The Wo! Front

A diplomatic incident has nearly broken out over allegations of racist abuse on British reality show ”Celebrity” Big Brother.

We all know the show is hardly a conduit for good taste- as can be attested by the “turkey slapping incident”  last year on Australian Big Brother which created a huge debate in Sydney newspapers about sexual harassment, even prompting calls from the Prime Minister to ban the show.

But what Big Brother does reveal with its massive ratings and its potential to create public controversy is a rare insight into the lives and minds of ordinary and ‘public’ figures at their most uninhibited.

The dynamics of the house are revealing about a whole spectrum of issues- including attitudes to gender relations, racism, culture and sexuality in modern life. 

In this way the show has an ability to uncover a little of the nation’s psyche- mirrored in all its ugliness. 

The victimised housemate- Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, was apparently ganged up upon by four of the housemates, one whose claim to fame was being a member of the defunct band “Steps”, and singling her out to bullying.

Shetty was apparently referred to as “the Indian”,  a “cunt”, made fun of her for her accent, with suggestions made that Indians were so thin because they ate “undercooked” food.

The B-grade starlet has now become a heroine in India and Britain with thousands sending emails complaining to the show’s producers in support of the embattled actress.

The situation has created a firestorm in the UK highlighting simmering racial tensions. Shetty’s experience has obviously struck a huge chord with the British public.

The controversy has touched upon the raging debates that have characterished modern British society- on issues of race, culture, religion, multiculturalism and integration. To the extent that politicians have come to the fore to address the issues in the House of Commons. 

In these debates it has always been the minority groups which have been castigated for their inability to “integrate”. The deluge of complaints reveal the deep chord the Shetty debacle has struck with the immigrant experience.

If “integration” is called for- than this is also a two way street. “Integration” is only possible when people feel welcomed as equals in their society to be their very best. These efforts are severely undermined when you’re being called a dirty “Paki”.

The ”Empire” obviously needs to straighten things out. It’s “subjects” are in revolt.