Graham Norton cautioned over lesbian joke on chat show
By ANISunday, September 27, 2009
LONDON - Television presenter Graham Norton has been cautioned against perpetuating “potentially offensive stereotypes” of lesbians.
The BBC reprimanded his chat show after one viewer complained about the episode during which the comedian passed remarks about a patent application.
Referring to a woman used to illustrate the application, the star said: “I don’t know why they’ve got some strange lesbian to be the model,” reports The BBC.
Guest Ruth Jones scolded Norton, saying: “She may not be a lesbian, come on now”, later asking: “What does a lesbian look like?”
Pointing towards the illustration, Norton replied: “That”. He later added: “Anyway, there’s nothing wrong with being a lesbian”.
Speaking about the incident, the BBC said: “Although the initial references might have been inoffensive if considered on their own, they prompted an exchange with one of the programme’s guests which gave the references the appearance of perpetuating or reinforcing a potentially offensive stereotype.
“The programme team were reminded of the need to avoid any possibility of being seen to endorse offensive sexual stereotypes.” (ANI)
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September 29, 2009: 11:25 pm
This segment was based on my book, Patently Silly: The Daftest Inventions Ever Devised (Prion, 2008). It’s an honor to cause such controversy! (Even though, this whole thing is incredibly lame.) I refer to the woman as a “butch” lesbian. This is not a derogatory term. In fact, this is the term that many lesbians in the United States use to self-identify. I don’t know why Graham changed “butch” to “strange”. Perhaps the word “butch” doesn’t have the same connotations in the UK. As Bruce Willis in Pulp Fiction put it, Butch is “one of those American names that don’t mean s#*t. And a big part of being butch is how you look! Ask any lesbian what defines a “butch” looks like and I’m sure they will mention short hair. Check out her confident stare as she squats half-naked before the patent examiner (https://www.patentlysilly.com/patent.php?patID=6944883). Excellent form! Take that bureaucrat! Shame on the BBC. We should be celebrating this example of gender diversity in our public records. |
 Candypring |
September 27, 2009: 7:59 pm
Well, i know many LGBT. espcially bisexual single, bisexual couples and bi curious at Bimingle.com . can view the bisexual style photos. hot but also honest girl and cute. |
Daniel Wright