Big Brother Contestant Sent Home for Using ‘N’ Word

After cynically using the race row to attract attention to the stale Celebrity Big Brother franchise, British broadcaster Channel 4 were caught off-guard by the outrage directed at them. That’s why the new season of the reality series is being touted as “sexy and fun,” not “controversial.” Covering their asses, they’ve instituted a no-tolerance policy on racist language. Just today, Big Brother producers kicked out a white contestant for calling a black contestant the “N” word.

According to The Guardian (reg. may be required), Emily Parr, who is white, had been dancing with Charley Uchea, who is black, and another guest. Parr was overheard telling Uchea, “Are you pushing it out, you n***er?” According to the transcript, Parr said she was joking, and Uchea responded, “I know you were … but that’s some serious sh*t, sorry.” Parr was later called in by producers and told to exit the house immediately.

Unlike the Jade Goody/Shilpa Shetty debacle on Celebrity Big Brother debacle, there was little question over whether or not racist language had been used. However, some worry if Channel 4 overreacted when they sent Parr home. Paul Flynn at The Guardian writes,

“Like everyone else outside the program-makers, I have yet to see the footage of the incident, but for teenage girls brought up enshrined in the vernacular of hip hop, through which the word ‘n***er’ is littered, it is not inconceivable that this was delivered with some boisterous, if grossly ill-timed, affection? In this context, could a synonym of Emily’s silly statement have been ‘are you pushing it out, gangsta?’”

I agree. Emily Parr’s statement doesn’t begin to approach the disgusting and repeated abuse Jade Goody and her thugs doled out on Shilpa Shetty. C4 and the producers have their finger on the trigger now because the Goody/Shetty ordeal cost them financial and political capital. What, did Big Brother suddenly grow a conscience? Doubtful.

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