(White) Welsh rugby player Liam Williams goes to fancy dress party as...

[burnee54]

Who the hell is in the full costume?. I know it's a donkey but from what film/TV series?

I think it might be Eddie Murphy's Donkey from Shrek?

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Why don't you try reading the whole thread?

I must be on the P scales for reading as I can't see anyone offended by him dressing up as Bony.

 

[Pavilionaire]

After this I'm guessing we're unlikely to ever see the full 5 Spice Girls again in fancy dress on Saturday at the Test match.

It seems it's now more acceptable to dress up as a Nazi than a Prem footballer. Ludicrous stuff, all this.

 

[vegster]

This is a bit of a juggling act. So, if you dress up as a character for a fancy dress do you have to dress as a character from your own race ? If you are not allowed to dress as someone from another race is that not discriminatory ? It would mean that ethnic black people dressing up as a Pierrot would be a no no too. It means that no one can dress up as a person who can be seen as an ethnic role model unless they happen to be of that ethnicity, this is very confusing.

 

[Skylar]

I think it might be Eddie Murphy's Donkey from Shrek?

Really? On the button if you're right.

 

[Stat Brother]

I wonder if the people/groups offended actually spoken to those involved.

 

[Soulman]

When he was criticised online, Williams insisted there was “not a racist bone in my body” and that Wilfried Bony “said it’s okay so no offence taken.”
“Wilfried Bony may be OK with it but it is bigger than Wilfried Bony.”
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/wales-international-liam-williams-called-8324794

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Why don't you try reading the whole thread?

I apologise. I hadn't seen that link posted by Bozza.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

What gets me in these cases is how thick the people involved are not to realise that blacking up is going to cause a bit of trouble. Regardless of what you think of the practice surely a profeesional sportsperson has to have had some media training in things to avoid and would think hang on its not the 1970's anymore the press are going to pick up on this and i could end up in hot water.

 

[Pavilionaire]

A bit of humour got us through Two World Wars. This time last week a disabled ex serviceman won a SPOTY award for the Invicus games and said ironically "he was blown away" by the support he'd received. For me that was more moving than his sporting achievments.

It's sad that many people can't see the importance of being able to laugh at ourselves any more. It is a something of a safety valve for intolerance.

 

[The Andy Naylor Fan Club]

 

[Barrel of Fun]

What gets me in these cases is how thick the people involved are not to realise that blacking up is going to cause a bit of trouble. Regardless of what you think of the practice surely a profeesional sportsperson has to have had some media training in things to avoid and would think hang on its not the 1970's anymore the press are going to pick up on this and i could end up in hot water.

Thick in a sense that he's now likely to receive threats and vile abuse and perhaps hadn't thought that far ahead.

I don't want to live in a society whereby you can't imitate someone for a fancy dress party for the sake of not being labelled a racist or offending someone.

 

[Sheebo]

What the **** am I reading?! Why the hell has this even come to a thread on NSC (not a dig at op as he's highlighting people have been 'offended'). He's chosen someone to go as in fancy dress. The idea of fancy dress is you try to look like the person you're going as. He's whote do needed to make his skin darker. Is there a fecking story here?! No. Absolutely pathetic.

If I went to a fancy dress party as an Orange and painted my face Orange is that offensive too?

 

[T.G]

Absolutely not as its all one way traffic

A quick glance at our colonial past might take issue with this view! That said I really think this is way over the top. Trying to look like a specific football player who is black is a tad different to the cartoon generic Blacking up of the Minstrels. Some people might take offence, but I can't see this as offensive…..imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

 

[melias shoes]

I wonder if the people/groups offended actually spoken to those involved.

Probably not they just get offended on behalf of others.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Thick in a sense that he's now likely to receive threats and vile abuse and perhaps hadn't thought that far ahead.

I don't want to live in a society whereby you can't imitate someone for a fancy dress party for the sake of not being labelled a racist or offending someone.

Thick in the sense that these sort of melodramas happen with boring regularity. You'd have to be living in a cave not to realise what was going to happen if a picture of you in blackface gets in the papers. And speaking if melodrama "I don't want to live in a society whereby you can't imitate someone for a fancy dress party for the sake of not being labelled a racist or offending someone" you're right that really is one of the last great human rights issues.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

If I went to a fancy dress party as an Orange and painted my face Orange is that offensive too?

That's not a great example as oranges never faced slavery, modern day persecution in America (?), ad infintum, but I get your point.

All I could come up with was Madame Fanny in Allo Allo. She was not deaf, but she was portrayed as being deaf with her ear trumpet and incapable. I'm not offended.

 

[Stat Brother]

When he was criticised online, Williams insisted there was “not a racist bone in my body” and that Wilfried Bony “said it’s okay so no offence taken.”
“Wilfried Bony may be OK with it but it is bigger than Wilfried Bony.”
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/wales-international-liam-williams-called-8324794

Even if it were 'bigger than Bony' he and the character of Williams set the tone for the debate (if there really must be one).

If one is laughing it off and the other has nothing in his past to suggest this is anything other than a joke, surely that's the end of it.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Thick in the sense that these sort of melodramas happen with boring regularity. You'd have to be living in a cave not to realise what was going to happen if a picture of you in blackface gets in the papers. And speaking if melodrama "I don't want to live in a society whereby you can't imitate someone for a fancy dress party for the sake of not being labelled a racist or offending someone" you're right that really is one of the last great human rights issues.

Now that is a melodrama, suggesting that I believe that is the last great human right to be fought for. How do you categorise which and what is the last? Tell me. I don't want to live in a society that persecutes cyclists... or whatever. There is a big list, i just didn't list them all.

How about someone just does something for fun and it isn't a great crime, far from it.

Maybe he decided on Bony to cause a storm or maybe he decided that Bony was his favourite player and followed it through.

 

[Sheebo]

That's not a great example as oranges never faced slavery, modern day persecution in America (?), ad infintum, but I get your point.

All I could come up with was Madame Fanny in Allo Allo. She was not deaf, but she was portrayed as being deaf with her ear trumpet and incapable. I'm not offended.

All those people who have worn the prince Charles ears over the years should face court orders...