Danny Baker says he has been 'fired' over royal baby chimp tweet

Glad the BBC is taking action on his blatant prejudice and racism masquerading as humour

The now deleted tweet, which has been circulated on social media, showed an image of a couple holding hands with a chimpanzee dressed in clothes with the caption: "Royal Baby leaves hospital".
The 5 live presenter was accused of mocking the duchess's racial heritage.
.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-48212693

Reply 1

999tigger

19

I thought the racist connotations were obvious, even though I dont think he is a racist. He was just ignorant.
The other problem was to do with the way he apologised, rather than being contrite and sincere he tried to laugh it off. {seems to have added more apology to it]

What a mess and a shame.

No more sausage sandwich game.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 2

username4540078

16

I like Danny Baker but that was monumentally stupid of him.

Reply 3

username4454836

20

That was a silly mistake to make.

Reply 4

Just my opinion

20

Original post by 999tigger

The other problem was to do with the way he apologised, rather than being contrite and sincere he tried to laugh it off. {seems to have added more apology to it]

I'm not sure I agree
my experience of watching Twitter wildfire taking over somebody's life after they've said something wrong is the more they apologise the more those offended smell blood.
Having said that I don't know what he was thinking of. He's never come across as racist
Could have been a brain fart.
it's the shortest career suicide note I've seen in a while.
I've just read his explanation

"After the initial backlash on social media on Wednesday, Baker said: "Sorry my gag pic of the little fella in the posh outfit has whipped some up. Never occurred to me because, well, mind not diseased.

'Enormous mistake'
"Soon as those good enough to point out its possible connotations got in touch, down it came. And that's it."

Just before he was sacked, he told his half a million Twitter followers he was doorstepped by reporters at his home, saying he was asked: "Do you think black people look like monkeys?"

His tweet added: "No mate. Gag pic. Posh baby chimp. Alerted to circs. Appalled. Deleted. Apologised."

Doesn't sound too far-fetched. An argument could be made that if anything it is his lack or racism that made him not see the connotation straight away.
Either way he's flushed down the pan.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 5

Reality Check

22

I think it's interesting. I, and I suspect most people, don't buy the 'I didn't realise the connotations'. He's a comedian - that's his job. My question is why he had such a brain fart this morning that he thought doing something like this was going to lead to anything other than being sacked from the BBC? Was he courting a dismissal?

Reply 6

Good bloke

19

What is the world coming to? The puritanical illiberals will always ignore the intent and the intended meaning if there is an alternative interpretation that doesn't suit them. Monkeys always have to represent black people who, by inference, can never call their children 'little monkeys', and you cannot make a joke that you would anyway have made if the butt of it had been white, if the butt is instead black. This, of course, is a racist attitude but that matters not to the wowsers.

Reply 7

Andrew97

Entertainment Forum Helper, Debate & Current Affairs Helper

20

The word chimp was mistake, if he used the term, say, cheeky monkey then he would still have his job.

Monkey being associated with children who are little rascals, I always find the people who scream racist in these situations are the ones with the issue, you are the one seeing it like that.

Reply 8

999tigger

19

Just think its a shame to lose your job over something so stupid.
Dont think he is racist, just a massive lapse of judgement, especially considering the related story of Archie.
I think he was trying to reference the idea that royals are performing animals and part of a circus.
He really loved his job and was an original.

Seem to be going through racist hysteria at the moment. Nothing like as prevalent as it was 20+ years ago.

Reply 9

the bear

20

Mr Baker can spend more time admiring Milwall & Mr Corbyn.

Spoiler

Reply 10

Notoriety

22

You would have to be a complete muppet to not realise and even more of a muppet to post it. The unfunny tweet should be sufficient grounds to get this "comedian" fired, not even to mention the obvious racism of the tweet.

Reply 11

Fullofsurprises

20

Original post by Reality Check

I think it's interesting. I, and I suspect most people, don't buy the 'I didn't realise the connotations'. He's a comedian - that's his job. My question is why he had such a brain fart this morning that he thought doing something like this was going to lead to anything other than being sacked from the BBC? Was he courting a dismissal?

It's the Curse of Twitter. How many otherwise intelligent and reasonable people have we seen come to grief due to their inability to resist mouthing off without thinking on the Big T?

Reply 12

Fullofsurprises

20

Original post by 999tigger

Just think its a shame to lose your job over something so stupid.
Dont think he is racist, just a massive lapse of judgement, especially considering the related story of Archie.
I think he was trying to reference the idea that royals are performing animals and part of a circus.
He really loved his job and was an original.

Seem to be going through racist hysteria at the moment. Nothing like as prevalent as it was 20+ years ago.

Circus performers? Puh-leaze. Let's call a racist a racist when he's a racist. /

Reply 13

Reality Check

22

Original post by Fullofsurprises

It's the Curse of Twitter. How many otherwise intelligent and reasonable people have we seen come to grief due to their inability to resist mouthing off without thinking on the Big T?

It's curious, isn't it? Is there something specific about Twitter, I wonder. The temptation to be overly-witty due to the character limit, I wonder?

Reply 14

Fullofsurprises

20

Original post by Reality Check

It's curious, isn't it? Is there something specific about Twitter, I wonder. The temptation to be overly-witty due to the character limit, I wonder?

It does seem like they fire up the TweetDeck and the rational part of their brain departs to a sunnier climate. :teehee:

Reply 15

Joinedup

20

Original post by Reality Check

It's curious, isn't it? Is there something specific about Twitter, I wonder. The temptation to be overly-witty due to the character limit, I wonder?

I suppose it seems very exciting and spontaneous when you're using it which might have a brain bypassing effect*.

IMO Baker isn't racist and doesn't see everything through the prism of 'race'... but obviously some people do, in no particular order they include;
Your actual Racists
Racial identity politics grievance mongers and the sort of professionally offended NPC's who've been popping up on the media to give Baker a kicking

Used to listen to Baker's R5 show quite a lot... and TBH he did seem to get primates in there a lot... whether suggesting bald people who suddenly sprouted a full head of hair had had monkey gland implants or making comic suggestions regarding substituting chimps or other simians for people (of no particular race afaict), while not exactly a running joke, was not exactly an unheard of element in his humour.

* I wouldn't touch twitter

Reply 16

AngeryPenguin

18

If it was meant to be racist, why wasn't the mother also portrayed as a chimpanzee?

Reply 17

the bear

20

he did not really impinge on Radio 4 or Radio 3 so i was only aware of him from the detergent adverts ?

Reply 18

Fullofsurprises

20

Original post by the bear

he did not really impinge on Radio 4 or Radio 3 so i was only aware of him from the detergent adverts ?

He also did some of those awful celeb listing shows on telly (E4?) with his jokes intercut between vids of 'celebs' falling over/saying dumb stuff/being idiots, which weren't particularly funny.

Reply 19

the bear

20

Original post by Fullofsurprises

He also did some of those awful celeb listing shows on telly (E4?) with his jokes intercut between vids of 'celebs' falling over/saying dumb stuff/being idiots, which weren't particularly funny.

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Danny Baker says he has been 'fired' over royal baby chimp tweet

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