A Devon village panto, Snow White and the Seven Asylum Seekers, has been scrapped amid fears that it could be called racist.
The village hall committee at Merton near Okehampton ordered the cast to change the name after getting advice from the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE).

But writer and producer Bob Harrod has refused, saying the panto was not racist and was sympathetic to asylum seekers.

Full Story (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/3236471.stm)

He could have at least changed the name.

In the panto they all work illegally at a quarry near Merton and live in squalor in a cottage in the woods where they are portrayed as living off baked beans and never bathing.
Not stereotyping in any way of course...

Originally posted by Sidla
Full Story (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/3236471.stm)

He could have at least changed the name.


Not stereotyping in any way of course...

Bob Harrod hasn't done anything wrong!!!

If the story is true as printed, then it is quite blatently racist. It's up there with 1970's telly "nig nogs". Boringly predictable. :(

Originally posted by halevan
Bob Harrod hasn't done anything wrong!!!

I fully agree Hal, he was quite right to cancel this disgraceful travesty.

Originally posted by Tony
If the story is true as printed, then it is quite blatently racist. It's up there with 1970's telly "nig nogs". Boringly predictable. :(

You are quite conveniently forgetting the 'white honkey' references in the very same tv programme. But then again thats what you PC people do.

I think that really depends on whether he meant it as racist or not. If you can't laugh at horrible things then what can you do with them? If it's a panto then it'll be in good humour, surely...? has anyone seen the script?

Originally posted by Mo
You are quite conveniently forgetting the 'white honkey' references in the very same tv programme. But then again thats what you PC people do.
What's your point? That's also a racist expression :rolleyes:

Originally posted by Mo
You are quite conveniently forgetting the 'white honkey' references in the very same tv programme. But then again thats what you PC people do.
Which programme was that? You quoted a generalisation about 1970s TV programmes and then referred to 'the very same programme' without stating which one.

I agree though that racism is a two-edged sword and should be addressed whether perpetrated by or against us white folks.

Originally posted by Mo
You are quite conveniently forgetting the 'white honkey' references in the very same tv programme. But then again thats what you PC people do.
No. That's equally racist. It's just the sort of language that creates trouble.

Originally posted by max
Which programme was that? You quoted a generalisation about 1970s TV programmes and then referred to 'the very same programme' without stating which one.

I agree though that racism is a two-edged sword and should be addressed whether perpetrated by or against us white folks.
It was Love Thy Neighbour.

Racism is totally different to cultural differences.

By personal experience , I'm not especially keen on the "general" American, Pakistani or Yemeni national culture.

OTOH, I do enjoy the Indian, Malaysian and Italian general national cultures.

It's got bugger all to do with colour for me, but maybe I'm weird.:D

Originally posted by max
Which programme was that? You quoted a generalisation about 1970s TV programmes and then referred to 'the very same programme' without stating which one.

I agree though that racism is a two-edged sword and should be addressed whether perpetrated by or against us white folks.

Max, the programme was a 'comedy' called LOve Thy Neighbour.

As the racial jibes came from both sides ie as much from the black to the white man as the other way round, wasn't it just amusing if not funny in a cheesy sort of 70's way.

There was no maliciousness about it as I remember at all and I would imagine the same could be said about this panto.

Don't forget that the Cinderella story didn't do an awful lot for the cause of step-parents. For goodness sake it's all a bit of innocent fun just accept it for that instead of reading something that is not there.

I konw what you mean. I remember finding Love Thy Neighbour extremely squirm making and yet found 'Til Death Us Do Part hilariously funny even though both had more than their quota of racist 'humour'. I think I used to squirm over the former more because it was p**s poor than it was racist.

I still remember people thinking that 'Til Death was a comedy pure and simple and completely missed the implicit criticism of racists like Alf.

As to the panto to which this thread refers I'm still to be convinced that the author was being overtly racist but do think it was right to not perform it. There are too many people who would look at the characters as portrayed, or rather reported as being portrayed, and nod sagely and say 'yes, all asylum seekers live in squalor and have silly names and don't bath'.

I think the title's quite funny though, and I'm not racist in the slightest. Think about it - "snow white and the seven asylum seekers" is quite catchy... fair enough the not washing and eating beans is a bit on the racist side but I think he had a good idea!!! And wasn't it an MP who claimed people could survive on beans anyway? (do you remember who it was?)