Just how stupid is Danny Baker?

[Yellow Hoods]

Don't need to explain. By now we all know he's been sacked and why, and heard the subsequent comments he's made.

I think it's a great shame that a guy who, in my opinion, is very funny and talented can also be so stupid. Seems he has a broadcasting death wish, and not for the first time.

Despite his actions and comments, he will still undoubtedly have a loyal following of fans, 500,000 Twitter followers for a start, and will probably get a show on commercial radio before long.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

He's an odd mixture. I do find him funny (if a bit repetitive) but his appearance on I'm A Celebrity... a couple of years ago or so didn't really endear him to me at all. I thought he was an obnoxious bully who then played the 'banter' card all too readily to get himself out the mess his mouth had got him into. Seems like his fingers are connected to his mouth rather than his brain...

 

[Morris Oxford]

Clearly a bright and intelligent chap, but tweeting that is quite frankly idiotic to put it mildly.

Where’s the common sense?

 

[Oxymoron]

Baker has always been a bit "meh" to me - sometimes funny and entertaining, other-times ranting and boring. Trouble is, there are plenty of people willing to be offended on behalf of others nowadays; to me this was nothing more than the captioning an old photograph in the style of so many "amusing" birthday cards nowadays.

Should he have done it - probably not; is the lesson here "don't tweet drunk"
Is sacking deserved -again, probably not but I'm sure he will surface again if he feels the need to get back behind a microphone.
Is Madonna walking through JFK in a burka any more stupid/racist/offensive - I'll let you decide.......

 

[Basham Wonderland]

I don't like him nor do I find him funny. That said, his actions were clearly not intentionally racist so why was he sacked? Unless I'm missing something here and he has some previous? I'm too young to know his previous sins.

It's arguably more racist to just assume that a picture of a gorilla is a racial dig at a baby who is descended from a mixed race woman. The link is so tenuous, the baby is white British, there was no intent, so what's the problem?...

Madness.

 

[Eastendyellow]

As David Cameron once said "too many tweets makes a tw*t", and he knows what a tw*t looks like

 

[Foley]

I don't like him nor do I find him funny. That said, his actions were clearly not intentionally racist so why was he sacked? Unless I'm missing something here and he has some previous? I'm too young to know his previous sins.

It's arguably more racist to just assume that a picture of a gorilla is a racial dig at a baby who is descended from a mixed race woman. The link is so tenuous, the baby is white British, there was no intent, so what's the problem?...

Madness.

Yes I tend to agree.
Somebody said that all radio presenters are one stupid comment away from the sack at all times.
Ben Elton has a novel with regard to politicians and celebrities constantly apologising for things they have said/ allegedly said, whilst people take offence and whilst serious issues in the world aren't addressed.
Subtlety and context are hardly ever taken into account.

 

[MarkG]

If for instance it was when William and Kate last had a baby would it have been funny?
Perhaps if it was Posh and Becks, or Wayne and Colleen Rooney.

Also as said elsewhere, Baker had to dig out that picture and caption it., presumably it's from an old film.

 

[Oslernorth]

I don't like him nor do I find him funny. That said, his actions were clearly not intentionally racist so why was he sacked? Unless I'm missing something here and he has some previous? I'm too young to know his previous sins.

It's arguably more racist to just assume that a picture of a gorilla is a racial dig at a baby who is descended from a mixed race woman. The link is so tenuous, the baby is white British, there was no intent, so what's the problem?...

Madness.

I agree, I don't think it was intended to be racist. Unfortunately though, I also think the BBC had no choise but to sack him, simply because there are too many idiots about now that would defend a blantent racist slur by comparing it to Danny Baker's tweet had he been allowed to keep his job.
In some ways ironically it's probably the "PC gone mad brigade" that have cost him his job.
It will be interesting to see the spin The Sun and Daily Mail put on it tomorrow

 

[ZeroTheHero]

Not sure about 'PC gone mad' brigade costing him his job - it was his own idiocy that did that. It was a stupid, crass and unthinking thing to post. Was it racist? He may not have meant it, but there are plenty who would/could have taken it that way (either to confirm their own prejudices or to get 'offended' by it). At least we won't have to listen to the unutterably dull 'Sausage Sandwich Game' any more...

 

[mooro]

The problem for me is that if we go down this road of any mention or reference to a monkey/ape/gorilla/primate must be looked at in a racial context it completely undermines the serious efforts of various parties to deal with more blatant and open acts, such as monkey chants at football matches.
On the one hand I see the point made by a previous poster about the BBC being forced to act as though it was an actual slur, but at the same time the willingness to call out Baker on this, or anyone else who makes an inadvertant reference, I think actually provides ammunition to the more ignorant end of the spectrum who just see it as a mainstream celebrity making the comment (rather than him being punished for it - that won't bother them).

The airwaves are full of people whose job it is to sail close to the line to provoke debate - be it Danny Baker, Piers Morgan, Jeremy Kyle, Jeremy vine, or that vile woman from the Apprentice whose name thankfully escapes me - which I personally find intensely annoying and a damning sign of the world today, not least because so many listeners fall for the trick day by day, and take these people seriously. They can all - as I believe the modern parlance suggests - "do one" as far as I am concerned. Let people/listeners on air who can build their own argument, not just spoon feed them rant-fodder.

The irony of course, is that more often than not, it is actually 'innocent' slips such as Baker this week/Morgan on Barkeley that seem to eventually catch them out and get them into trouble, rather than the more dangerous they say to rouse the rabble...

I dont think for a second that Baker meant any racial reference in his tweet, and I fear that if we carry on as we are, then it is only a matter of time before monkeys are removed from our zoos in order to remove any perceived references (most probably from white people) to slavery etc etc......

 

[Gary Baldi]

People like Baker, who have a quirky sense of humour, need to think once, twice, three, four and five times between before posting anything even vaguely controversial on social media in the climate we live in, especially when alcohol is involved. While his point about the royal family (as a group) being "performing chimps" is quite spot on, it's the sort of thing that in the world we live in, has to stay in his head if he wants to keep a job or have a hassle free life. Especially if any member of the Royal Family or associate, consort, etc of them is a minority. Assume someone will be offended, and work it back from there.

I suppose at 61, he doesn't care and never has done, and will find the whole palaver rather funny. And something to sell another load of books in response to. There are times I wonder if he does it deliberately to get out of a situation and have something extra to sell at the end.

 

[Scotchegg]

When the first mixed race royal has been born, it's pretty stupid to post a picture of a chimpanzee and not expect to get a backlash. He could have found any number of pictures that could have poked fun at the royals in general without using one with a monkey. In a world where black footballs are still subject to monkey noises and abuse, there is no excuse and whether intended or otherwise, his tweet was racist.

It may be ignorance, it may be unintentional, but it still has a very high chance of shocking and offending, and when that brings his employer into the spotlight it's no wonder he's found himself with a little more time on his hands.

I know that we live in a 'snowflakey' world, but I'm not sure how anyone can defend Danny Baker on this.

 

[Golden Dr Otto]

He does apparently have a track record of posting chimp pictures in multiple situations unrelated to race.

Pretty dumb knowing how there’s a mob of self indulgent out there who revel in being offended. But given his long career courting controversial discussion as a job description, with no previous evidence of racism, you’d think an apology and period of solemnity would have been more appropriate.

If it was proven to be clearly intended as racist then it’s a different story. I don’t think it was. Which kind of debases the whole concept of tackling genuine racists. It all feels a little disingenuous

 

[SiHath]

I agree, I don't think it was intended to be racist. Unfortunately though, I also think the BBC had no choise but to sack him, simply because there are too many idiots about now that would defend a blantent racist slur by comparing it to Danny Baker's tweet had he been allowed to keep his job.
In some ways ironically it's probably the "PC gone mad brigade" that have cost him his job.
It will be interesting to see the spin The Sun and Daily Mail put on it tomorrow

The BBC chose not to sack Alan Sugar for a far more overtly racist and offensive tweet during the world cup.

 

[Peterdev]

He acted without thinking. Most people know it is unacceptable to do what he’s done.
I thought his whole interview seemed muddled and far from the Danny Baker of old that I used to like.
I can’t believe he was so daft to have done it, and it’s a shame he will be remembered not for how funny he used to be but how stupid he was at the end

 

[Gary Baldi]

It's why for me social media is becoming anti-social media - for all the benefits, it's taken a more sinister turn in recent years and I'd argue is doing more harm than good to society in its current format.

Of course the BBC is a hypocrite for saving Shuges while sacking the likes of Clarkson and Baker, but it's what they are.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

And in the end, that is what the problem is I suppose. While an ill-considered 'funny' social media post by a well-known but pretty minor public figure (or 'influencer' in the current jargon!) is not of any consequence on it's own, it is whether it gives idiots the 'Danny said it, so it's OK' excuse. Even if he didn't mean it that way.

 

[Sarge]

The signs were all there with Danny Baker and his obsession with whiter than white

 

[Sarge]

kind of linked ... Prince Harry is visiting Oxford on tuesday

https://www.Oxfordm**l.co.uk/news/17630245.prince-harry-visits-oxford-next-week/?ref=mr&lp=1

 

[SteMerritt]

kind of linked ... Prince Harry is visiting Oxford on tuesday

https://www.Oxfordm**l.co.uk/news/17630245.prince-harry-visits-oxford-next-week/?ref=mr&lp=1

Gig down the Cowley Road?

 

[Basham Wonderland]

So, the general consensus seems to be that Baker was undoubtedly stupid and should have realised how his Tweet might have been interpreted, but it wasn't an overtly racist act, just a dumb one.

I only hope morons at football matches don't somehow take strength from this and start throwing bananas on pitches again. Whatever you think of him, Baker can be influential.
[/QUOTE]

This is the sort of hand-wringing which is damaging our society.

Edit - I have just remembered that hand wringing is an action typically displayed by people suffering from moderate or severe autism/Asperger's. I have, myself, fallen into the Baker trap. Although I did not intend to trivialise lifelong mental illnesses when I made my original post, I now come to understand that somebody somewhere could have become offended.

I will be handing myself in to my local constabulary as a matter of urgency. My employer has been notified and I expect to be fired before the end of the day.

 

[Sarge]

Gig down the Cowley Road?

Perhaps, though most of Harry's visit is in Barton/ Headington, who knows he might pop to Cowley road? .....there's a top band making their first Oxford appearance tonight at The Bullingdon ( im away working!) .... Stone Foundation

The Bullingdon Tickets and Events

Find upcoming events by The Bullingdon. Book official tickets on Fatsoma, the UK's favourite ticket outlet.

www.fatsoma.com

 

[Eastendyellow]

kind of linked ... Prince Harry is visiting Oxford on tuesday

https://www.Oxfordm**l.co.uk/news/17630245.prince-harry-visits-oxford-next-week/?ref=mr&lp=1

Well you know. Terrific. Cowley Road, East Oxford. Breath of fresh air. Top, top, top people. Absolutely, terrific.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

This is the sort of hand-wringing which is damaging our society.

How is it 'hand-wringing' to say that certain people *might* seek to see this as a justification for their own bigotry? It might not be logical, it isn't what Baker intended, but it certainly might happen. In the same way that the same sort of person has taken the Brexit vote to abuse people in the street because they aren't 'from around here' - that's not logical or sensible either, but it happens. Does that mean Baker had to be sacked - possibly not, but he stupidly put his employer in a difficult position and only has himself to blame.

 

[Eastendyellow]

Danny Baker. Well you know. Terrific lad. He’s Breath of fresh air. Fantastic lad.

 

[Robie]

If you don't want to be treated like a bigoted fool don't act like a bigoted fool.

 

[Basham Wonderland]

How is it 'hand-wringing' to say that certain people *might* seek to see this as a justification for their own bigotry? It might not be logical, it isn't what Baker intended, but it certainly might happen. In the same way that the same sort of person has taken the Brexit vote to abuse people in the street because they aren't 'from around here' - that's not logical or sensible either, but it happens. Does that mean Baker had to be sacked - possibly not, but he stupidly put his employer in a difficult position and only has himself to blame.

Because if you take the overly-cautious approach of dismissing someone from their employment partly on the basis (but with literally no evidence) that the hypothetical, everyday racist might use the actions to justify future abuse, you are allowing your own 'hand wringing' to deprive someone else of their liberty to work and/or their finances.

(The reason I use the term hand wringing is because the sacking was based on overly-cautious fretting instead of actual evidence of racism).

I take your point on Brexit but it's totally unrelated to this incident in magnitude, context, fact etc. No comparison between Brexit and Baker's actions at all.

I think you hit the nail on the head when you suggest he perhaps should not have been fired.

 

[Golden Dr Otto]

If you don't want to be treated like a bigoted fool don't act like a bigoted fool.

Or don’t cast someone as a bigoted fool when they’re not, condemning their livelihood for eternity, so that you can pitch yourself as a moral arbiter?

Because then you become the real enemy of the fight against bigotry by debasing legitimate efforts to prevent it.

 

[Marked Ox]

Perhaps, though most of Harry's visit is in Barton/ Headington, who knows he might pop to Cowley road? .....there's a top band making their first Oxford appearance tonight at The Bullingdon ( im away working!) .... Stone Foundation

The Bullingdon Tickets and Events

Find upcoming events by The Bullingdon. Book official tickets on Fatsoma, the UK's favourite ticket outlet.

www.fatsoma.com

Nightmare for him everybody else with the existing traffic problems in Headington/Barton.