Is Merely Impersonating An Accent Racist?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-29722860

[Khandro]

Is Merely Impersonating An Accent Racist?
Absolutely not, it's called acting, like Damian Lewis doing American (very well too!) in Homeland. Peter Sellars' goodness gracious me, or for that matter the Indian actors in 'Goodness Gracious Me' doing English.
Up with this, we should not put!

[jourdain2]

And 'Gid Moaning' to you, too, Ludwig.

[BlackadderV]

I was a contemporary with Arthur Bostrom (Crabtree) at university, though I never knew him.

[Slapshot]

hang on a mo....does this mean that the Great Peter Sellars Cleuseau stuff is banned as racist as well.... NO **** Off lefties and PC Nazis... poking fun at ourselves and others is part of the psyche of us all and not just Brits, my french friends love taking the mickey out of the English accents, worse the Scots..... this takes the biscuit!!

[Zacs-Master]

As the song is allied to UKIP who, beneath the veneer of respectability, a racist party then i think the song is in very bad taste and MR should have known better.

[ToraToraTora]

what about the 70s Lilt advert? "tootalli trapical teest"! The sad thing is it's probably not the west indians complaining, it'll be some lentil cruncher taking offence on their behalf!

[Svejk]

^ooh, hidden racists. They're the worst.

[New Judge]

"There are plenty of regional UK accents and Brotish folk tunes to use. The choice of a West Indian style and accent was unwise."

Strange.

The BBC is often accused (usually by its own senior staff) of being "hideously white" or some other such nonsense. Here is a man embracing the full panoply of "diversity" and "inclusiveness" and he is deemed unwise.

Me thinks some folks want it all ways.

[andy-hughes]

kvalidir "Accents in themselves aren't offensive or racist- they can be however when paired with unsavoury views and 'jokes' that aren't funny."

I would agree - it is about context.

Singing a comedy song with an accent as part of the humour should not be conisdered a racist, given its intention.

Adding a cod accent to a political song to publicise a party with strong immigration views is not racist - just thoughtless and in poor taste.

So - 'no', and as short as i could make it douglas!!!!!

[IggyB]

I'd never heard of it and unless I've missed something none of the criticism covered in the article says anyone thought it was racist... Just seems to be politicians having a dig back at ukip calling them out of touch, tone deaf and distasteful, which seems fair enough really if someone has written a song to take the micky out of you. I'm suprised they withdrew it.

[janbee]

So, when somebody now impersonates the Queen, will they be sent to the Tower for treason?

[andy-hughes]

New Judge - "Here is a man embracing the full panoply of "diversity" and "inclusiveness" and he is deemed unwise.

Tut tut, not like you to be mischievous!

[Gromit]

Has Mike Read explained why he is withdrawing it?

Last I saw he was vehemently defending it.

[New Judge]

"...UKIP who, beneath the veneer of respectability, a racist party..."

How do you arrive at that conclusion, Zacs? Or is it deemed racist to, quite sensibly, want to close the door on mass immigration? (I assume that's the aspect of UKIP's policies you are referring to).

[andy-hughes]

jambee - "So, when somebody now impersonates the Queen, will they be sent to the Tower for treason?"

What has that to do with the notion of racism in the context of this Question?

[BlackadderV]

...and how about this advert from the 50s?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyZ62oFDwcs

[Old_Geezer]

I've not heard the song, but based on the OP & link I think I'm losing the will to live.

[andy-hughes]

Gromit - "
Has Mike Read explained why he is withdrawing it?

Last I saw he was vehemently defending it."

There is a tipping point when media celebritis defence of something becomes unsustainable in the tide of public hosility.

At that point, the celebrity turns tail and withdraws, with the standard 'I didn't mean to offend anyone ... apology.

That usually translates as "Something i think is funny is not viewed as such by the majority of people, so now I look like a numpty, but please don't stop liking me ..."

[Zacs-Master]

NJ - No it isn't and people have a very short memory if they believe UKIP aren't racist.

[ludwig]

// Has Mike Read explained why he is withdrawing it?
Last I saw he was vehemently defending it." //

Someone probably pointed out that as he'd taken it upon himself to unilaterally ban 'Relax' as a Radio 1 DJ, on the grounds that he personally found it offensive, he'd look a bit silly if he told others that their offense at his dodgy recording was unjustified.