Ok, I dont watch Big Brother so maybe I should not comment. But I could not help noticing that people are up in arms against the racial abuse ..
..Shilpa Shetty is getting from her house mates. Hey guys ! What ? You mean Big Brother is this politically correct show where everyone goes to show how well behaved they are ?They go to Big Brother for exactly the opposite reasons, surely. You don’t get noticed unless you behave incorrectly. The show survives on human failings. It survives on human agony and pain. It survives on people exposing their dark sides to viewers. So how hypocritical of the Channel to publicly apologise. They are probably rubbing their hands in glee over the controversy.
A don’t you worry about the beautiful Ms Shetty. I have known her for years and she survived all these years in Bollywood, so she is a real survivor. She can take it.
Can you ?
Shekhar
I completely agree. These people are all professionals who are paid to live in that house. Since Big Brother is a TV show, it is majorly concerned with TRPs. And TRPs won’t increase unless viewers get to see at least a hint of scandal. Everyone who is on a reality show, like this one where the cameras follow one’s every move, are constantly acting. They are not showcasing their real selves on the show. Any viewer who thinks otherwise is only kidding himself/herself.
Dear Shekhar,
I totally agree with you. Shetty survived Bollywood…she will survive Big brother.
What is your view on Bigg boss…the Indian reality show? Whom do you think will win?
cheers
Ganesh
have not seen it Ganesh, sorry, shekhar
I remember the idea of a 24/7 TV show (sort of what reality TV ended up being) was suggested first (or where I heard it first) by the character Ethan Hawke plays in Before Sunrise.
Julie Delpy’s answer to that was, who would want to watch all the boring details.
We know that the show is about, Shekhar – at its core it is deeply cynical and manipulative.
The race issue provokes feelings of trying to rescue Shilpa from what looks like a dangerous situation and also forces British Asian viewers to ask the question – “whose side are we on?” – racism / bullying (the same thing,surely?) are the result of Shilpa playing a losing game of trying to be nice and accepted by people in a situation where this is pointless.
I don’t normally watch this garbage, this time around I’ve been suckered into watching the whole grisly trainwreck as it unfolds.
What are group dynamics ? – why do people form groups..is it better to look after No.1 ?? – why do I have these feelings of wanting to protect Shilpa (who, as you say is probably quite able to do that herself) – are “Asians” as a “Group” just as guilty of forming these defensive structures to protect themselves (as we can see in the group dynamics of Jade & co) – all interesting questions but all at the cost of Shilpas equilibrium…
Shekhar- you were spot on and now it’s turning into a brawl. Some of our readers who saw your comments on India-EU Film Initiative’s site, http://www.iefilmi.com, (Yes, I’m plugging the site!) agree with you. Read the following.
The Indian Government Wednesday said it had taken note of the alleged racist attacks on Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty on a popular UK reality TV show and would take appropriate action.
“We are seized of the matter. We are looking into all the aspects. We will take appropriate action as required,” junior minister for External Affairs Anand Sharma told reporters here.
“The world knows that India has throughout firmly rejected all forms of discrimination and racism,” he said.
Pervaiz, “The world knows that India has throughout firmly rejected all forms of discrimination and racism”.
Has India’s caste system been totally eradicated yet?
For a more balanced view of events in the Big Brother compound read Greer and Kunzru in today’s Guardian.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1991890,00.html
Caste system is the hoary old argument people trot out to defend racist attitudes elsewhere – these attitudes exist the world over when groups or communities with insecurities (ie everyone…) are formed.
The views expressed on BB are repugnant and nauseating, especially as they are being played out “for real” and not in some drama – artificially induced perhaps, for the camera by idiots, but repugnant just the same…the whole thing turns my stomach..
Her Hotness Shilpa makes the show sizzle and some moron Indian minister wants to throw cold water over all that?
Racism is everywhere, its human. Its the effect of cause and the cause is jealousy.
-Girish Sharma
if we can have a ban or punishments over raciast comment in sports, then why be different in other cases.law states equallity and should be for all irrespective of his position or how much money possed he/she may be.the person who attacks or comments on a person over raciasm or country’s pride a person represent the country’ pride and the country responsible heads should take care of the matter.we all expect an appoligy in writting and on news channel from the guilty
If Shilpa had gotten into Big Brother not having seen any previous runnings / kowing anything about it, I would empathise. But I have a feeling she full well knew what she was getting into and how she could leverage it ! Maybe its just me being cynical !
Rohit, that’s because sportsmanship is about bringing the best out of you in a competetive spirit, and reality TV shows work only if the ‘worst’ is brought out in the participants. Viewership depends upon that. Shekhar
“when groups or communities with insecurities (ie everyone…) are formed.”
I’m glad you said, everyone, because if you are saying that no racism exists in India or among Indians towards others, then that would be delusional.
East Asian Kenyans, in the UK and their attitudes that are prevalent toward the African would be a case in point.
The show is repugnant, and some of the people on it are also repugnant, and their reasons for being there are even more repugnant. I doubt that Shilpa is “representative” of her country, at least I do hope that is not the case. As Jade Goody is really not “representative” of any Northern European; although that appears to be inferred in some comments. Which is just another form of the stupid bitchiness taking place on BB right now.
Actually I thought it was funny when Shilpa threw the pot of soup, bones and all, down the toilet bowl. She unfortunately had no idea how much she had contravened European ways in doing that, or how absolutely astonished her European housemates were at her action.
What was even more funny, was that despite the fact that the throwing of the soup and it’s final destination, were all Shilpa’s decision, she then went directly to the diary room and told Big Brother and I quote: “We’ve thrown the soup down the toilet….”
A “WE” not “I”, she wanted the other housemates to share the blame. She obviously is not acquainted with the notion of taking responsibility for her own actions.
To further add to my amusement, when asked by one of the housemates what they might need to do about a toilet bowl full of soup leftovers, Shilpa responded, “They, can clear it up, that’s what they are here for”.
Now I am not sure whether she meant the BB Production Team, or her fellow housemates; in any case, the majority of the citizens of the UK, do not have cleaning staff on hand 24 hours a day, and this was an unbelievable instance of cultural ignorance, coupled with an expectation that there were “people to do that sort of thing”, and she isn’t one of them. The master – servant notion reared it’s ugly head.
So watch out for any number of British Tourists in India throwing their food leftovers down toilet bowls, and when the toilet gets clogged, you will hear the immortal words, “Shilpa Shetty thinks it’s ok”.
As to the comment about removing the offending food mess from the toilet with teeth. That’s not racist. That is an expression of disgust at the action in the first place.
Danielle Lloyd’s comment about “go back home”, that I can tell you from personal experience is common place. I’m Irish, and in the first years I lived in Britain, it was said to me many times. And yes, I feel that it is a racist comment. Besides, many black people are born in this country, where will they go home to? Stratford on Avon? I’m suprised at Danielle Lloyd, Liverpool, she comes from there, has one of the oldest black communities in the UK.
However, much of the jealousy toward Shilpa, has I think been fuelled by the perception that the production company were giving her preferential treatment in the house, and this has been borne out by many events in the house. So it would almost seem that to some extent the production company are in part to blame for setting up a situation designed to cause conflict.
Interestingly enough, when I first arrived in Britain, I had just lived for four years in Zurich, Switzerland, and had never been told to “go back home”, but then the Swiss were more worried about their Turkish immigrants, than a Northern European like me.
I feel that when the hullabaloo dies down, and Jade is evicted, will there be any further discussion about this behaviour, or will people believe that the “offender” has been caught, prosecuted and punished, and wipe their hands of the issue, which isn’t going away any time soon, here in the UK, or anywhere else.
I wonder if anyone saw the image of Shilpa’s face when Jade Good et al arrived in the house. The image was in many publications here, and was captioned: “ohmigod, ohmigod, help Mummy, they’ve sent in the working-class”.
It will be interesting to see what tonights events are. But I’ll have to set my video, because I’m off for a good meal with family and friends.
…we all agree that there is some conflict about how Shilpa has dealt with certain situations – eg use of the toilet, customs which are at variance with the generally accepted way of doing things in such and such a place – these are not the issue – how it’s dealt with by others is..
Why did’nt someone quietly tell Shilpa that this is not how its done here instead of a torrent of vile abuse which you’d expect coming from a mysogynist male to a woman, or to a servant ? – there are surely gender AND race issues here.
For example, Indians consider it more hygienic to wash themselves after using the toilet instead of using toilet paper – but is this wrong – does it deserve abuse, racist or otherwise ?
Europeans in general have a worrying lack of curiosity about other cultures – you can ask even the poorest dweller of a slum in India about places outside India & you can be sure they are better informed than most Westerners.
I agree with Shekhar re: the channels actually making money out of all these controversies.
I would also like to extend this comment to all the reality shows actually, including the different ‘idols’ on indian television too. They bank on people fighting , making people cry , making everything so melodramatic and so forth.
As for Big Brother, kudos to Shilpa Shetty for surviving through all that..
Friends,
I struck me aftering following the comments and analyses of legal people of late that the Supreme Court today has all the three functions concentrated in it:
law making by an interpretation of the Constitution; law enforcement, en executive functions though committees; and finally law adjudication- judicial review. A lot of thought needs to be spared to these developments or we hope it is for the good of the country.
Much ado about nothing.
I think that shilpa shetty was the best character there at big bro plus she was quite brave and dat. She had her ups and dwns but she had her best mates the on her side accept jade and her “not real boyfriend”. By the way im on shilpas side and always will be. I will never 4get this big bro coz me and shilpa r reali close and that.My uncle knows her reali well so she knows me and if any of my friends met her and said do u know jessie smillie she would say yeh we r reali close and dat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!And all those people out ther who say im fibbin go ask her ur self OH WAIT U CANT HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHHHAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH U LOT R LOSERS IM TELLIN YA GINGER NUTTERS LOL :)x
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