BBC finally says sorry for ‘joke’ on Pinay maid

**valvura** · October 24th, 2008 03:13 PM

[SIZE=2]Who is really to blame when our migrant workers are humiliated like in this BBC TV portrayal? So everytime our kababayans are denigrated and apologies are given, would it be really enough?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]BBC finally says sorry for ‘joke’ on Pinay maid[/SIZE]
MARK JOSEPH UBALDE, GMANews.TV
10/24/2008 | 11:52 AM
MANILA, Philippines - The British Broadcasting Company (BBC) has finally apologized for the "offensive" portrayal of a Filipino maid in an episode of the UK comedy series, "Harry and Paul."
A statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday said that the Philippine Embassy in the United Kingdom received the letter dated October 19 from BBC Director General Mark Thompson.

However, the letter only reached the Philippine post on October 20.
"…Please accept my sincere apologies, on behalf of the BBC, for the offence that this programme caused you," wrote Thompson in the letter.

The controversial skit aired in the September 26 episode of "Harry and Paul" showed comedian Harry Enfield telling a postman that he is ordering his Filipino maid to mate with his friend Paul Whitehouse.

Filipinos from all over the globe, particularly the 200,000 strong Filipino community in the UK, were angered by the show and demanded an apology from the shows creators as well as the British government because of the "racist" content of the show.

The "racist" portrayal of Filipino domestic helpers also led to some leaders of the community to put up an online petition protesting the show. The online petition gathered more than 2,000 supporters within three days, the DFA said.

The Philippine Ambassador to the UK Edgardo Espiritu sent a letter to the BBC on Oct 3 expressing dismay over the said episode. The embassy had also sent letters of complaint to different British government offices, including the UK regulatory industry, and the mayor of London.

A silent vigil was also held simultaneously on 17 October in front of the BBC Office in White City, just outside central London, and Tiger Aspect Productions in Soho in central London.

Tiger Aspect Productions Chief Executive Andrew Zane, issued an apology before the members of the Filipino community who joined the Soho vigil.

"We're sorry to anyone who was in any way offended by the programme. This certainly was not our intention," said Zane.

Last year, a scene in the ABC television hit series "Desperate Housewives" that put into question the credibility of medical education in the Philippines elicited angry remarks from Filipinos, and later on amassed thousands of signatures through an online petition.

The show’s creators apologized for the slur and promised to hire Filipino actors and introduce a Filipino character into the show. - GMANews.TV

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/129132/B...-on-Pinay-maid

**StraightSix** · October 24th, 2008 07:47 PM

I didn't even knew that show exists.

Teka hindi nga pala ako nanonuod ng BBC channels, haha.

---

I've just seen the clip on YouTube - it didn't offend me. I didn't find it funny either ... until the postie ran after the maid.

I've seen much more racially offensive acts and heard more racial insults in Britain and the Philippines from Pinoys toward other races.

**cutedoc** · October 24th, 2008 09:22 PM

bakit pag pinoy inaalipusta ang sariling pinoy ala tayong pakialam, pag ibang lahi na ang nakakapuna sobrang tinatablan tayo???

hindi ba tayo inaalipusta ni bansot? sa literal niyang pagnanakaw ng pera ng pinoy, sa mga pambabastos ng namumono sa atin, indi bat karumal dumal din iyon?

pumasok ka lang sa comedy bar, siguradong papatutsadahin ng mga stand up comedians ang gobyerno, ang pagp^p^t* ang kung anu anu pang kabastusan na sumasalamin sa ating kinalalagyan...

at tayo ay natatawa...

**CVT** · October 24th, 2008 10:55 PM

Sadly, we will always be exposed to these kinds of offensive portrayal because of the nature of the jobs we are 'exporting'....

6909:seehearspeak:

**flakez** · October 25th, 2008 02:28 AM

masyadong sensitive mga pinoy, its just a joke. masyado lang sineseryoso, ang daming problema pa na iba diyan.

**redorange** · October 25th, 2008 06:08 AM

My mom uses the term "balat sibuyas", there was nothing offensive in the part I saw on TV since it was supposed to be funny and not a factual portrayal of a Filipina. If we keep asking for apologies every time someone makes fun of us we'll be known for being more boring than the Brits. Doesn't the Government and the Ambassadors have better things to do than watch tv and ask for apologies? Filipinos have to stop taking things out of context and understand the humor of other countries. Why is it we can make fun of Chinese and Indians in Pinoy movies yet others can't make fun of us? Those that mean we have to apologize to China, Taiwan, and India?

**wildthing** · October 25th, 2008 08:15 AM

OT:

Well aside from being "balat sibuyas" merun pa rin ibang pinoy characteristics like "utak talangka" ang Pinoy.... bakit pag pagiging "utak talangka" hindi nila pinapansin...

**Gerbo** · October 25th, 2008 10:05 AM

bakit pag pagiging "utak talangka" hindi nila pinapansin...

Because majority of Filipinos possess this trait.

**tidus1203** · October 25th, 2008 11:54 AM

I think we also have to look on the other side of the coin. Why are the foreigners laughing at us or belittling us? Obviously its about something we have done or are doing right? Before the whites also like to poke fun of the Chinese, now they can't because the Chinese are already richer than them and they are becoming a superpower.

**redorange** · October 25th, 2008 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by tidus1203

I think we also have to look on the other side of the coin. Why are the foreigners laughing at us or belittling us? Obviously its about something we have done or are doing right? Before the whites also like to poke fun of the Chinese, now they can't because the Chinese are already richer than them and they are becoming a superpower.

Maybe you're reading more into it than needed, it was a joke and nothing more. They could have done the same scene using a white, black, or purple person and it wouldn't have meant anything more. But because it was a Pinay it was an insult?

Dumb and Dumber was two white guys being stupid, does it mean whites are stupid? How many movies does Hollywood do about rednecks? It's nothing more than a movie. The west still makes fun of the Chinese, look at Rush Hour with Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker saying "Do you understand the words coming out of my mouth?" to Jackie Chan as if he was stupid. Watch Saturday Night Live they poke fun at Hillary and Sarah Palin all the time, heck they even have George Bush being teased. It's the western sense of humor. For that matter go on Youtube and look at Pinoys poking fun at fellow Pinoys at the comedy bars in Metro Manila, worst things are done and said there.