BIG BROTHER RACIST ?

I have to admit that I have never watched the television programme that is 'Big Brother' though I have heard much about it and seen assorted 'highlights'. To my mind, this is the type of appalling drivel served up for the dull-witted masses who seem to constitute so much of our society. It is a programme 'starring' a variety of aspiring but talentless would-be celebrities whose ignorant and disgusting behaviour is calculated to appeal to those of limited intelligence and salacious mind.

Putting the above aside. it seems that the programme has attracted more than its fair share of controversy over the years with a succession of high profile incidents, no doubt specially choreographed by the producers to gain media attention. Now, it transpires, the latest programme has been fortunate enough to lure an apparently unwary 'Bollywood' star into its midst; some of her personal habits seem to have raised concerns amongst her house-mates and she feels that she is not liked.

This is far from the first time that one of the characters in this programme has been the victim of such criticism or pointed attack; the difference this time is that the 'victim' is coloured and, so, the immediate cry that goes up is one of 'Racism'. Miss what'ser'name has not complained of this but, perhaps, that is unsurprising; she is a highly successful film star in her own land and, no doubt, has ambitions to extend her charms to other countries. It seems highly unlikely that she entered this awful programme for any reason other than to gain publicity for herself; who is to say that the programme makers have not colluded in this aim by deliberately creating the current situation, which, by the way, has nothing racist about it. What it has done is to raise the profiles of both the programme and the silly woman while giving those with their own agendas an opportunity to play the 'racism' card.

'Big Brother' is utter rubbish and utterly deplorable, but it is not racist. If simply commenting adversely on the habits and behaviour of someone is now to be termed 'racism', we really have reached rock-bottom. Those who are trying to make more of this piddling matter than it deserves should be ashamed of themselves, not least the politicians in both the UK and India who have already joined the fray with the usual sanctimonious blather that such people use instead of communication.

Who will rescue us from this ridiculous, overblown media circus ?

Postscript :
I see from yesterday's 'Times' that there is now a free 'Shilpa Shetty' DVD on offer - what a surprise !!