The BBC Fails on Political Correctness

There was a sense of a small victory for feminists earlier this week when the BBC announced a woman will need to appear on all of its comedy panel shows. Thinking on your feet one might think this is a good idea it's about time more women were shown on these types of programmes, but the BBC obviously haven't thought through this kind of statement.

If a woman is allowed an automatic seat on a programme such as: 'QI' or 'Mock the Week' then why shouldn't someone from a ethnic minority or a gay person? If the BBC are looking to be politically correct then why are women getting the treatment but other sections of people aren't getting the same treatment - this is against what the BBC were trying to do in the first place.

I do agree with what they are saying though - women do not get as much of a chance as a man in comedy especially on television. If you ever watch 'Live at the Apollo' the ratio from women to men performing is unacceptable - and they deserve as much of a chance as a man, unfortunately there are some bigoted males out there, that regardless of how good the female comedian is, they will not tolerate them. Apart from a select handful the likes of; Jo Brand and Sarah Millican women's stand doesn't thrive.



Jo Brand one of the few big women comedians around today. Picture courtesy of the guardian.com.

If we need women on BBC's comedy panel shows then should that not be case on all television and radio shows broadcast. Isn't a programme like 'Loose Women' sexist? And 'Woman's Hour' on BBC radio 4 sexist to us males. If there was a radio programme called 'Men's Hour' would there be feminists complaining how it is unfair?

Before you all start; I am not a sexist bigoted pig I do believe in equal opportunities and I know woman deserve a place in comedy as much as a man does, but the average person watching a comedy panel show wouldn't be thinking "Why are there no women on this programme?"

If programme's like 'Mock the Week' and other comedy shows are to be politically correct and non-sexist then how much of their material will they have to cut. There aren't many comedians out there that don't do jokes about their partners or wife/husband, a lot of Jo Brand's material is mocking men, as this is sexist shouldn't this material be banned on the BBC as it is not politically correct?

 

Shows like QI will now have to involve a female. Picture courtesy of ABC.

It shouldn't matter who is on comedy panel shows, there should only be one thing that matters when watching comedy: are they making you laugh? I don't care who's making me laugh as long a they are, whether they are man, woman, straight, gay, black or white.