.

And don’t believe a word of this ‘they’ve now made up’ nonsense. The damage is done and some very carefully worded leading questions in the diary room have no doubt made it abundantly clear to the perpetrators what the situation on the outside is.

Perhaps it is true that Big Brother has brought this to light and has dragged the undercurrents of subtle racism out from under the carpet (where it was swept several decades ago) where perhaps a reasonable debate about it can ensue. God knows this is going on in many a school, workplace and in wider communities and having a huge number of viewers actually see it first hand at last gives it the platform it deserves.

However, the programme-makers are certainly not without their own faults. The programmes have been very carefully edited to sway public opinion, boost ratings (from 2 to 5 million) and, in past couple of days, to save their hides. God knows that the irritating bird tweets and aircraft sounds, supposedly muting the audible action from the house for legal reasons (no longer stated as such these days) are clearly there to save the juicy bits for the editing room and probably for erasing anything inconvenient from public record.

In addition, the fact that there have been instances when Shilpa was subtitled unnecessarily in an altercation with Jade (when I actually could have done with some help in comprehension of Jade’s rantings) perhaps deserves a little finger-wagging at Big Brother themselves. I imagine they’re already rethinking the wisdom of allowing Jade, her mother and partner to troop into the house mob-handed in an attempt to 'push those boundaries'.

Maybe with Jade gone, her hench-women will have pause for thought too.

Ironic that Former Miss England/Great Britain, Danielle Lloyd, once had such honorable aspirations as World Peace and Working with Children. Hmm. Having been stripped of her title and tiara over her propensity to strip for the lad mags and generally get her baps out of the bread bin at the drop of a hat, there was also some controversy over her relationship with one of the judges, her now boyfriend, Ted Sheringham. A sweet natured girl, say her friends. In the BB House, unfortunately, it's been the case of face of a beauty queen, mouth like a skip.

As for Jo O’Meara, once the bubbly blond who could actually sing from S Club 7 (Russell Brand did make me giggle with S Club Clux Clan) – it’s a real disappointment. A 27 year old who has travelled extensively, achieving pretty much global success has shown very little worldliness. Shame on her. At the risk of stooping to her level, she also bears a rather disturbing resemblence to Pat Butcher from certain camera angles – I might ask BB to get her to wear a pair of garish, dangly earrings just to make sure.

And what’s to become of Jade’s boyfriend - whatever his name is. So bland viewers actually forget he’s even there - and I've only remembered him because I've been checking my notes.

As for the rest:-

You know when someone gets bullied in the playground and the teacher comes over and punishes both the bully and the victim – that’s exactly what Clio did in nominating Jade and Shilpa. As for today, where she actually invited Jade and Whatsisname to Shadow Lounge and Too2Much in London - I think we should launch a national campaign!

Ian (H from Steps – he’ll always be that to me…) at least knows the situation, although it would be good if he could stand up a bit to what he believes in, rather than it be Better Best Forgotten (sorry, had to get that in).

At least Dirk and Jermaine have been pretty visible in their support for Shilpa and I’m seriously considering embroidering some cushions with a selection of Jermaine’s wise words from his time in the house.


With all this excitement, it’s difficult to see where this series or any future series can go, short of Tenko-style eviction with remaining housemates having to bury them in the garden...

We wait to see.

Who wins, you decide.

Last modified by James on Saturday, 20th January 2007, 1:27pm