Russell Howard's Good News - Series 4 - Episode 2. Warning: transphobic content.

[aumentou]

Fourteen minutes into this, he goes off on a happy little detour into offensive transphobic stereotype land. So I lodged a complaint. If you also think it's a bit off, I'd appreciate it if you also lodged complaints too.

Comments

[morecake.livejournal.com]

I haz complained. It's on BBC3, first broadcast at 10.30pm on Thursday 31st, btw. Although in the age of iPlayer the idea of a broadcast date is a bit pointless.

[musichalldiva.livejournal.com]

I brought this to Carol Robson's attention and I have this reply, which I thought that you would like to read - she contacted Transmedia Watch immediately, as this contravenes an agreement which they had signed with BBC 3. - I told you she was lovely! :-)

Subject: Russell Howard prog
I've just been told by my friend at TransMedia Watch that they are meeting with the BBC tomorrow about this programme.

Carol x

[mr-s-face.livejournal.com]

Sweet!

[cowprintavenger.livejournal.com]

Done.
I used to think Russell Howard was quite funny when he was first on Mock the Week, but his funniness has been inversely proportional to how famous he's become and he seems to have degenerated into an attention-seeking teenager with an over-developed ego and not much else occupying his brain. Must be the influence of Frankie Boyle, that's all I can say.

[mr-s-face.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

I vaguely remember him on mock the week too. I recall him being rather nicer than the other people on there... but then, that's not hard, and people change.

[cowprintavenger.livejournal.com]

No problem. In this day and age people should be a bit past making fun of someone or a group of someones just because they aren't exactly the same as they are, but sadly it seems like some people's brains just aren't clever enough to cope with anything different. We're getting there, but it's a hell of a slow process.

[cowprintavenger.livejournal.com]

A response!

"Dear Miss Green

Reference CAS-693447-QN85SM

Thank you for your email regarding Russell Howard’s Good News, broadcast March 31 2011 at 22.30 on BBC Three.

It is never our intention to cause offence, so of course it troubles me to hear of cases where we may have done so inadvertently.

This sketch was not about transgender people per se, and while the BBC and the programme makers sincerely regret any offence we have caused, we would like to stress that the comments were not targeted at the transgender community. The sketch was about a fictional budget airline and the aim was to poke fun at the age old tradition of men dressing as women for laughs, very much in the vein of Les Dawson and Kenny Everett. We’re sorry if you felt this went too far but we have to credit the audience with the ability to discern that this is what we meant.

We are acutely aware that there are sensitivities around particular subjects and give careful thought to how to deal with such issues in comedy.

I appreciate and understand your strength of feeling on this matter and we will certainly bear it in mind going forward.

It is very helpful for us to hear the opinions of our audience, whether positive or negative, and I'd like to thank you for taking the time to contact us with your thoughts.

Warmest regards

Sean Hancock
Executive Producer"

I like the bit about having to credit the audience with the ability to discern what they meant...what a lot of bollocks!

[mr-s-face.livejournal.com]

I have word-for-word the same response. I am not impressed.