http://cornholiogogs.multiply.com/journal/item/349/Last_of_the_Trilogy_an_Inquiry_into_Symbolism
Found several interesting links plus a victory of sorts for the Politically Correct Filipinos abroad. This country is anything but politically correct and anything but a feminist utopia but let them get their false sense of accomplishment. I found the reaction by the local feminist movement far more realistic. They did what I was clamoring for all along: look within instead of scolding externally. Click here or read below.
Anyway some highlights:
Some 30 to 50 protesters in the separate venues demanded a public apology for depicting a Filipina maid on the "Harry and Paul" show as a sex object.- Filipinas in their own country who never leave are never used or seen as sex objects correct? I guess my perception that we have a large population is an erroneous one. The only rape and abuse on our shores are caused by foreign males.
It’s treating the Filipina maid as an object, sexual object, as if you own the person. At saka yung other sexual innuendos, ayaw ko yun. That’s wrong,’ said Edgar,- Edgar, if you were back home and you watched TV and you toured the places of ill repute and the tourist girly traps, will you like what you see? Is it correct by your infallible moral standards?
Meanwhile, protesters at the BBC office headed by Loline Reed, chairperson of the Overseas’ Woman’s Club said: "Kung wala tayong matatanggap na public apology, walang meaning ang ating complaints. Ang feeling ng ibang Pilipino, bakit ba tayo nag-iingay. Sana tumahimik na lang tayo. Kung di tayo mag- iingay, the more they will target us. They will stereotype us."- Loline, I get the impression that show insults everybody and everything. Most people recognize that its a comedy show as in not to be taken seriously. Do yourself a favor and watch all the other British comedies. Imagine if every group ethnic or otherwise that was targeted did what you did? Why is it OK for them and not OK for you? We export maids and other nations import them. It's a two way street.
"They have demeaned women, especially the Filipino woman, in public by broadcasting and by airing the program. "Bong Farouza, - our shows, movies and magazines produced on our own soil have never done that Bong? Our women are put on a pedestal here? They have to go abroad to be demeaned?
"the humor underlines gross ignorance and insensitivity of the producers of the show " ABS CBN and GMA Networks are particularly enlightened and sensitive to all cultures with the dignity of their programming correct?
If you read my trilogy my thoughts should be predictable by now. Just read them again. Make sure you also read the British point of view of this. Link below. People in glass houses should not throw stones. Unless you want to argue we are perfect here and the British have to catch up with us.
Ed
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/10/20/08/pinoys-uk-demand-get-apology-racist-comedy-skit
Pinoys in UK demand, get apology for 'racist' comedy skit
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By ROSE ECLARINAL, ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau | 10/20/2008 8:07 PM
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LONDON--Simultaneous protests spearheaded by Filipino organizations in London were held on Friday in front of offices of television companies that were behind a segment depicting a Filipina maid on a British comedy show as a sex object.
The protests were held outside the offices of the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) on White City, home of the BBC Television Center, and Tiger Aspect productions (TAP) on Soho St., London.
The show was aired on a BBC channel while Tiger Aspect Productions is behind the TV comedy series.
Some 30 to 50 protesters in the separate venues demanded a public apology for depicting a Filipina maid on the "Harry and Paul" show as a sex object.
They also believe the comedy sketch was racist and sexually-abusive.
“It’s treating the Filipina maid as an object, sexual object, as if you own the person. At saka yung other sexual innuendos, ayaw ko yun. That’s wrong,’ said Edgar, who joined the protest at the Tiger Aspect Productions office.
Meanwhile, protesters at the BBC office headed by Loline Reed, chairperson of the Overseas’ Woman’s Club said: “Kung wala tayong matatanggap na public apology, walang meaning ang ating complaints. Ang feeling ng ibang Pilipino, bakit ba tayo nag-iingay. Sana tumahimik na lang tayo. Kung di tayo mag- iingay, the more they will target us. They will stereotype us.”
Another community organizer, Bong Farouza, also said a public apology, and not a personal apology, was imperative as the "insult" was also done in public.
“They have demeaned women, especially the Filipino woman, in public by broadcasting and by airing the program. It’s a public insult so a public apology is needed and an undertaking that this thing should never happen again,” she added.
Apology read on TV
The silent protest at Tiger Aspect productions became emotionally-charged when the company’s chief executive, Andrew Zein faced the protesters.
He maintained the company had already apologized and showed copies of newspapers articles highlighting the company’s remorse and apology for unwittingly offending Filipinos.
However, the protesters insisted on an apology on television.
“You have done the offense on TV, you have to apologize on TV,” said one protester.
In no time, Zein gave in to the demand of the protesters and faced the camera to read the apology.
"We understand that a large number of viewers has been concerned by the depiction of a Filipino woman featured on an episode of Harry and Paul, a series we produce on BBC 1. Firstly, we are absolutely sorry to anyone who has been in any way offended by the program. That wasn’t our intention," he said.
After reading the apology, Zein addressed the protesters: "We certainly recognize that there was a section of the Filipino community who were offended, and to them, we apologize for any offense taken.”
Except for a letter to the Philippine Embassy in the UK promising investigation on the matter, and personal apologies to some individuals who lodged complaints against the show, the BBC has yet to issue a public apology.
The "Harry on Paul" show was aired on BBC1 on September 26 and has sparked various reactions from Filipinos in the UK.
Pinoy sensibilities were hit by the "gutter humor" on the show, which allegedly depicted racism and exploitation of domestic helpers.
For many Pinoys in the UK, the humor underlines gross ignorance and insensitivity of the producers of the show and is an insult not only to domestic helpers but to the Filipino people as a whole.
as of 10/20/2008 8:13 PM
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/pinoy-migration/10/09/08/govt-wants-bbc-apology-wrong-reason-gabriela
Gov't wants BBC apology for wrong reason: Gabriela
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/09/2008 6:40 PM
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A national alliance of women criticized the government’s hypocrisy for seeking a public apology over the racial slur aired in a British comedy show in the guise of defending the Filipino dignity.
“The Philippine government is seeking public apology from the show’s producers and the British Broadcasting Corporation not in defense of the Filipino dignity but in defense of its labor-export policy especially on the eve of the Philippine hosting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development,” said Gabriela Secretary General Emmi de Jesus.
In a statement, De Jesus said Filipino women in foreign countries are viewed as domestic helpers prone to abuse and exploitation.
“The Philippine government is not affronted that Filipinas are being exported abroad as domestic helpers and/or entertainers vulnerable to ridicule, exploitation and abuse. The Philippine government is flustered the 'anti-Pinay' portrayal in 'Harry and Paul' mirrors the current state of many Filipina overseas workers, which thus puts into question it’s claim that the Philippines is the showcase of how migration leads to development,” De Jesus said.
She added that the racial slur against Filipino women is not the first and will not be the last.
“Ultimately, accountable to this is the government’s continued export of Filipinas as commodities in exchange for badly-needed dollars,” de Jesus said.
The comedy show “Harry and Paul” portrayed a Filipina maid in a demeaning manner. The Filipina maid was ordered to dance in front of a depressed man as two others were egging him to have sex with her.
The group said the Philippine government has done so little to help Filipino migrant women, whom for decades have been maltreated, raped and abused.
They cited the cases of “Grace”, an overseas Filipino worker in Kuwait who was raped by her employer and turned away by the Philippine embassy when she asked for help, and that of 22-year-old “Hazel” who was raped by a US soldier in Okinawa, Japan.
The group added that the portrayal of a Filipina maid in the skit “speaks not of development, but of degradation.”
as of 10/09/2008 6:40 PM
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1071217/Diplomatic-storm-Harry-Enfields-slur-nation-sketch-Filipina-maid-chased-sex.html ( a British point of view of this incident)
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