Fired For Being White?

[mushroom25]

Joh Holmes finds his contract with the BBC is not renewed because the BBC needs to meet a diversity target...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/01/bbc-axe-award-winning-comedian-of-18-years-for-being-white-and-m/

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/bbc-presenter-jon-holmes-sparks-diversity-row-after-tweeting-should-i-be-fired-because-i-am-a-white-a3359071.html

although Jon himself says he didn't use the words used in the headline, the BBC did openly tell him why his contract wasn't being renewed. If employers are now openly giving jobs to people based on the colour of their skin (rather than their ability, or anything else), surely that only emphasises just the kind of social division that the equality society is urged to embrace strives to eliminate? or is that totally irrelevant when it comes to meeting diversity targets?

[THECORBYLOON]

ANOTHEOLDGIT, what was the purpose of the singers blacking up? Did it improve their singing abilities?

[jno]

it's not a euphemism for firing, Prudie. A person with a full job just isn't the same as one on a limited contract. The former can have the job terminated immediately but has a lot of rights. The latter has no rights beyond the term of his contract. The BBC could have terminated his contract midway if it had good enough reason; it didn't do so. All this is fairly common in the entertainment world where channels decide to continue, change or drop programmes for normal commercial reasons.

[-Talbot-]

jno ... this man has been shown the door because he is white.

Are you telling me you are happy with that?

[-Talbot-]

If they had just told him his contract would not be renewed and had Sarah Millican or Adil Ray lined up (wether you think they are funny or not is irrelevant) to take over that would be fair enough but they haven't they just want to replace a white man with a woman or someone from an ethnic background and they have told him that.

[Mamyalynne]

I agree it seems to be the way it has been worded to him as much as anything.


Surely this is a result of the BBC Diversity targets as set by or about to be set Government - bound to cause some ill feeling to those it affects if handled badly.

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2016-04-14/debates/16041436000002/BBCDiversity

[hereIam]

But surely if they had let a black man go to replace with a white man, all hell would break loose ??

[anotheoldgit]

-Talbot-

/// Where's the diversity in The Black & White Minstrels? ///

In it's name... 'Black & White'.

[jackthehat]

The black and white facepaint is the reason for the name of the 'Black and White Minstrels', AOG......

[-Talbot-]

Is that a serious answer, AOG?

[anotheoldgit]

THECORBYLOON

/// ANOTHEOLDGIT, what was the purpose of the singers blacking up? Did it improve their singing abilities? ///

They were called 'Minstrels', Al Johnson wasn't a bad a singer.

[anotheoldgit]

jackthehat

/// The black and white facepaint is the reason for the name of the 'Black and White Minstrels', AOG...... ///

NOooooooooooooooo!!!!!

-Talbot-

/// Is that a serious answer, AOG? ///

No of course not, haven't you two a sense of humour?

[Mamyalynne]

Al Johnson? - Hmmm

Archie Andrews was good on the radio too - Gran told me.

[-Talbot-]

Yes I do have a sense of humour ... obviously you don't have an answer for my question.

[mushroom25]

did you mean Al "jazz singer" Jolson, mamy?

[Mamyalynne]

Don't ask me, I didn't start it.

[-Talbot-]

They were called 'Minstrels', Al Johnson wasn't a bad a singer.




buzzer ... I missed that but knew his proper name :0(
and the Minstrels were 70 decades before my time

[anotheoldgit]

Al Johnson?????????????????

The curse of predictive text.

[-Talbot-]

What you using to post, AOG?

[anotheoldgit]

-Talbot-

/// jno ... this man has been shown the door because he is white.

Are you telling me you are happy with that? ///

Seems I am not the only one not to answer your questions.

/// obviously you don't have an answer for my question. ///

Yet I have answered both the questions you asked me.

/// Where's the diversity in The Black & White Minstrels? ///

In it's name... 'Black & White'.

/// Is that a serious answer, AOG? ///

No of course not

You seem selective of the ones you choose to criticise.

[-Talbot-]

Do I?
Do I really?

I think if you read the thread you will have to admit that is ***