January 30, 2007

Celebrity Big Brother

I've just caught up with the Big Brother final on Youtube and yet again I think the programme has provided the nation with lessons it needs pitched at a tone it will understand and benefit from.

Housewife Hiral Chheda said it was all the publicity Shetty received after the racism controversy that helped her win the programme.

"Who knows Shilpa Shetty otherwise? We are not talking about a Kareena Kapoor or Rani Mukherjee here. In the end, however, so long as you are making a name and money out of it, any publicity is good," she said.


"I am happy that she has won but its not like she's got medals for the country, you know," she added.


The BJP today said it was keen on wooing Shilpa Shetty, whose popularity has soared following her appearance...


Shetty defended fellow contestant Jade Goody, who repeatedly reduced the Indian actress to tears by shouting at her, calling her cooking untrustworthy, mocking her accent and calling her "Shilpa Poppadum." ...

"She is a little aggressive and hot tempered, but she's not a racist," Shetty said.


I've learnt something myself a bit in that I usually hate Bombay princesses and the way they talk- but this one is pretty cool..

Following her victory on 'Celebrity Big Brother', actress Shilpa Shetty has appealed to the British public to forgive the three housemates who were accused of racist bullying towards her.

Speaking to the press after her win with 63% of the public vote, Shetty said of Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd and Jo O'Meara: "They are young, but not racist."

During the press conference Lloyd appeared in the room to ask for Shetty's forgiveness.

The 23-year-old model said: "I would like to apologise for the words I have said, they were not meant to be racist, I am not racist."

Her apology was accepted by a tearful Shetty.


as for Channel 4

'One of the ironies of all of this is Channel 4 has done more than any other broadcaster to help push forward issues around race and multi-culturalism. It's part of our remit - to cater for minority audiences and promote diversity, and we're incredibly good at it. Our ambition is to portray a wide range of views and help build a more tolerant society ... where people have a better understanding of others with different views to their own.' Whether that is best achieved by placing Jade Goody and Danielle Lloyd in the same room as Shilpa Shetty is for others to decide.

as I said the other day, which government initiative would reach the heart of Bermondsey as well as this programme has?

January 26, 2007

Mr Sweeney told the jury about evidence from a student at London's Metropolitan University who had been offered accommodation, via Yahya, at Ibrahim's address in Dalston.

He said that, according to the witness, Ibrahim claimed to have done "military training" at a camp in Sudan and fired rocket-propelled grenades.

Ibrahim and Omar also attended Finsbury Park Mosque, where Hamza preached, according to the witness.

They allegedly
had tapes of his preachings and those of another preacher Shiekh Faisal.

"Both Ibrahim and Omar had extremist views against the UK and America and would often discuss jihad in Iraq, Afghanistan and Chechnya," Mr Sweeney said, in his account of the witness's evidence.

"Both men seemed keen and willing to go there and fight, including fighting British and American troops in Iraq."

Four of the alleged plotters, Ibrahim, Omar, Yahya and Manfo Asiedu, had been on a camping trip to Scotland in 2004 to "get fit for jihad", the court was told.

also:

He added: “Yassin said he didn’t believe that 9/11 was done by Osama bin Laden. If I recall correctly, he said Abu Hamza had said that and Abu Hamza knew Osama bin Laden.” Mr Bentley said that after he returned to university he lost touch with Mr Omar, and after 2002 saw him very infrequently.

January 23, 2007

STORMY UK

Yes yes, happy new year and all that. A lot of people are benefiting from storms in Britain at the moment. I'd be happy if a brand new BMW washed up on my shore. There is another huge media storm about a girl called Jade in my country. I think Channel 4 are right in what they have said. The nation is benefiting from the ensuing debate, and so is Jade. She should have some therapy sure, along with the rest of Bermondsey.

I love Jon Gaunt in The Sun. In one statement he's critisizing Channel 4 about the Big Brother race issues and in the next he's calling a woman who wants to teach wearing a burkah a "dalek". he goes on to critisize a Muslim Policewoman who says she can't shake the Police Commisioners hand. Didn't know its against her religion to touch the hand of a man who isn't her husband Jon? Neither did I until I spent time amongst Muslims. We are all learning something in my country.

UPDATE:

They are sending Jadel to India. That ought to do it. She should be careful over there though. Film stars are like gods, she could be strung up. Honestly I reckon Channel 4 will be vindicated. How many government directives against racism could ever actually reach people like Jade and hold their attention? Big Brothers got them all talking.

The Indian Tourism Ministry has published advertisements in several British newspapers reading, “Dear Jade Goody, once your current commitments are over may we invite you to experience the healing nature of India.”

CNN

January 17, 2007