Carol Thatcher, reality TV star and daughter of the former PM, has been in the news this week! In the Green Room at the BBC, she apparently referred to a French tennis player as a ‘golliwog’.
This was in the presence of presenters and the production crew. It is claimed that she failed to apologise and she has been consequently sacked as a reporter on BBC 1’s The One Show.
The story has been hitting headlines and created a lot of comments. Like many such stories, it has generated more heat than light.
Carol Thatcher insists that her comment was only meant as a joke. Now, I do not consider myself as one of the Politically Correct brigade. PC has become an industry in itself and has lawyers licking their lips.
But words have power and can be used in a constructive or destructive way. The ‘golliwog’ character used to appear on Robertson’s jam jars. But they removed it some years ago because it caused offence to many people. The term ‘golliwog’ has historical significance – it is a derogatory term used to describe black and other ethnic minorities.
Carol Thatcher is 55 and maybe she has sentimental and innocent memories of the jam character. But, as a black boy growing up in inner city Birmingham in the 1960s, every time I saw the character I would wince because it sent out a negative image of people with black skin. Mine may not have been a logical reaction, but it was a strong one that is shared by millions.
This is why Robertson’s withdrew the character. They recognised that the image and term was offensive. It is a pity that Carol Thatcher does not have the grace to recognise that.
I note that Carol Thatcher’s agent has been very active on her behalf this week. The cynic in me feels that Carol will emerge as a martyr and that the publicity will only boost her media career
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