BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness

Subject: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 06:57 AM

It sounds as if they will no longer be allowed to talk about 'Fat Paul' - presumably it might upset listeners named Paul who happen to be a little overweight.
From now on he will be known as 'Paul Blocker' [= 'Paul who blocks out the light'?]

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Rasener
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 07:38 AM

Just as well Spotty Muldoon isn't one of the characters.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 08:16 AM

What about Chalky Chalkman?
A clear reference to his ethnicity?

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 08:26 AM

As for Baggy and Snatch, well; words fail me ;)

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Rasener
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 08:35 AM

Would muffin the mule be allowed?

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 08:47 AM

Only in The Backwoods of Lincolnshire, Villan. :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Rasener
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 12:03 PM

LOL

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 01:52 PM

Yeah, quite agree; after all you can't let your lives be ruled by the likes of that unstable little 11-year-old in West London who tried to top herself a few years ago when her classsmates called her 'Big Fat Rosie' after the hilarious character in a kid's programme who jumped in a swimming pool and emptied all the water.
You've got to have a larf, haven't you?
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 08 Mar 09 - 08:38 PM

Anybody know why Friday's episode is not available on Listen Again?

Kitty

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: GUEST,Mr Red
Date: 09 Mar 09 - 07:22 AM

probably still in court over the effluent in the brook on the organic farm.

Not that I listen - but it takes a while to reach the off button sometimes.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: bubblyrat
Date: 09 Mar 09 - 10:55 AM

I am,frankly,amazed that it is still called "The Archers".--After all, the title suggests some association with bows,which can be nasty,dangerous,things,by which the sensitive children of today might get hurt.Perhaps "The Feather Dusters" would seem less bellicose and threatening ??

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: GUEST,Green Wellies
Date: 09 Mar 09 - 11:02 AM

A mate of our's, Rob, really is R.C.Crout and he lived in Pratts Lane.

Yer couldnt make it up.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 09 Mar 09 - 12:39 PM

He could do worse, he could live in Pratts Bottom

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Rasener
Date: 09 Mar 09 - 01:04 PM

and could be even worse if they used this lane which is 5 miles from me Fanny Hands Lane

Wasted on USA mudcatters as it has a different meaning.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: GUEST,Paul Blocker
Date: 09 Mar 09 - 03:32 PM

Well I for one am glad about this.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 09 Mar 09 - 03:37 PM

There's a village, in the north east of England called Pity Me, which gave rise to the very old joke.

Man to bus conductor. Pity Me single.
Bus conductor to man. Pity me, married with 3 kids.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: GUEST,Doc John
Date: 09 Mar 09 - 04:55 PM

Bring back 'Dick Barton - Special Agent', with Snowy (oops) and Jock (oops again). 6.45 pm has never been the same since those bloody farmers moved in.

Doc John

PS Did Grace Fairbrother survice the stable fire, by the way?

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 09 Mar 09 - 08:06 PM

Guest DJ is implying that Phil Archer is a bigamist?

There is an issue over nicknames, though, and whether they are celebrated, accepted or endured by the recipients.

Kitty

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 05:05 AM

There is an assumption here that there is something wrong with being fat. But Fat Paul's size is an asset (possibly his greatest asset).
He was much in demand when they were choosing people for the tug'o'war team.
It's a long time since I read any 'Big Fat Rosie' stories, but I seem to remember that she used her size to advantage.
It would be wrong to criticise people or make fun of them for something they have no control over, such as their height or colour, or a disability - or do we have to call it a 'challenge' - but if they decide to eat too much (in your opinion) or exercise too little (by your standards) then that is their choice.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 05:29 AM

I don't know which I despise more: stupid decisions made by no-nothings who think they are being helpful or the opportunity it gives for the political-correctness-gone-mad brigade to get on their high horses yet again.

Oh I know. It's the second. That's what I hate about 'political correctness'. It's whingers' charter. And boring, boring, boring.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 05:55 AM

Luckily I have no inhibitions about mentioning pots calling kettles black.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Will Fly
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 06:09 AM

Doc John
Bring back 'Dick Barton - Special Agent', with Snowy (oops) and Jock (oops again). 6.45 pm has never been the same since those bloody farmers moved in.

Ah! Someone else who was obviously bitterly disappointed when The Archers displaced Dick Barton. I used to listen to DB religiously, in my jim-jams, just before bedtime. I remember reading the Radio Times (we aspired to be posh in 1951) and seeing the Archers as the replacement programme. I imagined bows and arrows.. guess my disappointment when bloody "Barwick Green" came on with it's dum-dee dum-dee dum-dee-dum. Even now, nearly 60 years later, that tune reminds me of the taste of cod liver oil and malt and the loss of Dick Barton. :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 06:12 AM

Just look at most of the BS threads started by Brits. Same old Daily Mail shit every time. Anyone reading would think the UK folk scene was the Tory party at play.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 06:24 AM

That's what I hate about 'political correctness'. It's whingers' charter. And boring, boring, boring."
What I hate about political correctness are the insensitive bastards who complain about it and deliberately ignore the damage done by their crass insensitivity as long as they can have their say.
Long live political incorrectness - I say.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 06:31 AM

Will Fly's post mirrors my experience exactly! I even had a Dick Barton annual I seem to remember!

RtS

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 06:35 AM

I can't help wondering why someone who thinks political correctness is 'boring, boring, boring' is reading and posting on a thread that announces itself as being about 'political correctness'.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 08:15 AM

What was Dick Barton (oops) doing in your jim-jams, Will Fly?

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: bubblyrat
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 08:47 AM

When I was in Primary School in the 1950s, I was called "Four Eyes",because I wore those dreadful National Health glasses."Tubby" Beers was called that because he was FAT.Andy had had Polio,wore leg-braces,and we called him a SPASTIC,because that's what he was !! In class, we read stories about "Little Black Sambo",and used expressions such as "Working like a black" ( a compliment, I assumed), and "Nigger in the woodpile".
      I didn't mind being called "Four Eyes". Tubby Beers didn't mind being called "Tubby". Andy didn't burst into tears or throw a wobbly on hearing the word "Spastic". The "Little Black Sambo " stories were fun,and,I believe,very popular with children in Kenya and Nigeria.My father "Worked like a Black",and we often used to look in woodpiles to see if there was anyone there !
          I do wish that the arbiters of good taste and political correctness would just Fuck Off and stop bothering us !!

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 08:53 AM

Like I said, a whinger's charter (see post directly above). And I looked because I like the Archers, okay, Topsie, and because I hoped (should have known better on a UK Mudcat thread, though) that it might be a thread poking fun at the political-correctness-gone-mad brigade for a change. Should have known better. They're not actually that funny.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Will Fly
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 09:17 AM

What was Dick Barton (oops) doing in your jim-jams, Will Fly?

Just a subconscious touch of the Groucho Marxes there, I think... "How he got into my pyjamas I'll never know".

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 09:52 AM

It all depends on what you find amusing I suppose, Spleen.
I started the thread because I thought it rather funny that they were changing Fat Paul's name to Paul Blocker.

(And I don't think it is bubblyrat who is the one whinging.)

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Bainbo
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 11:23 AM

"It sounds as if they will no longer be allowed to talk about 'Fat Paul'

What sounds? Who won't be able to? A quick search of the usual suspects (Daily Mail, Daily Express, even the BBC) finds no mention of this at all. In fact, the only mention of this anywhere at all on the internet is ... Mudcat. I'd love to know where you get your information. Or are we witnessing the birth of one of those "It's political correctness gone mad" stories, which are invented solely to give people something to get indignant about?

"You couldn't make it up"

Or possibly you could. Who knows?

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Bainbo
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 11:23 AM

Incidentally, apparently you're not even allowed to refer to psychiatric hospitals as "lunatic asylums" any more. I tell you, it's madness gone politically correct.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 11:28 AM

Or the mentally ill as lunatics or nutters, or madmen or crazies or psychos or barm pots....... wonder why?
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: john f weldon
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 11:34 AM

The Archers played for many decades in Canada, and my mother was a faithful listener. She admitted that she never followed the plot, or even figured out who everyone was, but merely found the sound of the British voices very soothing.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 11:35 AM

Mad Pride

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 11:35 AM

Is numpty still allowed?

[or glaikit?]

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 11:45 AM

EVERYTHING is allowed, John.


Erm, you numpty, if I may be so bold.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 12:09 PM

'A quick search of the usual suspects (Daily Mail, Daily Express, even the BBC) finds no mention of this at all. In fact, the only mention of this anywhere at all on the internet is ... Mudcat. I'd love to know where you get your information.'

Bainbo, thanks for being the voice of sweet reason.
=======
I've had a further thought. What a dull, unimaginitive nickname is 'Fat Paul.' People don't really give others nicknames like that. Once again we see tne mediocrity of the tube.

I once worked with a team of drillers, and the head driller was a short, stumpy guy named Big Don. His helper was a thin kid who towered over him but was named Little Don because he was young and was not the boss. That's how nicknames work.

In America, the nickname 'Blocker' would be an apt football reference.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Terry McDonald
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 12:26 PM

err....The Archers didn't replace Dick Barton, the Daring Dexters did.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 12:26 PM

Bainbo, the 'information' was gleaned from listening to The Archers. There is a story line about some 'continental/Belgian/Swiss' chocolate being sold by Eddie Grundie on behalf of Fat Paul, who bought it cheap on a trip abroad. When it was first mentioned someone explained that Paul Blocker is Fat Paul, and thereafter the nickname hasn't been used - he is referred to as Paul Blocker every time.

PS I don't read the Daily Mail or the Express - aren't English Mudcatters supposed to all be Guardian readers.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Will Fly
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 12:33 PM

There was an omnibus version of the Daring Dexters every Sunday morning until the series ended on 3 October 1947 and the second series of Dick Barton began.

Even though I was only 7 at the time, I remember the end of DB and the beginning of the Archers very well.. :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 12:35 PM

"Aren't English Mudcatters supposed to all be Guardian readers?"

I guess we could do a poll, but I'd put money on us Guardian readers being in the minority, judging from the tone of many of the threads...

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Gervase
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 12:47 PM

A lot of them seem to be Mail and Express types, given the crass stupidity and bigotry shown on many of these threads.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 12:49 PM

"aren't English Mudcatters supposed to all be Guardian readers"

No, topsie, only the ones who can't spell.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Terry McDonald
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 01:13 PM

Yes, Will, you're right. My memory had the Daring Dexters in between Dick Barton and the Archers but I was wrong. Very annoying!

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Bainbo
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 01:29 PM

"the only mention of this anywhere at all on the internet is ... Mudcat.

I stand corrected. There are a couple of threads here and here on one of the BBC's Archers messageboards. (Incredibly , the BBC has seven separate messageboards devoted to the Archers, even though it scrapped dozens of others about travel and the like).

Not many people seem to be biting, though.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 03:28 PM

My bet is, that it's laxative chocolate. Some sort of Belgian Ex Lax.
Eddie will get a good run for his money though.

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: GUEST,PeterC
Date: 10 Mar 09 - 04:45 PM

Laxative chocolate - so obvious

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: GUEST,Mr Red
Date: 11 Mar 09 - 11:18 AM

And how soon will the sausage fight be declared too risque?

Look what happened last time Brian went off the rails to hide the sausage! Phew Rory - what?

Not that I listen, mind................

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Anne Lister
Date: 11 Mar 09 - 07:02 PM

He was again called Fat Paul tonight, so no need to worry. Mind you, it was Eddie and Joe Grundy and they've never been remotely politically correct.
My money's on the laxative chocolate theory.

Anne

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 11 Mar 09 - 07:15 PM

"He was again called Fat Paul tonight"

Ah! The power of Mudcat...

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: meself
Date: 11 Mar 09 - 07:19 PM

Don't let that dampen your righteous indignation, though ...

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 11 Mar 09 - 08:33 PM

Um... I assume that last post wasn't aimed at me. As far as I can tell, I've been consistently attempting to piss from the greatest height on the righteous nonsense...

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: Michael
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 05:47 AM

But pissing on tends to dampen.

Mike

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 06:44 AM

Perhaps he will acquire a new nickname ...

Paul (Un)blocker

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: GUEST,BanjoRay
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 06:51 AM

I suppose the references to Paul Blocker are to convince us that he's not called Fat Paul because he's fat, but because he's named Blocker - therefore less incorrect politically, so they don't have to lose the character.
Ray

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 07:00 AM

Perhaps Liz the Squeak can start a new thread. 'Tits and Fat Pauls'?

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: meself
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 09:58 AM

Spleen Cringe: Sorry - no, that wasn't aimed at you ...

Subject: RE: BS: Archers (UK soap) political correctness
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 12 Mar 09 - 06:50 PM

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS Laxative chocolate, I was right.
Also, the called him Fat Paul, TWICE tonight.