Is this the BBC we know? On Wednesday night, during “Newsnight” programme presenter Jeremy Paxman had invited economist and Nobel winner Paul Krugan and former Greek finance minister George Papaconstaninou via live link from Athens to discuss about the Greek crisis and the economy.
However right at the beginning of the programme Jeremy Paxman, presenter in one of world’s most renommated broadcasters, managed the impossible: He offended Greece and his Greek guest.
Paxman said that Greece, “like a bad kebab”, faced the prospect of being “vomited out of the single currency”.
Startled, Giorgos Papakonstantinou, a Greek minister, who was appearing live from Athens, told the presenter: “Can I take issue with your ‘bad kebab’ analogy, which I find offensive.
“The Greek economy is in a crisis and the Greek people are going through a lot, and deserve some respect, and I really did not find that very appropriate.
Paul Krugman, the Nobel Prize-winning economist, who was close to Gordon Brown, shared the Greek politician’s dismay at Paxo’s jibe. “I think that was, actually, quite inappropriate, to say that the Greeks have done something terribly wrong,” Krugman said. (Telegraph)
Paxman’s literally vomiting comment triggered an outrage among BBC viewers who directly complained to BBC or via social media and condemned Paxman about the offensive analogy.
Video: first minute!
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The BBC confirmed that viewers have complained about the “kebab” comment, but it is unapologetic.
“Regular Newsnight viewers will be aware of Jeremy’s provocative style and use of humour,” says its spokesman. “The comment was firmly in that tradition. The guests responded to the comment within the debate, which quickly moved on to a wider analysis of the situation,” said the spokesman.
This was in fact very insensitive to the Greeks. Everyone knows that kebab is a Turkish dish. Bad Paxman.
Where is the surprise? BBC has stopped practising quality journalism since long ago. And the overwhelming right wing bias is at times annoying and frustrating. Now resorting to racist insults and ‘yellow’ attacks is another low for a media corporation that plays into Mr. Cameron’s neo-liberal propaganda. Presenting Greece as the poster child of state profligacy, Mr. Cameron and his party mechanism supports the public sector job cuts, public services cuts and privatizations in UK. A failed agenda, however, as the UK economy is getting deeper into recession.
I have traveled throughout UK for several years on business and I know for a fact that Jeremy Paxman represents a tiny fragment of idiots in UK. Mrs Merkel, Mrs Lagarde, Mr. Sarkozy (until recently) and their friends, associates, employees and agents in the world media (that’s where Jeremy fits) have been doing (and still do) their best to show the people around the globe that money and power is what prevails today. Greece is showing the world that Democracy and freedom are values worth trying and dying for. Perhaps, we will die trying, as our fathers did in the II world war, but hey, isn’t it nice to die trying defending your ideas and values?
Isn’t UK that fascist state that imprisoned hundreds of its children for years as “rioters”, kicks the families of the rioters out of their project houses like the Nazis did as “Sippenhaft”? Isn’t that one of the 1st world states that occupied Afghanistan to get control of the heroin trade aiming to peace revolts with cheap dope and creates hundred of thousands of refugees that find their racist hell in Greek concentration camps or on the streets?
Fascist states need British Brainwash Corporations who have no right to discuss Euro issues anyway just because UK isn’t part of the Euro.
long time not seen…
Kali Mera KTG!
Hope you’re doing well!
keep on!
struggling (to find peach yogurt)
You’ve to take normal yoghurt, a big spoon of meli, little oil and some carbo inside, but in Berlin there’s a saying that Berliners don’t jog but run amok.
link not available…
Yoghurt, I agree with Ann—sure UK/US invaded Iraq/Afghanistan and stole the oil, etc, but it was for benefit of US/UK.
At least the Americans/UK did so to better the US/UK economies, what did the Wealthy Greeks’ looting of the Greek coffers do for Greece?
Who is worse?
Wealthy Greeks do something much worse, they steal FROM THEIR OWN GREEKS MOUTHS.
They don’t need education they need weapons but here’s some education:
http://www……
ENJOY!
you do not seriously want to shock some ladies here lol
Why should that shock any women as it’s also a all women band, makes a sweet t-shirt
“managed the impossible: He offended Greece and his Greek guest.”
Strange, I find Greeks become offended very easily…