Corrie controversy
02/12/04 12:35 Ethics
Now this is an odd one. Representatives of the Hindu
community have complained to the producers of
Coronation Street about a scene in which a deranged
woman wields a Hindu icon as a weapon
(see story here).
Hindu leaders, it seems, want an apology. I'm not so sure it's appropriate. Have the producers of, say, The Exorcist, apologised to Christian communities? Have the producers of any number of 1970s comedies apologised to Jewish or black communities? And more to the point, if the woman in the scenario was as ill as that, was the scene gratuitous or unlikely? Personally I think not.
I'm all for not offending people when you're broadcasting, but if you're going to present events in a drama that will and should include bad things happening.
On the other side of soaps, I saw in the press yesterday that Christopher Parker - Spencer Moon in EastEnders - has quit, partly because of press tittle-tattle about his sexual orientation (which he denies anyway). It's a rotten shame, he was a good actor. I wish him well for his future and hope he doesn't get too jaundiced about the public and above all the press - the people who publish this tripe don't speak for us all.
Hindu leaders, it seems, want an apology. I'm not so sure it's appropriate. Have the producers of, say, The Exorcist, apologised to Christian communities? Have the producers of any number of 1970s comedies apologised to Jewish or black communities? And more to the point, if the woman in the scenario was as ill as that, was the scene gratuitous or unlikely? Personally I think not.
I'm all for not offending people when you're broadcasting, but if you're going to present events in a drama that will and should include bad things happening.
On the other side of soaps, I saw in the press yesterday that Christopher Parker - Spencer Moon in EastEnders - has quit, partly because of press tittle-tattle about his sexual orientation (which he denies anyway). It's a rotten shame, he was a good actor. I wish him well for his future and hope he doesn't get too jaundiced about the public and above all the press - the people who publish this tripe don't speak for us all.
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