[News] POLL TIME - Danny Baker’s tweet

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Maybe he isn’t as clever as I was first lead to believe.

But genuinely, can you see a scenario where he would look at the picture first, actually realise it had potentially racial connotations (which would lead to a shit storm) and still decide it was good to post it?

I simply can't fathom that.

 

[Easy 10]

He came across as a bit of a tit in the door stepping video. I’d have just kept my door shut.

He IS a bit of a tit. He shoots from the lip, and his mouth is quite often two steps ahead of his brain.

As an aside, I wonder if his weekly podcast with Lineker 'Behind Closed Doors' will be binned off now as well. Its not affiliated with the BBC at all (I dunno who produces it tbh), but it'd be a shame as its quite good, sometimes.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Anyone who thinks danny baker didnt mean that in a racist way is kidding themselves

He's not Tommy Robinson FFS.

I have read Danny Baker's books, follow him on Twitter and often listen to his Saturday radio show, not for one moment have I thought Danny is in anyway a racist.

 

[Driver8]

Anyone who thinks danny baker didnt mean that in a racist way is kidding themselves

Bollocks.

 

[Easy 10]

No. I'm an ardent, staunch Republican who pays zero attention to the Royals and the Royal Family and even I knew Megan was mixed heritage. The idea that Baker (who works in the media) simply didn't know is verging on preposterous.

EDIT: And even you admit that you at least knew by the time they married - and I bet you don't work for a media organisation where having even a passing interest in current affairs is expected.

OK, so you believe that the explanation of ignorance about Meghans mixed race roots is out the window then.

So why would he knowingly, and completely out of character, put out an offensively racist tweet likening a newborn baby of mixed race to an ape, destroying his broadcasting career in the process ?

I'm struggling with that.

 

[Deadly Danson]

Baker I keep being told is a clever ****....you’ll never know for sure what he truly meant and obviously he’ll never publicly state anything other than his innocence, btw any news on the examples of where he’s used that photo for other Royal Births?

Where have I stated there were? Others have I believe - no idea if there were or not. And it's true I'll never know for sure if there was any racist intent but based on everything he has ever done or said in public, his history of talking about monkeys dressed up, his lack of any history of racist sentiment and his apology I can be sure as I can possibly be. But if you want to be judge, jury and executioner based on ONE tweet out of 51000 then that's your prerogative.

 

[Stato]

'white ******' in the context of that song, basically means 'white trash' or simply 'expendable prole' doesn't it?

If I remember rightly, Costello said that its a reference to the terminology that some English squaddies used to describe the Irish whilst on duty there in the seventies. It's a blunt description of the racism that was around at the time, but over time the word has become seen as completely unacceptable regardless of context and now stands out like a sore thumb. See also Randy Newman's anti-racist song 'Rednecks' which is now completely unbroadcastable and some of The Major's dialogue in Fawlty Towers, as well as some pupils complaining about the use of the word when studying 'To Kill A Mocking Bird' in US High Schools. It's a difficult one. On the one side there is a respect for modern sensibilities and the power and disgusting history of that word and words like it, on the other it seems wrong to be airbrushing these things out of our history rather than admitting to the sins of the past. It's tricky to argue that context is everything when things are presented to a wider audience that may have no understanding of the context in question.

#Prodnose has got himself in trouble for the same reasons. His mates and his listeners knew where he was coming from, but they are widely outnumbered by people with no understanding of him, his history, or his character. Jon Ronson's book on public shaming is an excellent read. He points out that people actually feel good about themselves for piling-on on social media and bringing karma upon the perceived wrongdoer. They walk away with a little bit of self righteousness and the piled on has all the consequences. It's clear from Baker's books and reaction to his Radio London dismissal that he has a bit of a problem with authority and no feeling that he needs to kowtow to anybody. It was going to get messy as soon as someone had to tell him off.

 

[father_and_son]

But loads of BBC employees insult people on their Twitter all the time - Gary Linekar springs to mind. There should be no consequences for sending a tweet meant to imply the royal are posh. Of course some things such as racism or homophobia are abhorrent and the consequences for those should be obvious. But it's a mad world where you lose your job because of how others interpreted what you said rather than what you intended. Especially once you realise how it might have been construed you delete it and apologise.

So, you can't insult (let's be crazy and call it a 'joke) anyone about anything because some people might misunderstand the original insult and think you are doing a different much worse kind of insult......even if you weren't at all.....and at that point losing your job is fine as it's a consequence of other peoples misjudgement.

Makes sense.

Even giving him the benefit of the doubt over racism and trying to understand the 'joke' behind the tweet, he isn't saying royals are posh... he is saying they are not human beings.

Whilst I'm all for free statement and comedy, there is a time and place ... and a line when you are a public figure representing your employer when you post on social media.

This is not Joe Bloggs down the road with 20 followers who got drunk and called Wayne's girlfriend a slag because he'd had too much beer. This is someone who, are a critical part of their job, puts themselves in the public eye and will be observed and analysed in everything they do. People like that should either think before they tweet or hand over their official account to a paid lacky and have another account where they pretend to be a normal Joe Bloggs and not use their fame in that way.

Social media has wide reaching impacts when you have hundreds of thousands of followers and you both seem to believe that DB should be subject to the same scrutiny as you or I. They aren't. They have greater responsibilities on those platforms than normal people.

 

[symyjym]

What "list" ?

Its not bullshit at all. I pay little attention to the royals, and wasn't previously aware that Meghan was considered mixed race (prior to the wedding). I just thought she's a right fitty. If Baker didn't realise that she was of black parentage either then he'd have thought his tweet was harmless. I find that easier to swallow than the notion that DB is a closet racist, and decided to publically reveal that fact to the world on social media last night.

Anyone in national broadcasting doesn't deserve a job in national broadcasting if they are ignorant of basic national facts.

His doorstep challenge doesn't live up to your excuses for him.

You also make it sound like losing ones job or career for being stupid or inappropriate doesn't happen? Fortunately for him, he has probably earned enough to retire and his job was only a hobby for his ego.

 

[Wozza]

No. I'm an ardent, staunch Republican who pays zero attention to the Royals and the Royal Family and even I knew Megan was mixed heritage. The idea that Baker (who works in the media) simply didn't know is verging on preposterous.

EDIT: And even you admit that you at least knew by the time they married - and I bet you don't work for a media organisation where having even a passing interest in current affairs is expected.

I saw loads of royal baby news yesterday and didn't think about race once.

I saw Danny Baker's photo - before the furore - and didn't think of race.

I saw the fuss and thought, yes, that photo could be considered by some (many) as racist.

I don't think that Baker had racist intent at all.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

OK, so you believe that the explanation of ignorance about Meghans mixed race roots is out the window then.

So why would he knowingly, and completely out of character, put out an offensively racist tweet likening a newborn baby of mixed race to an ape, destroying his broadcasting career in the process ?

I'm struggling with that.

I'm guessing his judgement was impaired by drink, personally. Can't really imagine any other reason.

 

[Brovion]

OK, so you believe that the explanation of ignorance about Meghans mixed race roots is out the window then.

So why would he knowingly, and completely out of character, put out an offensively racist tweet likening a newborn baby of mixed race to an ape, destroying his broadcasting career in the process ?

I'm struggling with that.

Apparently he'd used that picture before. I'm guessing he thought that people would just think "Oh that's Danny having his usual pop at the Royals" and that no one would take it 'out of context' i.e. as a one-off racist slur.

 

[Waveknight]

I'd LOVE to know what that scenario would be.

"Ah, what a LOVELY morning. Haven't I done well in life. Do you know what, I REALLY fancy posting that racist picture today. I've got a right CORKER up my sleeve. That would be funny. What's the worst that could happen? I'm sure no-one would mind. I certainly wouldn't get in trouble for it as social media is a kind place and the BBC won't mind.".

If you work for the BBC and post something you KNOW is going to be seen as racist....you also KNOW you are going to be sacked.

Hes a notorious piss artist

 

[Brovion]

I saw loads of royal baby news yesterday and didn't think about race once.

I saw Danny Baker's photo - before the furore - and didn't think of race.

I saw the fuss and thought, yes, that photo could be considered by some (many) as racist.

I don't think that Baker had racist intent at all.

No I don't think he had either (which isn't the same as not knowing about Markle's ancestry which was my point). As I replied to Easy I think that he thought that as he'd used the picture before he could use it again, and as he isn't a racist* no one would think he was being racist.


*Although people like Diane Abbot believe all white people are racist, so I guess she's the only one not surprised by his behaviour

 

[oneillco]

I saw loads of royal baby news yesterday and didn't think about race once.

I saw Danny Baker's photo - before the furore - and didn't think of race.

I saw the fuss and thought, yes, that photo could be considered by some (many) as racist.

I don't think that Baker had racist intent at all.

Maybe he didn't, but I find it astonishing that he didn't think for one second how it could be construed. It's a shame because the Windsors welcoming a mixed race woman into the family is probably the only positive thing I've ever thought about them. My advice to anyone in the public eye; abandon Twitter as you are playing for high stakes...

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

Hes a notorious piss artist

Yeah.....I think posting something you think is racist is a bit far...even for a "piss-artist"

 

[Easy 10]

Anyone in national broadcasting doesn't deserve a job in national broadcasting if they are ignorant of basic national facts.

His doorstep challenge doesn't live up to your excuses for him.

You also make it sound like losing ones job or career for being stupid or inappropriate doesn't happen? Fortunately for him, he has probably earned enough to retire and his job was only a hobby for his ego.

Look, he's paid to talk bollocks about football, and about dogs running onto pitches. We're not talking about David Dimbleby here. Just because he hosts a lighthearted radio phone-in, you think he needs a constant encyclopaedic knowledge of news and current affairs ?

And yes people do lose their jobs for saying stupid or inappropriate things, but you have to judge each instance on its merits. He didn't do a Ron Atkinson and refer to someone as a "stupid thick ******" did he.

Whether he's well off enough to call it a day now anyway is neither here nor there. IMO the BBC were wrong to dismiss him for this, but its entirely in keeping with the stuffed suits at institutions like that (and the FA), who immediately SOIL themselves at the first whiff of a screaming Daily Mail "LOOK, isn't this DISGUSTING" - type headline.

 

[Waveknight]

Yeah.....I think posting something you think is racist is a bit far...even for a "piss-artist"

Did he post anything in that vein when william and kates kids were born ?

 

[symyjym]

Maybe he didn't, but I find it astonishing that he didn't think for one second how it could be construed. It's a shame because the Windsors welcoming a mixed race woman into the family is probably the only positive thing I've ever thought about them. My advice to anyone in the public eye; abandon Twitter as you are playing for high stakes...

TTS Twitter Tourettes Syndrome

 

[Easy 10]

I'm guessing his judgement was impaired by drink, personally. Can't really imagine any other reason.

I think thats a reasonable assumption, being as he often greets the evening with a selfie of him at home, holding up a glass of wine with the message "evening everyone". He might well have done it last night.