Thursday, October 20, 2005
Darcus and Joan
What the listeners heard
One of those Wish-You'd-Been-There moments: Skeletal harridan Joan Rivers and burly broadcaster Darcus Howe going at it hammer 'n' tongs - right there on the Beeb. Joan Rivers "Wait. Just stop right now. Black does not offend me. How dare you. How dare you say that. Black offends me? You know nothing about me. How dare you." Howe: "The use of the term black offends you." Rivers " The use of the term black offends me? Where the hell are you coming from? You have got such a chip on your shoulder. I don't give a damn if you're black or white. I couldn't care less. It's what the person is. Don't you dare call me a racist. I don't know you. I want an apology." Rivers "Oh, I think it was, when someone says the term black offends Joan. I will not sit here and be told that. How dare you say that." Howe "I think this is a language problem." And so forth. Whatever he's selling, he'll be the toast and talk of the land. Whatever she 's selling, she may as well catch the first plane back to where she belongs. I know the old country's gone to the dogs, but surely people haven't been reduced to tuning in to listen to the likes of her ? (Clearly not, since not one of my pals seems to have heard it, altho' they all wish they had )
Darcus Howe had said that he would talk of *Caribbean* children, "... since black offends Joan."
Libby Purves "I don't think it was personal, Joan."
Excellent - everyone's jumping on the race wagon. I may keep a tally:
