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

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

Yeah this occurred to me too... both parents look very white establishment but wait, there's something unusual about that baby...

The baby seems to have been getting extra news coverage because the parents are doing their PR things slightly out of the usual order. Sure royal baby births used to be a one day news story & I guess the extent to which it was dominating the news was starting to get on Bakers nerves.
Original post by AngeryPenguin
If it was meant to be racist, why wasn't the mother also portrayed as a chimpanzee?


guess that makes it ok :colonhash:

Glad to see him fired - racism especially in the national broadcaster should have no place, especially masquerading around as humour.
Original post by Just my opinion
"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.

This is what I had the biggest issue with - he's saying that that the people who recognise racist tropes such as African/monkey have "diseased minds."

He's suggesting that in order to realise it is racist, you have to be racist yourself. When in reality, you just have to not be ignorant.
Original post by LeapingLucy
This is what I had the biggest issue with - he's saying that that the people who recognise racist tropes such as African/monkey have "diseased minds."

He's suggesting that in order to realise it is racist, you have to be racist yourself. When in reality, you just have to not be ignorant.

His defence is basically "everyone's racist, so why can't I be".
Original post by Fullofsurprises
Circus performers? Puh-leaze. Let's call a racist a racist when he's a racist. /


Nobody is saying he is an actually racist except you, which is no surprise.
How often do you listen to his show?

The picture by itself isnt racist it was just inappropriate. Something he should have seen.
If he meant it then why hasnt he done it before? Why would you want to throw away your career in a media frenzy?
Original post by LeapingLucy
This is what I had the biggest issue with - he's saying that that the people who recognise racist tropes such as African/monkey have "diseased minds."

He's suggesting that in order to realise it is racist, you have to be racist yourself. When in reality, you just have to not be ignorant.


Wasnt my take on it. I thought he was referring to some people always looking for the worst in things. That photo by itself isnt racist.

Do you listen to his show? How many episodes?
Tbh the baby isn't even black.The mother isn't particularly black either.If I didn't know I could easily mistake her for being white.
Personally I thought the chimp was cuter than Prince Archie, which is what upset everyone
Original post by the bear
o'tempora o'mores

Isn't that the company that sells advertising space on temporary hoardings?
Original post by 999tigger
Wasnt my take on it. I thought he was referring to some people always looking for the worst in things. That photo by itself isnt racist.

Do you listen to his show? How many episodes?


I've seen him on HIGNFY, but I've never listened to his show. I don't see how that has anything to do with it though...

Of course the photo by itself isn't racist, but applied to someone of African heritage it certainly is.
(edited 4 years ago)
Original post by LeapingLucy
I've seen him on HIGNFY, but I've never listened to his show.

Of course the photo by itself isn't racist, but applied to someone of African heritage it certainly is.

He's alleging that the connection never occurred to him and that it's the people making the connection who are the racist ones :dontknow:
Original post by harrysbar
He's alleging that the connection never occurred to him and that it's the people making the connection who are the racist ones :dontknow:

I know - I see a similar claim being made a lot by left-wing antisemites online who claim they had no idea that implying Jewish people control the world is an antisemitic conspiracy theory, because they're so not antisemitic that they're not even aware of anti-Jewish tropes.

And, by implication, those pointing it out to them must be antisemitic to be aware of these things in the first place - or in Danny Baker's words, they have "diseased minds."
Original post by harrysbar
He's alleging that the connection never occurred to him and that it's the people making the connection who are the racist ones :dontknow:


hmmm it is strange that Mr Baker did not post his hilarious tweet for other royal births, no ?

:captain:
Original post by LeapingLucy
I know - I see a similar claim being made a lot by left-wing antisemites online who claim they had no idea that implying Jewish people control the world is an antisemitic conspiracy theory, because they're so not antisemitic that they're not even aware of anti-Jewish tropes.

And, by implication, those pointing it out to them must be antisemitic to be aware of these things in the first place - or in Danny Baker's words, they have "diseased minds."

I suppose it's a clever argument in Danny's case, since no one can actually prove that he had made the racist connection in his own head. Not that clever, though, since he is still fired.
Original post by LeapingLucy
I've seen him on HIGNFY, but I've never listened to his show.

Of course the photo by itself isn't racist, but applied to someone of African heritage it certainly is.

Thats why it was inappropriate and if hed been thinking then it would never have gone up. It makes no sense to post something racist because it was bound to set people off and get him sacked. Thats the diseased mind bit imo is that they are looking for the worst and then it goes viral.

I dont listen every week, but must have listened to his show hundreds of times. Its all good humour, on the side of the fans and he always puts a lot of energy into trying to be funny and irreverent. Comes across as kind and genial. Never a hint of anything racist, which is why I dont believe he is.

For people whove never listened then its easy to jump to conclusions. Just a stupid sad way to lose your job. Its spent 10,000 times more exposure by the media going over and over it, whipping other people into a frenzy.
Original post by harrysbar
He's alleging that the connection never occurred to him and that it's the people making the connection who are the racist ones :dontknow:

It occurred after he posted and he took it down. He isnt denying the possible connection.
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.

I don't think theres any 'racist hysteria' going around. This man didn't lose his job because people are being hysterical. He is not the victim. He made a racist comment. Nobody forced him to do it. Black people are facing prejudice every day in the UK, and this prejudice will never stop until people who make racist comments about BABIES are punished. It's not hysteria to challenge that sort of behaviour.
Original post by 999tigger
It occurred after he posted and he took it down. He isnt denying the possible connection.

I see, just that the connection didn't immediately occur to him?

Like you, I have seen Danny in a few things and heard him on the radio and always thought him funny and nice....I guess we'll never 100% know the truth of it but on balance, I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt since I've never heard any hint of racism in him before. It was extremely stupid of him though.
Original post by Anotheranon
I don't think theres any 'racist hysteria' going around. This man didn't lose his job because people are being hysterical. He is not the victim. He made a racist comment. Nobody forced him to do it. Black people are facing prejudice every day in the UK, and this prejudice will never stop until people who make racist comments about BABIES are punished. It's not hysteria to challenge that sort of behaviour.


The point is, is it racist if you didnt intend it to be so? It makes zero sense for him to make a racist comment knowing the consequences and being destroyed. If you listened to his radio show youd realise how harmless he is and how he goes at 100mph. If you think black people face prejudice today then ask your parents what it was like and their parents.
Original post by harrysbar
I see, just that the connection didn't immediately occur to him?

Like you, I have seen Danny in a few things and heard him on the radio and always thought him funny and nice....I guess we'll never 100% know the truth of it but on balance, I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt since I've never heard any hint of racism in him before. It was extremely stupid of him though.


Sure he realises and hes said it was very stupid. I think he said he had a pattern of posting such photos about Royals, maybe he can show them. He never comes across as political or radical. Just stupid backfire and warning about social media. If people had listened to his show over a long period they would realise. If I felt he was edgy and racists then I would say so.

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