Thrillers




Fiction with an edge




Thursday 31 December 2015

A cheap shot at Postmen by the BBC? You decide ...



http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03bs7g7/pointless-series-10-episode-2
Pointless (Quiz Programme -- BBC 1)
Series 10 -- Episode 2 of 70
Programme first aired 27th September 2013 at 5.15pm.
Repeated on 30th December 2015at 5.45pm
 
I saw this episode of the quiz programme (as a repeat) on 30th December 2015 and my complaint (on the same day) to the BBC about it was that, during the introduction the presenter, Alexander Armstrong, joked that his co-presenter, Richard Osman, was called the Postman as, and I quote: "he always delivers and he isn't above stealing ten pound notes from birthday cards".  
I felt the remark was not only offensive and classed all postmen as thieves, but promoted an incorrect and slanderous stereotype.
 
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I asked for a reply to my complaint which I received promptly the next day and is shown here:
 
Dear Mr  White
Thanks for contacting us about Pointless.

We understand you’re unhappy with a comment made by Alexander Armstrong.

Alexander and Richard have a very long tradition of introducing each other in a humorous way, but the joke is always firmly on them. In this case Alexander was deliberately using an outdated stereotype to poke fun at Richard, and we’d hope viewers would appreciate that the reference is obviously baseless. That said, we’d never set out to upset or offend viewers, and we’ll make sure your comments are circulated to the Pointless team.

Thanks again for contacting us.


Kind Regards

BBC Complaints
www.bbc.co.uk/complaints


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 My reply to the BBC (31st December 2015) was:

Your response:  "In this case Alexander was deliberately using an outdated stereotype to poke fun at Richard, and we’d hope viewers would appreciate that the reference is obviously baseless" I'm afraid I don't agree with, for the following reasons:  

1) Calling it an "outdated stereotype" implies that the public had thought postmen/women were thieves. I'd like to see your proof for that assertion.

2) If the reference was "obviously baseless" as you suggest, why create it? 
 
3) The use of the reference in the programme by a well-known personality not only gives it a base, but also promotes it as a given -- all postmen steal. So what you have done in allowing this reference to be aired again, (as it was a repeat from 2013) is give further oxygen to the myth that postmen (and postwomen) are thieves.

It was a cheap joke at the expense of hardworking, out-in-all-weathers individuals who are doing a valuable and essential role, often for less than the national average annual wage.

Someone in your organisation chose to allow this reference to be aired - why I don't know, but it smacks of elitism at the detriment of a sector of the working class that pays that person's salary, via the licence fee. 

I would like the BBC to apologise for the use of this offensive reference.   
 
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 Is it just me, folks, am I super sensitive to this sort of crass cheap joke? I wonder if postmen / women would give it  a second thought? Maybe I should ask them. Watch this space!