"Pappadum" to an indian is not racist? What planet are you from?

If you (or an Indian) called me a sliced wholemeal or a jaffa cake - would that be racist?

There was a very successful TV sketch show (with an Indian cast) that made fun of Indian culture with comments that went much further than anything said about India on Big Brother.

The show is about watching individuals falling out.

Because one of them decided to state that she was there to represent the whole sub-continent - this does not mean that anyone falling out with this one Indian person is insulting India or is racist for not being seen to like her.

It may turn out to be a game winning stategy, if a dangerous one but it is this and the attitudes demonstrated by this individual that have turned a simple personal spat on a game show - into a major row - if a totally spurious one.

If you want to find some justifcation for the serious labels our disgraceful media are encouraging the public to call Jade Goody - you can find them - even if you have to scratch around a bit.

But the show is about choosing who to boo and who to cheer. In such a climate, it is not possible to be objective. And serious charges like calling someone a racist bully on the front page of a newspaper - is something that does need an objective assessment.

Those of us who have actually been watching the show (at least like me up to the point when the show's makers and Channel 4 sacrificed Jade to save themselves from the media induced witch-hunt) will have noticed some real racist attitudes and comments.

I am sure that Jermaine Jackson is not going the be denied his eviction night audience and be quized over his attitudes and comments in the same way as Jade was. But it was these - behind the scenes attitudes - that did poison the atomosphere and flamed the disputes - rather than calming them.

It has passed without much comment that the journalist evicted from the house referred to Jackiey (Jade's mother) as being 'sub normal'.

That Ken Russell stated to Jade that she had a screw loose.

Or that Jermaine Jackson referred to certain of his housemates as 'white trash' and told another that the reason she was not liked was the colour of her skin.

The point is that this show and the channel that hosts it have many responsibilites. Being seen to be giving equal protection to all of its contestants is one of them. One that they badly failed to do with Jade.

The official line was that no racism was displayed - so why was Jade allowed by the makers and channel to be the scapegoat for the racism the makers claim was not displayed?

Jade Goody, to my mind is the only one to come out of this with any credit. What you get with her - is exactly what it says on the tin.

She was put in to achieve a reaction from her snobby housemates, who had to wait on Jade and her family. Then having caused the disired reaction - she (and her mother) was hung out to dry and take the flak that was due to the show's makers and the channel.