Political Correctness Is a Faggot.

[probablyoliver]

LONDON (Reuters) - BBC Radio 1 has cut out the word "faggot" from an old Christmas hit in a move the mother of the song's late performer branded "ridiculous".

In "Fairytale of New York", released 20 years ago by Irish band the Pogues and singer Kirsty MacColl, she sings "You scumbag, you maggot/You cheap lousy faggot" as her character argues with that sung by Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan.

MacColl died in 2000 when she was killed by a speedboat off the coast of Mexico.

The song is a perennial favourite around Christmas time, and is once again battling for the lucrative number one spot in the charts this year. It has also topped several Best Christmas Song polls.

"Radio 1 are playing an edited version of the Fairytale of New York that does not include the world 'faggot' as this is a word that members of our audience would find offensive," the BBC said in a statement.

A spokeswoman said the word was "faded down" on air, rather than bleeped out.

But MacColl's mother Jean, speaking on the BBC Radio 5 Live, called the ban "too ridiculous".

"These are a couple of characters," she said, referring to the characters in the song.

"Today we have a lot of a gratuitous vulgarity and ... whatever from people all over which I think is quite unnecessary. These are characters and they speak like that."

A spokeswoman for the band said they would be amused to hear about Radio 1's decision.

"This song now goes with Christmas like the Queen's speech and mince pies, and all of a sudden it's offensive," she said. "It strikes me as very odd and I'm sure the band will be very amused."

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White; Editing by Steve Addison)

Source: Here

So PC continues it's plight into the insane, uh, I mean 'mentally ill', uh, I mean 'mentally unstable', uh, I mean etc. etc.

:ohwell:

[MalaCloudy Black]

That kinda sucks, but hey, at least I have that album so I don't have to worry about it. I think since December started I've listened to that song at least once a day. >_>

[Pesci]

Hands down the best Christmas song, I think. They're cunts for censoring it. It's not as if it's used in the context people would actually find offensive anyway. That was my favourite part of the song as well

[Colly]

Its ludicrous. I've had Radio 1 on at work today and heard about it on every news break, but they haven't actually played the song all day. Slow news day anyone?

Radio 2 continue to play the unsanitised version so whats the point? I am however going to complain that the next line contains the word 'arse' which I find offensive...

[Skummy]

I've wondered about this for a while...I was surprised radio/TV edits of the song still got away with that line up until now, especially when the initial Top Of The Pops performance of the song had "arse" changed to the allegedly more ambiguous and less offensive "ass", but figured that the song was so good it was considered untouchable...kind of like how Jeremy Clarkson gets away with casual bigotry on prime-time television. So, while I'm not surprised this has happened, I'm surprised it took so bloody long. Not that I'm saying it's a good thing at all, as "art" shouldn't be censored, but it's not like the song itself has been altered in any way, just the version played on a specific radio station, and one that will only play it for another week. The song's no worse for it, and if you are desperate to hear the word included, you can still go out and buy the album any time of year.

Now for the obvious comparison; Radio 1 plays plenty of rap, hip-hop, "R & B" and "pop" music full of questionable content, and it doesn't get censored, but a classic song does. Double standards ahoy.

Not that that's really my opinion, it's just the obvious approach to this.

[Gazz]

Power to the People

*raises fist*

[Skummy]

Now wait for the prolonged gay rights backlash against that decision, and see what the Beeb have to say about that...

Oh, and I personally would like to know what Shane MacGowan's got to say on the matter.

[Crybaby Bunting]

He doesn't look like he knows what year it is, nevermind what they're doing with his song

[Nerf]

Something along the lines of "fuckin'.." I should think.

[probablyoliver]

Now wait for the prolonged gay rights backlash against that decision, and see what the Beeb have to say about that...

Oh, and I personally would like to know what Shane MacGowan's got to say on the matter.

"ahsha fookin eejit fookin asha mother coonts."

I reckon.

[Liam]

Now wait for the prolonged gay rights backlash against that decision, and see what the Beeb have to say about that...

Oh, and I personally would like to know what Shane MacGowan's got to say on the matter.

When I read about the band somewhere else, it qouted him as being 'amused' by the decision.

[THEXTREMIST]

Ya that was The Pogues quote from NME. Think it's quite rediculous tbh, simply because 1. in the songs context MacColl is singing this to a straight lover of hers played by MacGowan, 2. it's sung rather charmingly rather than offensively imo and 3. they're Irish-American characters which would have spoke that way.

I don't find it offensive and if there is a gay rights backlash NOT led by Peter Thatchell I'd be pretty surprised. I've spoke to people on gay forums about this and all of em find it rediculous. Peter Thatchell's done a lot of great things for gay rights, putting himself in the firing line, but just like everything nowadays, there are lines. This steps into Political Correctness boundaries.

[apsham]

I just thought... there is no mention of the slut that comes directly before that line... do they bleep that?

[Gazz]

I just thought... there is no mention of the slut that comes directly before that line... do they bleep that?

Nope and I would bet that nobody, gay or otherwise has ever complained about the use of 'faggot' either, but you can never be too careful.

[Kaney]

I just thought... there is no mention of the slut that comes directly before that line... do they bleep that?

I think they left it unbleeped, although I don't know why. Perhaps because it's generally accepted that being called a slut is an actual insult, whereas being called gay shouldn't be insulting. I don't think many people would cry foul, satand up and say "I'm a slut and that sluts are perfectly normal people and shouldn't be treated badly!" I suppose technically it is a 'bad word' but it seems people don't give a fuck since sluts aren't an oppressed minority group >_>

Fairytale is a great song though, someone sent me a ringtone version of it which is the closest I'll ever come to owning a christmas number one >_>