The hottest talk in the UK nowadays is about the controversial reality TV show Celebrity big brother, broadcasted on channel 4, where celebrities from the UK and all around the world meet up in an isolated house with cameras monitoring them. A candidate who is most disliked by the audience is chosen for eviction on a weekly basis.
The infamous Bollywood superstar Shilpa Shetty has been chosen to appear on the programme in addition to a number of celebrities from the UK including reality TV model Jade Goody, former Miss England Danielle Lloyd and former S Club 7 star Jo O'Meara.
The row started when British TV regulator OFCOM received tens of thousands of complaints from viewers such Shetty has been a subject of racial discrimination by other housemates. For example, Jade Goody lately described her as Miss Poppadum claiming that this is the first thing that comes to her mind when she thinks of India (food). Danielle Lloyd made a comment about Shilpa Shetty's spoken English (much influenced by her mother tongue) saying that she does not know how to speak English properly and that she should f*** off home. Jade Goody's mother consistently kept calling her "The Indian" and warned her daughter not to eat anything she prepares with questions about hygiene concerns (her being Indian means that she knows nothing about cleanliness) and Danielle's boyfriend Jermaine kept calling her PAKI (a term used by whites in England to refer to Asians living in the UK).
Although she kept as strong as possible and tried to appear affected by the constant racist nagging, huge sympathy has been evident in all blogs and forums online with her, and the issue found its way to the British House of Commons (Parliament) as well as to Prime minister Blair who claimed that he did not watch the show but against stressed that he is against all forms of racism (HA HA HA!!). A number of companies sponsoring the show withdrew their sponsorship and the issue crossed boundaries to India where the Indian people did not bear what their daughter was going through and went on mass demonstrations in front of the British High Commission in Delhi.
Yesterday, Jade Goody has been chosen massively by the audience to be evicted in favour of Shilpa Shetty.
This case has risen so many questions about how racism is penetrative in the English society particularly against Africans and Asians (coloured people) yet still reflected a high degree of tolerance amongst alot of its members. I personally have not been subjected to any form of racism throughout my life in the UK for 8 years and made lots of friends yet I begun to notice a slight difference particularly post July 7th 2005 after the terrorist tube bombings in London particularly by those nationalistic parties members such as the BNP and National Front. I have not been personally affected but did hear loads of stories particularly by alot of young ladies wearing the veil who were given looks by people.
A good story to share with all of you. I pray to god that the Middle East will be free of any form of racism, tribalism or prejudice.
