Papadumb ...

The latest battle of words over the alleged racist remarks during a UK TV's reality show to an Indian Bollywood actress have, yawn, dominated all newspapers and radio stations. OK, I live abroad, but you cannot avoid the coverage of this story - even the French morning news radio gave it prime-time coverage.

Here's some food for thought.

Today, on a well-known UK government funded radio station that play re-runs of classic comedy programmes, a show from the 80's was re-broadcast. The show is based around a fictitious radio station in which the Managing Director of the station, Sir Norman Tonsil, opened with the following lines;

"I am aware that we live in an uncaring society ... my first suggestion was that we run an early morning show fronted by our Asian and African friends, catering for their special interests called "Breakfast With The Bimbos"... I then suggested that as we broadcast over 8000 hours of radio a year, we could allow all the different minority groups in the country to share a 30 minute slot ... it's a marvellous opportunity for you to hear a whole range of poofs, wogs, wops, spicks, Greeks, junkies, psychopaths and, of course, Welshmen ... "

Naturally, I laughed. It's comedy. But for those of you now furious and writing to your MP, the facts again; the show was made in the '80s and was re-transmitted in 2007.

However, when you think that during a reality TV show (which in itself is supposed to mirror, err, reality), a few remarks made to someone can cause a huge outcry, ruffling the feathers of 2 national governments (the UK and India), it's all come down to a sorry state of affairs. All because some jumped up little sleeze-bag of a 'celebrity' says something a little risqué, the entire Indian nation now think that Brits are not tolerant and are nothing more than a nation of racists.

So, the entire subcontinent willingly believe that one stuck-up little rich kid is a prime example of Britishness and that she speaks for the whole nation?

India? You've just proved to everyone exactly how dumb you can really be ...

Stu