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Feminism: Sex & gender discussions

"We've watched a husband beating his wife" on Only Connect

22 replies

Rainbowshine · 28/08/2013 08:35

I just caught the end of this yesterday, was quite to hear Victoria Coren make the comment "We've watched a husband beating his wife. If you like that sort of spectacle do watch the Eastenders Christmas Special". Even DH thought it was an awful comment. Obv there was a husband on one team and wife on the other, but this comment made me feel v uncomfortable. I can't think why anyone would think it's ok to make light of DV like this.

If you want to see it here's the iPlayer link, the comment is in the very last part of the programme www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/bigscreen/tv/episode/b01930xb/

OP posts:

Report

waikikamookau · 28/08/2013 08:48

can I ask what terminology you would have used?

Ongle · 28/08/2013 08:57

Have you written to the BBC to complain yet? I doubt their programme execs read this board.

Make sure you include the FWR approved list of what subjects can be joked about (in this case it appears to be Eastenders rather than violence).

Rainbowshine · 28/08/2013 08:57

There were so many other ways the spousal rivalry could have been highlighted without talking about a husband "beating" his wife combined with the Eastenders reference - especially using the word "spectacle". Victoria Coren is quite deadpan in her delivery so she could have said if you like that sort of hideous site. It was the whole context of the comment that irked me.

OP posts:

Rainbowshine · 28/08/2013 08:58

Yes Ongle I have made a complaint. Posted here just to see whether others felt it was unfunny. Perhaps AIBU or Chat would have been a better place?

OP posts:

waikikamookau · 28/08/2013 08:59

oh I didn't realise she mentioned east enders,
obviously a joke then,
hmm, funny programme

waikikamookau · 28/08/2013 09:00

funny peculiar programme that is,

but to me it was a joke,

AnyoneButLulu · 28/08/2013 09:03

VC's end of episode jokes normally tend towards the dark side (violence, alcohol, despair). I'd class this as a cheap joke about EastEnders' notoriously grim Christmas episode, rather than a "DV is hilarious" joke.

FannyMcNally · 28/08/2013 09:05

But she would have said that anyway, even if the wife beaten the husband. That was a scripted comment. I didn't pick up on a feminist issue.

Ongle · 28/08/2013 09:07

Oh, and I wouldn't put it on AIBU.

Rainbowshine · 28/08/2013 09:27

I guess I shouldn't expect daytime quiz shows to have brilliant comedy jokes in them. It was clumsy, And I'm not sure if the joke would have been reversed to say wife had beaten husband. Perhaps it has bothered me more than it should, I don't know.

OP posts:

AnyoneButLulu · 28/08/2013 09:37

It's not a daytime quiz show, it's the jewel in the crown of BBC4's evening schedule - maybe the repeat being shown out of context in an afternoon BBC2 slot is what's making it seem unacceptable.

mignonette · 28/08/2013 09:40

To be honest VC's jokes are the kind that leave people either going 'eh' or shuffling their feet in awkwardness because she is just not funny.

What was funny was David Starkey on QT saying that of all the panellists he was the only one who hadn't been assisted by nepotism.

AnyoneButLulu · 28/08/2013 09:44

That is funny mignonette. Who were the other guests? And how did they react?

TheDoctrineOfPositivityYes · 28/08/2013 19:48

Welcome to MN, Ongle. Are you enjoying FWR?

Ongle · 28/08/2013 21:55

Thank you. No, not really. What do you think of the place?

TheDoctrineOfPositivityYes · 28/08/2013 22:10

I find it interesting and informative.

mignonette · 28/08/2013 22:17

Anyone

VC tried to claim she'd gone into journalism only in order to please her Father totally missing the point that the choice was hers for the taking because of what her father did.

Harriet Harman and Shirley Williams huffed and puffed. It was very funny. And true.

An expensive education where you are surrounded by people who are useful to network with for the rest of your life will massively help open doors...

AnyoneButLulu · 28/08/2013 22:32

They all went to the same school of course.

I'd cut Williams more slack because it must have been tough as a woman in politics in her day no matter who your parents were.

Chubfuddler · 28/08/2013 22:39

I tried really hard to watch only connect once and was very disappointed. I expected Victoria coren to be a sparkling wit but based on the (possibly not representative) episode I saw she's not funny, not witty and delivers her very scripted lines with a dead behind the eyes expression. Not a fan.

If that the jewel of bbc4 god help bbc4.

The joke the op refers to isn't the least bit funny really.

cookymonster · 29/08/2013 01:25

It's in bad taste and was unnecessary, but I doubt it was intended to be offensive. She was obviously trying to be funny. (Trying being the operative word.)

Vic Coren seems to have an odd sense of humour - in every Only Connect ep I've seen, she makes at least two awful jokes about how much she drinks.

mignonette · 29/08/2013 07:48

Yes Anyone I would cut her some slack too.

BlazinStoke · 29/08/2013 08:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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