April 2009 Archives

So, Radio 4 keeps airing 'comedy' programming. Sadly, these shows generally lack in humour, or rely on saying pejorative and demeaning things about certain groups in society as the basis for said 'jokes'. I've really gone off the Now show because of that, but the brunt of my ire this week was a shitty program called Hazelbeach. The premise was that some characters were trying to arrange a birthday party and someone had contacted old school friends, none of whom came. One, Gordon something, was now Janet . (What that had to do with not attending, I'll never know, but anyway.) The character whose birthday it was said that he 'couldn't see her making a convincing woman, but then he'd never made a convincing man either' (that he'd've been a boy at school, we'll let slide for now).

So I did what any respectable Radio 4 listener would do; I complained.

The reply included my message so here it is...

While trying to ignore the hideously unfunny Hazelbeach during it's broadcast earlier today, I was struck by a comment made by one of the lead characters, regarding an old school friend who had previously identified as male but now identified as a woman. He said something disparaging about not being able to see her as a woman, but also that he'd never been a convincing man, either. I find this poor attempt at humour quite offensive, considering that transwomen have a far greater chance of being murdered because they are trans and that they are often blamed for their murder because of their supposed deception; that they are really men. I direct your attention to the current trial in Greely, Colorado concerning the murder of Angie Zapata. Trans people are just that: people. Not the butt of lazy 'jokes', nor are they inhuman or freakish. Not only would I appreciate an apology to trans listeners, an effort to understand trans issues by the BBC would go a long way to help to challenge the prejudices that transpeople face every single day.

And the reply...

Thanks for your e-mail regarding the BBC Radio 4 programme 'Hazelbeach' as broadcast on 20 April 2009.

I understand you were concerned with some of the comments made in this programme as you felt they were inappropriate and offensive to transsexual people. I note that you feel we should pay more attention to the issues transsexuals face in their daily lives and try to help challenge the prejudices they face.

I'm sorry if you felt these comments were inappropriate. As you're aware, 'Hazelbeach' is a comedy series and as with all comedy fun is poked at all of us at some stage. The intention certainly wasn't to upset any section of our audience and we'd never intentionally promote negative feeling or behaviour towards transsexual people or anyone else for that matter.

Nevertheless, I'm aware this is an issue you feel strongly about and to that end I'd like to assure you that I've registered your complaint on our audience log for the attention of the programme makers and also their senior management. This is the internal report of audience feedback which we compile daily to ensure that your points are circulated and considered across the BBC. The audience logs are seen as important documents that can help shape decisions about future content.

Thanks again for taking the time to contact us.

It's all just a joke! It's a comedy program! We all get made fun of! Lighten up!
They'd never intentionally promote negative feeling or behaviour towards trans people. Unintentionally though?

Yeah.

Helen at Bird of Paradox has been blogging about the trial of Angie Zapata's killer, I would suggest doing some reading there.

I'm finding it hard to settle to any one thing just now. I've folded some paper for signatures, cut some other paper to make A6 signatures (but I must've wiggled at the wrong second; they're a little off so I'll probably end up trimming them to 2" square to right them out again) and whlie doing this I'm trying to put together a playlist of stuff so I can make a CD for Ken. So, as further procrastination, here's a random 10 for a sunny Sunday afternoon...

I Wanna Be Your J.Lo - CSS
Honeycomb - Helium
Quiche Lorraine (Live) - The B-52's
Scared of Spiders - Kenickie
Dirty Love - The Divinyls
My Way - Frank Sinatra
Convert Mystified Offensives - Duet for Theremin and Lap Steel
Tear In Your Hand - Tori Amos
Lens Around - Growing
Ups - Cocteau Twins

Yay! It's Sarah Haskins!



If the embedded video isn't showing for you, as it isn't for me, try the link instead...

Remember Amazon's hopelessly pathetic recommendation emails? Irritating, but then I read what they've been up to in the US. From Uncooler Than Thou, it appears a similar thing is happening in the UK site, too.

There's a good explanation of what they've been up to here.

Gah.

Been using Twitter too much recently; I want to retweet Ruth's post about stopping rapists. And what won't stop rapists.

Anyway, I heartily recommend reading it!

Oh, Amazon, Amazon, Amazon... Will you ever learn?

There are signs of improvement; today's recommended email includes Mamma Mia, Bitchfest and things that I'm ambivalent to (Seasick Steve, Radio 1's Live Lounge Volume 3, Bob Dylan*)

But then there's still the shitfest of Day & Age by The Killers and Dig Out Your Soul by Oasis. I would actually, in all seriousness, rather eat my own left leg than listen to The Shillers and the remainder of my body than listen to Oasis, far less buy either of their multitude of craptacular records.

I realise that these suggestions are generated because I have bought, or added to my wishlist, the same things as others who have bought the suggested albums. How about a thing when I can negatively rate these artists and you never, ever suggest them as additions to my record collection ever again? Ug. The very thought.


*yeah, I know I'm probably supposed to like Bob Dylan - protest singer and all. But I've only ever heard maybe one or two of his songs and I'm a bit wary of liking an artist because I'm supposed to. I haz a brane, iz using it.**

** not that all people who like Dylan aren't; I mean that everyone should think critically about the music they listen to. Nowt worse than hipsterdom - listen to music because you like it, you love it, it speaks to you, it touches you, it mirrors your mood, it brings an emotional reaction; not because some person who constructs the façade of cool says that it's, like, the thing to listen to. And on that note, here's one for Ken...


aw, shit. This has rapist Mike Tyson in it. Sorry. I was trying to find the proper video but it seems that Universal's one of the record labels who feel out with YouTube in the UK. On the upside, have fun imagining that he took the whole box of Ex-Lax and shat himself to death. It'd be a fitting way to go.