The BBC has issued a formal apology after broadcasting a gag by Jimmy Carr over Christmas that offended gypsies.
Known for material that is deemed by some to be politically incorrect, the joke in question reared it's head on Ned Sherrin's Radio 4 talk show Loose Ends, when guest Carr said: "The male gypsy moth can smell the female gyspy moth up to seven miles away - and that fact also works if you remove the word 'moth'."
It was then that The Gypsy Council announced they were angered but not surprised by the joke, with secretary Ann Bagehot telling The Guardian newspaper that these sort of potshots are quite common:
"If I had a thin skin, I would be bleeding but what I am curious about is this - what is Jimmy Carr's point? It's not as if it's funny, is it?"
In an official statement, a BBC spokesperson said: "This joke should never have been transmitted. We apologise unreservedly for any offence caused."
EDITORIAL COMMENT:
It would have been most interesting to see what would have happened to the BBC for transmitting the same kind of joke if it would have been aimed at Jews. But then even Jimmy Carr would not even have dared to do that. However, as per usual, Gypsies are fair game. I am sure this so-called comedian would claim in his defense, probably to us, "but I did not mean the real Romanies", but I am just surmising here, because one often gets that. Well, when anyone uses Gypsy then, in the eyes of the public the Romani are very much included there even though many will see, and I would agree with them in that case, the behavior displayed and rubbish left behind by the invasions of the Irish Travellers in their areas.
Known for material that is deemed by some to be politically incorrect, the joke in question reared it's head on Ned Sherrin's Radio 4 talk show Loose Ends, when guest Carr said: "The male gypsy moth can smell the female gyspy moth up to seven miles away - and that fact also works if you remove the word 'moth'."
It was then that The Gypsy Council announced they were angered but not surprised by the joke, with secretary Ann Bagehot telling The Guardian newspaper that these sort of potshots are quite common:
"If I had a thin skin, I would be bleeding but what I am curious about is this - what is Jimmy Carr's point? It's not as if it's funny, is it?"
In an official statement, a BBC spokesperson said: "This joke should never have been transmitted. We apologise unreservedly for any offence caused."
EDITORIAL COMMENT:
It would have been most interesting to see what would have happened to the BBC for transmitting the same kind of joke if it would have been aimed at Jews. But then even Jimmy Carr would not even have dared to do that. However, as per usual, Gypsies are fair game. I am sure this so-called comedian would claim in his defense, probably to us, "but I did not mean the real Romanies", but I am just surmising here, because one often gets that. Well, when anyone uses Gypsy then, in the eyes of the public the Romani are very much included there even though many will see, and I would agree with them in that case, the behavior displayed and rubbish left behind by the invasions of the Irish Travellers in their areas.
