TV outrage of the week

m@cc@ · 11-11-2008 12:53PM #1

Seems appropriate to have a weekly thread on this now. :rolleyes:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/athletics/3416052/TV-presenter-Jim-Rosenthal-apologises-to-Tessa-Sanderson-Athletics.html

Jim Rosenthal's 'spear-chucker' gaffe forces ITV apology to 'good friend' Tessa Sanderson

An ITV spokesman has been forced to issue an apology on behalf of Jim Rosenthal after the presenter referred to black athlete Tessa Sanderson as a "spear chucker" live on air.

Rosenthal, 60, was hosting Danny Williams' boxing match on Friday night when he used the term after a link from a short film about charity work by 1984 Olympic gold medallist Sanderson, 52, to help troubled inner city youths.
When the camera returned to Rosenthal, he said: “Tessa Sanderson there, she was a great spear chucker.”
Rosenthal's comment prompted a flurry of complaints from ITV viewers, one of whom wrote: “The term is highly racist to black people. The only more offensive thing he could have said was what we shall leave as ‘the N word’.”
A spokesman for ITV4 said: “Jim was referring to Tessa’s achievements as a javelin thrower and there was absolutely no intention to offend on his part.
“However, in hindsight, Jim accepts that it was a poor choice of phrase and will be apologising to Tessa, who is a good friend of his.”
The controversy is not without precedent in this country. Maori New Zealander John Witanga won £11,000 in a race discrimination case in 2003 after being called a spear chucker by boss Colin Lusted in his first week at catering firm Rail Gourmet, of Edinburgh.

Wagon · 11-11-2008 01:00PM

How the hell is "spear chucker" racist?! It just means you throw big sticks really far. And she does....oh wait, look. She's black. Hang him, throw him to the dogs etc...

Bob1970 · 11-11-2008 01:01PM

thats a bit much tbh

Turd Ferguson · 11-11-2008 01:04PM

Will this PC bullshit parade never end?

dresden8 · 11-11-2008 01:05PM

Seriously, when are we going to tell these people to fuck off?

L31mr0d · 11-11-2008 03:37PM

she's a freakin javelin thrower!!! Her profession was chucking spears??? HOW IS THAT RASCIST!!!

MarkR · 11-11-2008 03:39PM

Ever hear the javelin throwers in the olympics being called a spear chucker? It's a common derogatory term for black people.

I agree the words themselves have no specific racists tones, but for someone in the media to use that term, when there is the much more simple commonly used term of javelin thrower makes you wonder was he being a bit tongue in cheek?

seanybiker · 11-11-2008 03:40PM

tis a bit much alright

RobertFoster · 11-11-2008 03:41PM

“The term is highly racist to black people. The only more offensive thing he could have said was what we shall leave as ‘the N word’.”

In other words, I'm a white person who feels morally responsible for the feelings of other races/"minorities".

Ban this sick filth/think of the children/etc.

mike65 · 11-11-2008 03:41PM

Is it cos Jim is black? er crap?

Mike

Nodin · 11-11-2008 03:45PM

L31mr0d wrote: »

she's a freakin javelin thrower!!! Her profession was chucking spears??? HOW IS THAT RASCIST!!!

Because "Spear chucker" is an old and well known racist term. He probably didn't mean it that way, but there ye go.

4zn76tysfajdxp · 11-11-2008 03:47PM

Nodin wrote: »

He probably didn't mean it that way

Still funny though.

seanybiker · 11-11-2008 03:48PM

Addyson Large Nursery wrote: »

Still funny though.

Tis that alright he he

robinph · 11-11-2008 03:50PM

Never heard of "spear chucker" being used in a racist way before and I would instantly thing somone was refering to a javelin thrower if they did use the phrase. Well either that or some ancient Spartan types maybe, but still not racist.

ArseBurger · 11-11-2008 03:50PM

Completely over the top and PC gone wild.

Javelin throwers call themselves spear chuckers.

MoominPapa · 11-11-2008 03:52PM

I seem to remember Rosenthal been the brunt of some pretty crude Jew Bating by Saint & Greavsie, well just Greavsie really, way back when.

Ah, those were the days - fcukin horrible, they were

ejmaztec · 11-11-2008 03:52PM

I'm surprised the the people having a go at him haven't been accused of anti-semitism, him being Jewish and all. Perhaps that'll come later. :P

m@cc@ · 11-11-2008 04:03PM

He was obviously using the term 'spear chucker' in reference to her being a javelin and nothing to do her being black. Outrage at this is a form of in itself to make the link between black people and 'spear chuckers'. Things like this just enchance prejudice.

mickos · 11-11-2008 04:09PM

m@cc@ wrote: »

He was obviously using the term 'spear chucker' in reference to her being a javelin and nothing to do her being black. Outrage at this is a form of in itself to make the link between black people and 'spear chuckers'. Things like this just enchance prejudice.

Yes, surely its the people who are outraged at this comment are more racist. If I had seen the comment live I would have associated it with her being a javelin thrower, race would of never entered my head.

Wagon · 11-11-2008 04:11PM

m@cc@ wrote: »

He was obviously using the term 'spear chucker' in reference to her being a javelin and nothing to do her being black. Outrage at this is a form of in itself to make the link between black people and 'spear chuckers'. Things like this just enchance prejudice.

Yeah...but I think it's more down to the fact that ITV's audience are a shower of ****ing idiots. Ban this sick filth etc...

Fratton Fred · 11-11-2008 04:19PM

they'll be trying to ban Black and Tan ice cream next

Turd Ferguson · 11-11-2008 04:22PM

Fratton Fred wrote: »

they'll be trying to ban Black and Tan ice cream next

Wouldnt surprise me. Do they even sell Golliwogs anymore?

Fratton Fred · 11-11-2008 04:24PM

Turd Ferguson wrote: »

Wouldnt surprise me. Do they even sell Golliwogs anymore?

Don't think so. It was a sad day the Golliwog went from the top of Robinson's Jam.

I can see why though.

Indie18 · 11-11-2008 04:27PM

Turd Ferguson wrote: »

Wouldnt surprise me. Do they even sell Golliwogs anymore?

yeah but they are not allowed to be called golliwogs anymore i forget what they are called now. but its now racist to call them golliwogs. why don't the pc brigade just f**k off and die serously.

ejmaztec · 11-11-2008 04:33PM

Indie18 wrote: »

yeah but there not allowed to be called golliwogs anymore i forget what they are called now. but its now racist to call them golliwogs. why don't the pc brigade just f**k off and die serously.

Probably "Golliheavilytannedethnicminority" doll.

Nodin · 11-11-2008 04:35PM

m@cc@ wrote: »

He was obviously using the term 'spear chucker' in reference to her being a javelin and nothing to do her being black. Outrage at this is a form of in itself to make the link between black people and 'spear chuckers'. Things like this just enchance prejudice.

Obvious to me and you maybe. However, given the current lynch mob mentality the Brit papers seem embarked on with regards TV, any failure to apologise and promptly might see him end up in Siberia with Big Ron.

m@cc@ · 11-11-2008 04:36PM

Turd Ferguson wrote: »

Wouldnt surprise me. Do they even sell Golliwogs anymore?

It's funny you should mention Golliwogs. Here in the Netherlands, they celebrate the arrival of 'Sinterklass'. He also has helpers called 'Zwarte Pieten' which basicially involves 'blackening up' to represent the African slave imported by Saint Nicolas (these days they try to say it's due to being down the chimneys). Can you imagine how far this would get in the UK and Ireland?!

High&Low · 11-11-2008 04:42PM

MarkR wrote: »

Ever hear the javelin throwers in the olympics being called a spear chucker? It's a common derogatory term for black people.

I agree the words themselves have no specific racists tones, but for someone in the media to use that term, when there is the much more simple commonly used term of javelin thrower makes you wonder was he being a bit tongue in cheek?

It may be construed as derogatory, but its not common. If you type "spear chucker" into google you'll only return about 15,000 results.

The javelin is often referred to as a "spear" in athletics circles...

MarkR · 11-11-2008 04:51PM

Maybe because i'm from the states, i've heard them all at some stage or other. Probably not a common term here, and so not seen as racist?

Nodin · 11-11-2008 04:57PM

m@cc@ wrote: »

It's funny you should mention Golliwogs. Here in the Netherlands, they celebrate the arrival of 'Sinterklass'. He also has helpers called 'Zwarte Pieten' which basicially involves 'blackening up' to represent the African slave imported by Saint Nicolas (these days they try to say it's due to being down the chimneys). Can you imagine how far this would get in the UK and Ireland?!

Dear Baby Jesus......

ejmaztec · 11-11-2008 05:01PM

Nodin wrote: »

Dear Baby Jesus......

Talking of Baby Jesus, in these parts he's depicted as whiter than white.

TV outrage of the week

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