BBC censors The Pogues' Christmas classic

[MadduckUK]

BBC censors The Pogues' Christmas classic | The News is NowPublic.com

The BBC has censored a popular Christmas song amid fears the lyrics will upset homosexuals.

Fairytale of New York, by The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl, has been re-released for the festive period and is a contender for the coveted Christmas number one slot.

It tells the story of two lovers who trade insults on Christmas Eve and one verse ends with the memorable line: "You scumbag, you maggot you cheap lousy faggot, Happy Christmas your arse I pray God It's our last."

Radio 1 bosses have bleeped out the word faggot from the song, for fear it will offend homosexuals, but have provoked the ire of one of their own leading DJs as well as listeners.

A spokesman said: "This step has been taken as this is a word that members of our audience would find offensive."

The decision was criticised as "ridiculous" by Chris Moyles, the Radio 1 DJ, who is leading a campaign to make the 1987 song the Christmas number one.

Whether you like the song or not is irrelevant, this is pathetic.

[kopite]

It is pathetic but its indicative of the nanny state we now live in.

Shayne mcgowan did not mean it in a homophobic way yet The powers that be reckon that we will all get offended. As someone texted in on the chris moyles show surely they should beep out fairy because isnt that also offensive?

[M0nkeyb0Y]

I find more people get offended by peoples' attempts to preemptively avert offence than would have been offended by the original offending article in the first place... No offence.

[This statement was sponsored by the Campaign for Plain English]

[pollaxe]

Does anyone actually ask the groups who'll be offended beforehand when decisions like this are taken, I wonder? (Like the Winterval rebranding of Christmas etc. which seems to unite everyone of all faiths/backgrounds in agreeing that it's a dumb idea?)

[Jay]

if the BBC had a frozen food shop they would have to do this



to



just incase some one was offended! I am ofended that they have censored it, does that mean they will have to censor the censor? Last year the cost of the TV Licence offended me as well, I see no censor on that though.

[kopite]

Of course the groups arent asked first.

These decisions are usually caused by people who have nothing better to do than try and protect us all from nasty words like faggot...

[CMC]

this is a flipping joke... talk about nanny state...

[[GSV]Trig]

Can we still have Fairy lights on the none religeous, none offencive winter celebration tree?

[tiggerai]

I noticed that on sunday evening when we were listening... no one else picked up on it.

It's ridiculous... most of the people who may get offended would have been offended last year, and every year since 1987 would they not... it's been ok in every other year, why does 2007 have to be different.

makes me seethe, and you won't like me when i'm seething.

*seethe* *seethe*

Can we still have Fairy lights on the none religeous, none offencive winter celebration tree?

No, they will have to be called twinkling things, as the Obese and Homosexuals will get offended (light... gettit?)

[Steve]

Did The Guardian buy the BBC or something?

[godsdog]

It's either a Moyles crew stunt, or some over-officious prick at the BBC deserves a smack in the mouth again.

[Splash]

It's political correctness gone mad, I tell you

About right?

[Optical668]

Arseholes they are.

But the ban does not apply across the BBC. Radio 2 said it would be playing the full version of the track.

The poll is gonna be funny tho

Should radio stations censor The Pogues' Fairytale of New York?
Yes
3.82%
No
96.18%

[Raz316]

I was listening to 5live this morning and the presenter said to Kirsty MacColl's mum "what do we do when a 7/8 year old kid hears it and ask what it means?" to which I instantly thought, the same thing 'we' did in 1987? Unless of course all kids burst into flames upon hearing the explanation of the term faggot in its desired context.

BAH!

[directhex]

Did The Guardian buy the BBC or something?

the guardian is quite the opposite - they don't advocate massive political correctness, they sneer at it, and allow fascist nutters a platform in the interests of leftist equality

[MadduckUK]

Arseholes they are.



The poll is gonna be funny tho

where would this poll be situated?