stevelisaw

The only bakery I have had the pleasure to go to in the UK was Birds ....but oh my the cakes with strawberries were so yummy...glad they don't make them like that here or I'd be rolling down the street! I have to say though I don't fancy the fruit cake, even though it's better than here in the states.

robclews

One issue here is that the word Pastie or Pasty is used by members of the same color predominantly white Brits, I think it is only a Brit thing, I have never heard it being used elsewhere, but I stand to be corrected. It is quite categorically not regarded as racist in the UK, it is never used as a description cross race and therefore cannot be regarded in any way as racist. A white Brit would not apply Pastie to say an Afro American or someone from Asia.

I also agree with your politically correct statement, many words used in the 1930's 40's and 50's even into the 60's, are no longer acceptable, I seem to remember it was also once cool and fashionable to smoke, how times change,

Rob

lairdside

Ahhh... the infamous Political Correctness.... sometimes I think people have lost the plot. Wasn't the point of that movement to MAKE a point - as opposed to becoming the point.

Can't say I've ever been called pasty.. been called yellow does that count ? How about Lillywhite ? ( been called that too).. the other terms would probably be too politically incorrect to post.

On the subject of being PC when I was in the UK I saw something I just HAD to buy... I didn't think they were allowed to sell them anymore.. seems they have just changed the name....sent a photo of it to all my friends who loved it ( but they ain't getting it because it's MINE). Surprised US Customs didn't confiscate it... a Golly Dolly..lmao

robclews

The Golly Dolly. It used to be the logo on Robinsons Marmalade it was known as the Golly Wog, However it was removed from the product I think back in the late 60's early 70's as it was regarded as offensive and had racist overtones. It had until then been their logo for over 60 years. For a short period it was known as the ethnic teddy bear, but it never caught on.

Promotional gifts from that period such as tin badges and toys are hugely collectable and fetch premium prices, I haven’t looked but I bet there are many on eBay as we speak.

I have also seen Gollies recently so they must be manufacturing them again.

Now you Brits......any of you old enough to remember the Black and White Minstrels..............politically correct.......hell no.


Rob

robclews

Just as a foot note I would love to add this about the Afro American bit.

Only last week we were out in a bar with some dear friends who are African Americans, I specifically asked them what they regarded as offensive in descriptive terms. The reason for this was that I was keen to find out what was acceptable here in the USA, as we all know, what is acceptable in our home country is not always acceptable in the USA.

The reply was Afro American, so it shows that what offends some may not offend others. However i didnt like being called Honky white boy, lol, just kidding

Rob

lairdside

Ha ha you think that's bad.. anyone remember the name of the black labrador dog in The Dambusters ( the original classic black and white version)... can anyone guess ????

Incidentally I knew a man with a dog called this and he used to walk across the park calling his dog. Funnily enough no-one ever expressed a problem with him about it - seeing as he was a 6'5" Jamaican guy.....

Patrick

Heres a funny thing, a couple of weeks ago UNCW banned the playing of the song "Cotton eye Joe" by the Rednex at their College Basketball games, a song that has been played at every home game for the past 6 years.

Why I here you ask - because some white woman who just got a job there decided that because the song was originally sung by b & w minstrals it could be offensive to black people. What I find offensive is a white person telling black people that they could be offended by something and protecting them from it. If someone found it offensive good, stop playing it but don't stop playing it because it was sung by white people "blacked up". Thats the same as saying we can't play Gary Glitter songs because its offensive to children (they still play GG songs at the games) or you can't play Phil Collins because its offensive to anyone with ears (people turn up for the games so I don't think they play Phil Collins).

all together now...Where did you come from, where did you go, where did you come from cotton eye joe.......

Patrick

BTW for anyone interested, the original version had words in it that could of been offensive in todays society but the rednex changed any offensive words.

lairdside

Ah.. like baa baa wooly sheep, have you any wool ?

lairdside

Hey, it's her bandwagon and if she wants to jump on it.... just hope all that pity and condescension she's carrying around don't cause it to tip over.

simon bland

Yes Rob, I remember the Black & White Minstrals

Wouldn't be allowed now!!!

lairdside

I remember them too.

They'll start on Al Jolson next.....

Then what about films where thespians who were black were blacked up to avoid the American public mistakenly thinking that romantic roles were being portrayed by an interracial couple ? ( One example of this was Bille Holiday).

*sigh*

Dekka's Angel

To my knowledge, Lady Day never made a movie of any kind.

Are you sure you aren't confusing her with Lena Horne?

lairdside

Billie Holiday appeared in two movies to my knowledge.

New Orleans (Arthur Lubin, 1947) as Endie
Symphony in Black (1935 - don't remember the director it was not full length but a short)

But yes, I could well be getting confused with Lena and others less well known struggled with this too, such as Jane White.

I'm sure you know more about this than I do !

Dekka's Angel

I stand corrected. Thanks!

lairdside

Hey - my American History knowledge is hazy to say the least, nevermind Black American history, literature and arts( can I say that anymore or should I say African American ?). They didn't teach any of it when I was at school and so anything I've learnt has come from family - well shoved down my throat with a big stick would probably be a more appropriate description.

I've just loved Billie since I was a child.