Danny Baker sacked

slowmart

Not surprising really considering the content of his tweet.

Mind you the walking mouthpiece still doesn’t seem to connect the dots between actions and consequences.

mr_goo

Clearly a very badly judged social media post. Although I did find the photo quite amusing as a stand alone image. Reminded me of the old PG Tips adverts.

chris_bass

i have listened to him a lot on the radio (and who doesn't remember own goals and gaffs!!) and would be very surprised if he chose that picture because of race but the fact he didn't see it is pretty shocking - the BBC had to act really, imagine the backlash if they hadn't

whyamihere

I didn't actually make the connection until the article I was reading spelled it out. I don't know enough about him to know whether it's likely to be malicious or not, but it is possible that it is just someone posting a funny picture and not thinking about it too much.

veronese68

If you are not racist and do not associate monkeys with race in any way I can see why you might not see it that way. Also as alluded to above the PG Tops chimps were funny at the time and we’re not about race. They were cockneys moving the piano as I recall. Kids are often referred to as little monkeys. There are plenty of innocent explanations, it’s right that he took it down and he should apologise if anyone took offence. The only problem really is that someone working in media should be more media savvy and anyone in the public eye should probably think harder than most people before sharing something on social media.

imposter2.0

The PG Tips analogy is not valid, IMO.

He's probably not a racist - I think if he was, he'd have been found out a long time ago, given that he's now 61. However, he is definitely guilty of being utterly, utterly stupid. Posting a picture of a chimp and failing to see how it might be interpreted? He says he didn't make the connection. So he is either a liar, or he is genuinely stupid. Or maybe he is a racist, but just doesn't know it...

lesfirth

I wont have to switch the radio off at 9 on saturday morning now.
Danny Baker along with many posters on this forum is a classic example of the old chinese proverb," the man who talks most invariably talks the most sh1t".

Matthewfalle

for someone as experienced in the media, imagery, race, etc to claim it was a gag is bollox.

TDV and I are actually in shock that someone would post something like that to a black/mixed race family or any kind of family at all tbh.

he knew exactly what he was doing.

imposter2.0

lesfirth wrote:

Danny Baker along with many posters on this forum is a classic example of the old chinese proverb," the man who talks most invariably talks the most sh1t".

But not you, obviously...

surfercyclist

Well only he knows for sure but I don't think he meant it to be racist. I don't like Danny Baker, don't find him funny, just annoying really but I suspect he was trying for a funny tweet but it back fired spectacularly. As for being fired, I think the Beeb probably had no option despite his apology.

Matthewfalle

doesn't matter if he intended it to be - on his personal level - racist or not its in spectacularly bad taste and you have to be incredibly stupid that a certain kind of hideous person will see the image and think a certain way.

orraloon

Heard a BBC news report saying that Baker stated that the BBC had thrown him under the bus. No, Danny. You threw you under the bus.

rjsterry

I'm more and more convinced that Twitter is just an elaborate stupidity test.

tyke999

What a complete cockerel !!

chris_bass

Veronese68 wrote:

If you are not racist and do not associate monkeys with race in any way I can see why you might not see it that way. Also as alluded to above the PG Tops chimps were funny at the time and we’re not about race. They were cockneys moving the piano as I recall. Kids are often referred to as little monkeys. There are plenty of innocent explanations, it’s right that he took it down and he should apologise if anyone took offence. The only problem really is that someone working in media should be more media savvy and anyone in the public eye should probably think harder than most people before sharing something on social media.

You don't have to be racist or personally make any connection between monkeys and race to know that some imbeciles do and use it as a form of abuse.

The pg tips analogy isn't really valid as they weren't meant to be anyone in particular, in this case the chimp was meant to be the royal baby, not just any random baby.

rick_chasey

Did he post it for the other royal birth too?

DeVlaeminck

Imposter wrote:

The PG Tips analogy is not valid, IMO.

He's probably not a racist - I think if he was, he'd have been found out a long time ago, given that he's now 61. However, he is definitely guilty of being utterly, utterly stupid. Posting a picture of a chimp and failing to see how it might be interpreted? He says he didn't make the connection. So he is either a liar, or he is genuinely stupid. Or maybe he is a racist, but just doesn't know it...

Or is it possible that after 40plus years in the public eye a person that isn't stupid did a stupid thing?

I don't think he posted that with racist intent, of course I don't know, if say Tommy Robinson had posted it I'd be less inclined to give the benefit of the doubt but to destroy the reputation and the career of a man for what may well have been an innocent mistake is wrong and those calling for it - and there are plenty - are as bad as the racists they condemn.

imposter2.0

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Or is it possible that after 40plus years in the public eye a person that isn't stupid did a stupid thing?

I think the stupidity of the post is self-evident. That's not in question. The only question is whether it was intentionally racist. It may not have been. But someone in Baker's position - and someone with his experience - really should have been able to think it through a bit better before hitting 'send'...

DeVlaeminck wrote:

I don't think he posted that with racist intent, of course I don't know, if say Tommy Robinson had posted it I'd be less inclined to give the benefit of the doubt but to destroy the reputation and the career of a man for what may well have been an innocent mistake is wrong and those calling for it - and there are plenty - are as bad as the racists they condemn.

See my answer above. Someone in his position cannot excuse this as an 'innocent mistake'. You simply do not offer up a pic of a chimp in the context of a mixed race child - royal or otherwise. Whatever reputation he may have had deserves to be in the bin, right now. And it is..

slowmart

Baker is a big football fan, for him not to to grasp the connotations of posting a picture of a monkey and it’s racist connotations seem unfathomable.

It’s a measure of the individual that he’s playing the victim here.

No doubt he’ll appear on the infowars website soon...

DeVlaeminck

Imposter wrote:

See my answer above. Someone in his position cannot excuse this as an 'innocent mistake'. You simply do not offer up a pic of a chimp in the context of a mixed race child - royal or otherwise. Whatever reputation he may have had deserves to be in the bin, right now. And it is..

Well you need to make your mind up you admit it may not have been intentional but say it can't be an innocent mistake - surely it is one or the other?

I just find the idea that a man with no previous would deliberately commit career suicide for a cheap racist joke. If that was his style he could have made money as a populist columnist in the tabloids. Yes it may seem unlikely he'd not see the obvious racist interpretation of his joke but occasionally intelligent well meaning people will do something without thinking and don't deserve to be villified for it.

It's a bit like the guy that drove into the back of my bike at 40mph (while I was on it) - I told the police so long as he was medically fit to drive I had no desire to see him prosecuted because it really is a case of there but for the grace of God - an innocent mistake.

As for Slowmarts point - what has being a football fan got to do with it? Football is not infested with racism.

tangled_metal

He claimed that he didn't know one of the parents was mixed race, indeed that it read Ms Markle. He thought it was another royal couple. I guess that's why he didn't realise it could be seen as racist. I guess a monkey child image if the child and parents are white has a different connotation. He said he knew a lot about football but nothing about royals, not his area of expertise.

Believable or not?

If you don't follow royals could you still not know Markle was mixed race and it was her baby that was born? I must admit it was only a little while before their marriage that I found out she was the daughter of a black woman and white father. I hadn't really seen any photos, perhaps one or two and just thought she could be of a Hispanic ethnicity.

imposter2.0

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Well you need to make your mind up you admit it may not have been intentional but say it can't be an innocent mistake - surely it is one or the other?

It's either crass stupidity, or blatant racism. The punishment was correct for either, imo..

DeVlaeminck wrote:

I just find the idea that a man with no previous would deliberately commit career suicide for a cheap racist joke. If that was his style he could have made money as a populist columnist in the tabloids.

Look out Katie Hopkins...

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Football is not infested with racism.

So widespread reports of monkey chants and bananas being thrown onto the pitch in front of black players - we're all just imagining that..? Maybe Holbrook Women's FC doesn't have the problem, but it certainly seems to be widespread in many other areas...

imposter2.0

Tangled Metal wrote:

He claimed that he didn't know one of the parents was mixed race, indeed that it read Ms Markle. He thought it was another royal couple. I guess that's why he didn't realise it could be seen as racist. I guess a monkey child image if the child and parents are white has a different connotation. He said he knew a lot about football but nothing about royals, not his area of expertise.

Believable or not?

If you don't follow royals could you still not know Markle was mixed race and it was her baby that was born? I must admit it was only a little while before their marriage that I found out she was the daughter of a black woman and white father. I hadn't really seen any photos, perhaps one or two and just thought she could be of a Hispanic ethnicity.

That defence was just absurd, beyond belief. To claim to know nothing about a high profile media (royal) couple to that extent, when you work as a journalist/presenter for a licence-funded national news broadcaster - well it's just fvckin laughable.

tangled_metal

True but he's a football specialist not a news, current affairs or royal specialist. Is there not an intelligence issue involved with what he is? I tend to think football tends to create obsessives, into the details of the sport but not much else. I work with a few. They can only talk about football. Also football games. Try talking about politics or current affairs and they admit to knowing nothing about that.

Personally doubt that with a guy who's won radio awards before now. He's just an idiot without a strong enough filter on what he posts.

crumbschief

What a lovely fez though,i could smoke in that if i had a jacket to match

slowmart

DeVlaeminck wrote:

As for Slowmarts point - what has being a football fan got to do with it? Football is not infested with racism.

https://www.kickitout.org/

Statistics from Kick It Out, football’s equality and inclusion organisation, reveal an increase in reports for the sixth consecutive year.

Racism constituted 53 per cent of them during the 2017/18 season, a rise of 22 per cent from the previous year.

The charity received a total of 520 reports for this period, up by 11 per cent from 469 in 2016/17.

Disability discrimination reports rose higher than any other in 2017/18, increasing by 107 per cent from 14 to 29.

Ten per cent of all reports concerned antisemitism.

The statistics are compiled from all levels of the game, including the Premier League, English Football League (EFL), FA Women’s Super League, non-league and grassroots fixtures.

Reports from social media, which was the most popular reporting method, are also included.

Cases reported at EFL matches have risen by 30 per cent, and across the entire professional game there was a 10 per cent increase overall from 194 in 2016/17 to 214 in 2017/18.

Grassroots discrimination reports rose by 35 per cent across the same period, with racism (71 per cent) and disability (33 per cent) the most common forms of discrimination reported.

slowmart

Tangled Metal wrote:

True but he's a football specialist not a news, current affairs or royal specialist. Is there not an intelligence issue involved with what he is? I tend to think football tends to create obsessives, into the details of the sport but not much else. I work with a few. They can only talk about football. Also football games. Try talking about politics or current affairs and they admit to knowing nothing about that.

Personally doubt that with a guy who's won radio awards before now. He's just an idiot without a strong enough filter on what he posts.

And by that very context, unemployable by a public service organisation.

I’m not PC but Baker crossed the line, is it proportionate his sacking? Absolutely, Bakers actions gave them no room for manovere, even if they were inclined.

DeVlaeminck

Imposter wrote:

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Well you need to make your mind up you admit it may not have been intentional but say it can't be an innocent mistake - surely it is one or the other?

It's either crass stupidity, or blatant racism. The punishment was correct for either, imo..

DeVlaeminck wrote:

I just find the idea that a man with no previous would deliberately commit career suicide for a cheap racist joke. If that was his style he could have made money as a populist columnist in the tabloids.

Look out Katie Hopkins...

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Football is not infested with racism.

So widespread reports of monkey chants and bananas being thrown onto the pitch in front of black players - we're all just imagining that..? Maybe Holbrook Women's FC doesn't have the problem, but it certainly seems to be widespread in many other areas...

Have you attended a football match and seen a banana thrown onto a pitch? It's not something I have ever seen - I'm 51 and attended my first match in 1975. If you think that is widespread you are deluded. There may have been monkey chants back then but if there were I wasn't aware. Yes I have encountered racism in football but rarely - the last time when a fan shouted something at an opposition player - I actually tackled him about it and told him it was unacceptable so I'm not going to be lectured on it by someone who clearly has no idea.

There is no more racism in football than in cycling - probably less - in other words there is some but it should not be singled out as having any more or any less of a problem than society in general.

imposter2.0

Tangled Metal wrote:

True but he's a football specialist not a news, current affairs or royal specialist. Is there not an intelligence issue involved with what he is? I tend to think football tends to create obsessives, into the details of the sport but not much else. I work with a few. They can only talk about football. Also football games. Try talking about politics or current affairs and they admit to knowing nothing about that.

Personally doubt that with a guy who's won radio awards before now. He's just an idiot without a strong enough filter on what he posts.

The football stuff is only relatively recent. He has been a print journo, a current affairs reporter for LWT and a general radio/TV host long before he got his football gig on 5Live.

I'm far from being a 'Royal watcher' - but you'd have to have been living under a rock on an uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean to not have heard anything about Harry and Megan over the last couple of years. Not to mention the royal baby media fest...

DeVlaeminck

Imposter wrote:

Tangled Metal wrote:

True but he's a football specialist not a news, current affairs or royal specialist. Is there not an intelligence issue involved with what he is? I tend to think football tends to create obsessives, into the details of the sport but not much else. I work with a few. They can only talk about football. Also football games. Try talking about politics or current affairs and they admit to knowing nothing about that.

Personally doubt that with a guy who's won radio awards before now. He's just an idiot without a strong enough filter on what he posts.

The football stuff is only relatively recent. He has been a print journo, a current affairs reporter for LWT and a general radio/TV host long before he got his football gig on 5Live.

I'm far from being a 'Royal watcher' - but you'd have to have been living under a rock on an uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean to not have heard anything about Harry and Megan over the last couple of years. Not to mention the royal baby media fest...

If you call 25 years ago relatively recent.

imposter2.0

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Have you attended a football match and seen a banana thrown onto a pitch?

Are you being serious? No, I've not been to a game for years. But I have seen multiple reports on national news, including actual bananas being thrown onto actual pitches, in front of actual black footballers, including some very recent within the last few weeks. Are you saying you are not aware of these incidents? And you say that I'm deluded...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47819994