Claire Balding complains to the PCC over AA Gill.

punky · 31-07-2010, 23:03

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010...complaint-gill

Quote:

The BBC presenter Clare Balding is embroiled in a furious row over a newspaper columnist's "homophobic" remarks about her sexuality. The 39-year-old sports journalist has lodged a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission following a review of her new programme, Britain by Bike, by the Sunday Times's TV and restaurant critic, AA Gill.

Balding, who is gay, complained to the newspaper's editor, John Witherow, about the tone of the article. But, she said, she was then even more horrified by Witherow's response.

Gill had written: "Some time ago, I made a cheap and frankly unnecessary joke about Clare Balding looking like a big lesbian. And afterwards somebody tugged my sleeve to point out that she is a big lesbian."

After a mock apology, he continued: "Now back to the dyke on a bike, puffing up the nooks and crannies at the bottom end of the nation."

However the most intelligent thing I have heard all month is from AA Gill's boss:

Quote:

"In my view some members of the gay community need to stop regarding themselves as having a special victim status and behave like any other sensible group that is accepted by society.

"Not having a privileged status means, of course, one must accept occasionally being the butt of jokes. A person's sexuality should not give them a protected status.

Wholeheartedly agree. And there are far more people than the gay community who should take that advice. Gay people say they want equality and be treated like everyone else and as Gill's boss says that includes being the butt of a joke occasionally like us heterosexuals are.

And finally with no sense of irony John Prescott chimes about Gill insulting Balding by calling Gill "a ****"

nomadking · 01-08-2010, 00:58

Being a lesbian and presenting a program with 'bike' in the title, is slightly asking for it.
In the article he went on to praise her.

Quote:

'I warm to Clare as a presenter. Away from sport she has a comfortable, no-nonsense enthusiasm; when every other girl on television is winsome and coquettish, it's a relief to be talked to by someone who isn't flirting down the lens. Though I'm not sure this is much of a format.

Perhaps the other girl presenters who are described as 'winsome and coquettish', should complain. They are the ones actually being criticised/put down in the article.

Even she acknowledges that he was being nice about her. She said:-

Quote:

Is it supposed to be OK because Gill was nice about me at the end?

**Russ** · 01-08-2010, 06:30

Gill has a rich history of being racist so it doesn't surprise me to learn he's still deliberately offending people.

TheNorm · 01-08-2010, 08:37

Wasn't it Ms Balding who made offensive comments about a jockey's teeth? Pot, kettle, black...

Mick Fisher · 01-08-2010, 11:10

I like Clare Balding and really don't care about her sexual preferences.

I think a persons sexual preference should be kept private between them and their partner.

As being heterosexual is not in the slightest bit newsworthy why should being homosexual create such a furore.

Who are all these people that give a fig?

martyh · 01-08-2010, 11:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mick Fisher

Who are all these people that give a fig?

mostly gay people

Hom3r · 01-08-2010, 11:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheNorm

Wasn't it Ms Balding who made offensive comments about a jockey's teeth? Pot, kettle, black...

No, she was saying he could get his teeth fixed, because most jockey get them kicked out, this jockey hadn't.

The jockey in question wasn't offended, so no problems.

nomadking · 01-08-2010, 11:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hom3r

No, she was saying he could get his teeth fixed, because most jockey get them kicked out, this jockey hadn't.

The jockey in question wasn't offended, so no problems.

That's because he wasn't a member of one of the groups that are the only only ones permitted to be offended, plus it came from someone from one of those groups.

TheNorm · 01-08-2010, 11:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hom3r

No, she was saying he could get his teeth fixed, because most jockey get them kicked out, this jockey hadn't.

The jockey in question wasn't offended, so no problems.

Oh - maybe the BBC has it wrong:

Quote:

Balding herself landed in hot water last year after making fun of jockey Liam Treadwell's teeth live on air just after he won the Grand National.
The BBC received 1,477 complaints from viewers over the remarks, prompting Balding to issue an apology for any offence she had caused.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-10817463

Hom3r · 01-08-2010, 11:56

The jockey wasn't offended just some stupid people with nothing better to do with their lives that complian to TV.

Ravenheart · 01-08-2010, 12:04

I'm glad she's complained, how is mocking hetrosexual Jeremy Clarkson's dress sense (or lack of it) in any way comparable to this? Is AA Gill next going to write a piece about a persons race, religion or disability maybe using derogatory terms in the process? of course he could then add "but some of them are nice people" as that then makes it Ok.

The man is just typical journalistic scum!

punky · 01-08-2010, 12:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

Gill has a rich history of being racist so it doesn't surprise me to learn he's still deliberately offending people.

Quote:

Gill's comment was used as a prime example of what was described as "persistent anti-Welsh racism in the UK media" in a motion in the National Assembly for Wales

As opposed to the persistent anti-English racism in Welsh society?

Sirius · 01-08-2010, 12:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mick Fisher

I like Clare Balding and really don't care about her sexual preferences.

I think a persons sexual preference should be kept private between them and their partner.

As being heterosexual is not in the slightest bit newsworthy why should being homosexual create such a furore.

Who are all these people that give a fig?

Fully agree. I hate people who take offense to something just to get a few minutes of exposure.

**Russ** · 01-08-2010, 12:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky

As opposed to the persistent anti-English racism in Welsh society?

"Persistent"? Over egging it a bit there. I don't recall any Welsh celebrities making repeated anti-English comments.

**Stuart** · 01-08-2010, 16:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ravenheart

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._A._Gill

---------- Post added at 12:04 ---------- Previous post was at 11:58 ----------

I'm glad she's complained, how is mocking hetrosexual Jeremy Clarkson's dress sense (or lack of it) in any way comparable to this? Is AA Gill next going to write a piece about a persons race, religion or disability maybe using derogatory terms in the process? of course he could then add "but some of them are nice people" as that then makes it Ok.

The man is just typical journalistic scum!

Or he could just have been calling her a member of a Lesbian Biker Gang