counterreport.com

The row over Jade Goody and her friend’s outbursts against Shilpa Shetty in particular in the British Reality TV show Big Brother had 10 prime characteristics:

1. Calling India a Slum:

This is perhaps the only racist remark in the whole episode.

Jade Goody asked Shilpa to go back to the slums from where she came. A definite remark against Indians though it just describes her personal feelings against Indian and cannot be projected as a general British (or International) perception of India. Does show the vanity of Jade as well as the shallowness of her thoughts. Thumbs Down.

2. Asking her to pick chicken bones from the toilet with her teeth

Though a common slang in english speaking world, No idea what it means, though it is merely a bullying statement by vain people. A shallow statement to make ever anyway. But remember that rarely does anyone speaking a slang means what he says. Thumbs Down.

3. Shilpa backtracks her statements

Shipla was inside the house and off contact and never mentioned that there was a racist remark. Though outraged British Indians thought so. So there was never a case of Shilpa backtracking. And there’s no problem if Shilpa doesn’t feel that she was being subjected to racist remarks. Pleae don’t force people to feel what you like, it is her own decision to feel the way she likes. Thumbs Up.

Indian newspapers though carried statements of her sister Shamita, another actress, to this effect but the next day they cried fowl. Another case of inaccurate reporting by Newspapers. Thumbs Down.

4. High Number of complaints received by British Media Watchdog

Given the sensitivity of the first statement, it was expected, though it could be a staged-managed response to try and revive a show with declining popularity. Neutral.

5. Jade Goody being invited to India to cleanse herself

This step by the Incredible India campaign is Humour in Bad taste. No matter how demeaning a statement is made by a person, to retaliate at the same level trivializes the issue and converts it to a personal slugfest. Thumbs Down.

6. Jade Goody being ousted by a huge margin from the show.

It is actually not about the remarks but about the way slang has come to stay in the language of british youth and they speak words without realising their meaning. Don’t understand? Well it’s like when people say Oh Holy Shit! They don’t really mean to say exactly that. Britishers don’t tolerate this type of slugfest and slandering and they have shown it in style. Thumbs Up.

7. Shilpa being called a small time actress for all what I (Jade Goody) know

Well, no one needs to be well informed in a personal confrontation situation. I don’t expect all the people in the world to know about Shilpa Shetty, so newspapers to even include that statement is just a case of sensationalisation. Thumbs Down.

8. Jade Goody’s has a Brand of perfumes that is being made in India!

Well this is a very important fact. And also that she has visited India for this. This proves that Jade is aware of India. This means either of two things, either Jade Goody has a very partisan view of things (shallow mind) OR this is the image that some of the visitors to India take home with them - not a good sign for Incredible India. Thumbs Down.

9. Shilpa made a lot of money

It is no one’s concern. Well she went to take part in this as a part of her job. Dear realize that she’s not representing India in Olympics. She’s gone there to make money and if that requires her to tolerate bullying and position herself so that she can move on to final stages it’s her right to stage manage herself. Neutral.

10. What is this fuss all about?

It was just a reality show - it showed reality. So what’s the big deal? This is REALITY. What is the job of governments in this? It’s not as if the show is promoting bullying or racism, so what is this fuss all about? Thumbs Down.

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