David Jason? Was he really being racist?

[Fat Audi 80]

Taken from Yahoo news story: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090325...e-5f8abb3.html

Was he REALLY being racist and is this offensive?

Am I being naive, but its seems like something and nothing. Surely it is a play on words?

Sir David Jason has apologised for a "joke" he made about Pakistanis on a radio show. Skip related content
During the Christian O'Connell Show on Absolute Radio, the Only Fools And Horses star was asked to leave a question for the next guest as part of the Who's Calling Christian? feature, in which celebrities try to win money for charity.

The 69-year-old replied: "What do you call a Pakistani cloakroom attendant?" After a pause, he delivered the "punchline": "Me hat, me coat."

No apology was made at the time, but Christian responded to the comment by saying: "No more jokes like that."

The incident was edited out of the show before it was put on the Absolute website as a podcast.

A spokeswoman for the actor said: "He is very sorry if he has offended anyone. He was horrified when he found he had given offence. He hadn't thought it was a racist joke, but if people took it that way he's very sorry about it."

A spokeswoman for the station said: "The comments made by David Jason were unacceptable and Christian O'Connell distanced himself from them live on air.

"We consider the views of our listeners to be very important and have received no complaints about these comments.

"We will continue to monitor any complaints and Christian O'Connell will issue an on-air apology in tomorrow's breakfast show."

The incident happened at around 7.10 on Tuesday morning.

[S2central.net]

Not much of a punchline now was it - compared to the legendary 'canard' moment

[Sonic]

Sounds like a pretty harmless joke to me!

Anyway.. the best jokes are generally at someones expense.

This PC life we live in now....

[s2avant]

"We consider the views of our listeners to be very important and have received no complaints about these comments.

bet that will change when the daily mail brigade catch up on the story

I've just asked one of my pakistani colleagues if he found it offensive and he says not at all (but it was a bit of a crap joke), so that answers that.

Ben

[Rusty]

Different generation I guess, I know 'older' people who make gaffs all the time without a bad thought intended in them.

[Fat Audi 80]

Glad it's not just me then....

[20Vcqdriver]

Completely over the top. PC brigade at there usual tricks.
I have fun with accents with my family /friends alike and all have good banter and a laugh over each others accents, (my Brother in law is strong Yorkshire) with many references to the likes of the Goodies show ....
The PC brigade generally take these comments far too seriously, Think they need a sense of humour injection... He was only telling the truth after all..
Issue for me is if it had been the other way round and it was taking the Mick out of the English or Welsh, no-one at the BBC would have thought twice about it... and would have gone on air un edited....

[DarrenM]

FFS, thats an oldie and definately not intended to be offensive,whats the world coming to. They'll prob dig out some of the old Indian scenes from Only fool & horses next!!

[DarrenM]

) with many references to the likes of the Goodies show ....
:

Quite a few Goodie jokes flying around at the mo but we best not go there.......

[S2central.net]

The Goodies - LOL - available only on DVD - tis hard to believe these days what they got away with back then.

[Fat Audi 80]

Yeah I remember the Goodies being really funny when I was a lad...

[KaraK]

lol... I think he meant a slightly more recent Goodie

[Fat Audi 80]

Yeah he did, but the GoodIES were way funnier than the Goody....

[HPmuirt]

lol... I think he meant a slightly more recent Goodie

PMSL @ Fattie & Paul

Cheers n

Si

[shark_90]

What do you call a Pakistani with a pig on his head?

Ahmed.