Cohen, Little Britain, 'not encouraging racial hatred but class hatred'

[treelover]

Even third-rate art can anticipate the future. In Little Britain and shows like it, you could sense the coming vindictiveness. They weren’t encouraging racial hatred but class hatred. What was meant to titillate viewers about Desiree DeVere, played by David Walliams with blackface and a fat suit, wasn’t just that she was black, but that she was obese and as common as muck. Television was reflecting the belief of millions that their money was going to scroungers

The idea that this grotesque figure thought herself a beauty was laughable. Another character pretended to be disabled to get sympathy, but jumped out of his wheelchair when no one was looking. A third ran a fat-fighters group while showing no awareness of how ugly her own greed was. After years of a Labour government redistributing wealth, television was reflecting the belief of millions that their money was going to scroungers, who faked disabilities and grabbed benefits so they could buy junk food and stuff it into their foul, fat faces.

Blacking up was of a piece with 'comedy' that dealt in contempt | Nick Cohen

Little Britain, removed from BBC streaming services, anticipated a coming vindictiveness

www.theguardian.com

I agree with this somewhat, could include disabled as well, filtered into the last decade of demonisation of 'chav's the poor, etc, and bolstered the welfare reforms as well, which has led to many deaths

Strangely., the liberal left, etc were quite quiet overall with some exceptions, Owen Jones, 'Chavs' etc, though he seems not to focus on these anymore post Brexit.

 

[treelover]

Of all the arguments the history of slavery and racism has provoked, the spats about the comedy shows of the 2000s appear the least significant. Given the severity of the crisis that is upon us, surely it’s a distraction to worry away about the decision by the BBC and Netflix to pull Little Britain because its “stars” blacked up. Yet as we enter a global depression that the World Bank predicts will push 100 million people into extreme poverty, as unemployment in our corner of the globe heads towards 4 million, as food banks creak and charities collapse, the petty censorship raises a question of the utmost urgency: how will western societies respond to mass poverty?

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

I'm sure you couldn't find any examples of Nick Cohen doing anything like that.

 

[treelover]

This is a great article, Cohen has always backed the poor, etc, his views on the Iraq War have nothing to do with this article.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

This is a great article, Cohen has always backed the poor, etc, his views on the Iraq War have nothing to do with this article.

No he hasn't. He's a massive shit. The worst sort of reactionary liberal.

 

[treelover]

I'm sure you couldn't find any examples of Nick Cohen doing anything like that.

Care to say something about the substantive points, especially the fact milllions more are about to join the dole que, and imo, many who will likely have nothing to do and will look for scapegoats, etc.

 

[yield]

No he hasn't. He's a massive shit. The worst sort of reactionary liberal.

Yes. Absolute scum. Hate him with a passion.

 

[Orang Utan]

And he got outed as a handsy sleaze on Twitter this week

 

[killer b]

No plans on reading an article by Nick Cohen in 2020 so I've nothing to say about the 'substantive points' raised (apart from, to the pars quoted in the OP, 'why can't it be both?'), but happy to add to the he's fucking scum chorus.

 

[treelover]

Again, anything about the article, we are heading for horrendous times, and the lack of real opposition, evidenced by the poor response to 2008, disabled and sick have lost 20 billions since in benefits and services, and of course lives.

You think Walliams is racist?

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Again, anything about the article, we are heading for horrendous times, and the lack of real opposition, evidenced by the poor response to 2008, disabled and sick have lost 20 billions since in benefits and services, and of course lives.

You think Walliams is racist?

Tell us what you think.

 

[Orang Utan]

Again, anything about the article, we are heading for horrendous times, and the lack of real opposition, evidenced by the poor response to 2008, disabled and sick have lost 20 billions since in benefits and services, and of course lives.

You think Walliams is racist?

yes

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Did Walliams write and perform racist shit?

Yes.

Did the BBC commission and pay Walliams et al to write and perform racist shit?

Yes.

treelover, tell us what you think.

 

[Orang Utan]

They only have an opinion on one thing

 

[weltweit]

Walliams might be racist, the truth I think is more that Walliams looks down on everyone, not just people of other races. The only person Walliams rates is himself.

I am afraid I find Walliams odious in the extreme. And that means that I don't appreciate his comedy either.

 

[Saul Goodman]

Anyone connected to Little Britain is a cunt (IMHO)

 

[Puddy_Tat]

could of course be class and race hate, not an either - or...

 

[Saul Goodman]

could of course be class and race hate, not an either - or...

I wouldn't be surprised if Walliams interferes with invertebrates. He's a proper wrong 'un (IMHO)

 

[spanglechick]

Apparently his kids’ books are full of nasty stereotyping (women, elderly people, south Asian people...).

I saw gossip this week, from people in a perfect position to be well informed (FOAF) that Walliams worked with a ghostwriter on the first two or three books - which aren’t so obnoxious, and then he grandly told his publisher he could manage on his own from now on, and thence came the nastiness, plus overlong writing and far too many gimmicks within that, like “top ten lists”.

 

[weltweit]

Apparently his kids’ books are full of nasty stereotyping (women, elderly people, south Asian people...).

I haven't seen any of his books.

I saw gossip this week, from people in a perfect position to be well informed (FOAF) that Walliams worked with a ghostwriter on the first two or three books - which aren’t so obnoxious, and then he grandly told his publisher he could manage on his own from now on, and thence came the nastiness, plus overlong writing and far too many gimmicks within that, like “top ten lists”.

It might be petty nastiness that turns me off him so much. I recall seeing a few interviews and thinking - no not such a nice person. Could it be fair to say that he is a little smug and self satisfied?

 

[Saul Goodman]

I haven't seen any of his books.


It might be petty nastiness that turns me off him so much. I recall seeing a few interviews and thinking - no not such a nice person. Could it be fair to say that he is a little smug and self satisfied?

I think it's much more and much darker than that. The eyes are the doorway to the soul. His eyes say a lot, to me.

 

[Epona]

Lots of it was problematic - it was excused at the time as being "ironic" humour but it wasn't just the blackface stuff that was objectionable, there was a whole load of anti-welfare stuff in there too that was quite insidious and nasty. The blackface is the most nasty tip of a foul bigot-ridden iceberg tbh and I don't understand why it was ever commissioned in the first place, the fact those shows became so popular is very saddening. If the BBC and other broadcasters allow it to go ahead it sends a bad message to the population as a whole, apologising for it is too little too late, but I suppose better than nothing.

 

[Humberto]

ironically ironic

 

[Humberto]

Same as Alf Garnett

 

[Saul Goodman]

Same as Alf Garnett

Nothing like Alf Garnett

 

[Humberto]

Nothing like Alf Garnett

No you're right, they are different shows from different eras.

 

[Humberto]

Alf Garnett played the same joke. Laugh at the minority, but do it 'ironically'.

 

[Saul Goodman]

Alf Garnett played the same joke. Laugh at the minority, but do it 'ironically'.

Walliams, to me, seems like a spite-filled, nasty piece of work. I don't think we've heard the last of him.

 

[Humberto]

Walliams, to me, seems like a spite-filled, nasty piece of work. I don't think we've heard the last of him.

Snide in his manner.

 

[freakydave]

I think that like with most of the BBC comedy, the actual crime is being unfunny.
South Park is way more objectionable, but it's so well written and designed that it's not as offensive.