Homophobia has crossed the pond and settled into the UK’s Big Brother house, but unlike contestants on the show’s American franchise, houseguests using hateful language overseas are being warned of their behavior and told homophobia is “against the rules.”
A rapper named Dappy of the group N-Dubz is reportedly the second contestant on Celebrity BB UK‘s current season to drop homophobic slurs in the house. According to The Mirror, he frequently boasts “about the size of his manhood” and when asked by a fellow houseguest if he “pleasures himself” on a recent episode, responded “Do I look bent?” (FYI “bent” is slang for “homosexual or effeminate” in the UK.)
Dappy (whose name ironically means “stupid and/or unnecessary“) was called into the Diary Room immediately after using the slur and informed that “the language used goes against Celebrity Big Brother rules in which he’d agreed to abide by.” This is allegedly the third time he’s been warned.
Previously this season, boxer Evan Holyfield was warned about his use of anti-gay remarks when he claimed—on camera—that being gay “ain’t normal.”
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Producers of Big Brother UK are handling the use of offensive language in a drastically different way than their stateside counterparts. During the last season of Big Brother here at home, producers let blatant racism and homophobia run loose in the house for several weeks before attacking racist and homophobic houseguests upon their eviction. They claimed it would have been “against the rules” to inform houseguests that all of America hated them before leaving the house.
About 25% of the most recent Big Brother US cast lost their jobs as a result of unfavorable things they said in the house. CBS was more or less forced to air their remarks by popular demand, and literally boasted about being “the most talked-about season ever” during the finale episode.
Do you think it’s the duty of television networks to address racism and homophobia on reality competition shows in real time, or would you rather watch these folks crash and burn as a result once they leave the house?
[Photo: The Mirror]
Stache1
Yeah, I’d say crash and burn. However, to a up and coming dumb ass rapper it’s practically mandatory or at least they seem to think to be extremely homophobic and misogynistic.
LandStander
I do not see how “bent” is offensive… bent as in not straight…ouch my feelings? wtf…
Spike
Isn’t Big Brother supposed to be a ‘reality’ show? How real is it when the producers edit and control their behavior in real time???
sfsilver
I think there is far more value in letting them speak as they chose and then letting those conversations and the foolishness of the behavior start a conversation about racism, homophobia and sexism as it did with the CBS version. Had they pulled the house guests into the diary room and simply told them to tone it down it would have erased one of the only authentically “real” things about the show. I think the British version protects the individual from doing themselves harm but doesn’t accomplish much for the audience.
Stevenw
Hate speech is against UK law – no surprises the channel would head Dappy off before he spouts off rather more offensive tosh.
Though everything Dappy spouts is probably tosh anyway – I’m no expert on him, but I rather suspect Dappy is as bright as the athlete’s foot fungus.
Wadey-New Zealand
Since when is wanking a gay thing? What a fucking idiot.
KDub
Are we really supposed to be offended by being referred to as “bent”? Heteros don’t get mad when someone calls them straight. Doesn’t really seem derogatory to me. I’ve been called way worse. Lol
Black Pegasus
Yes.. TV shows should always address this type of stupidity. Well, unless the reality show is on A&E – you may get a pass.
2eo
I’m offended by being called Bent, being from North Yorkshire the connotations are clear.
Fitz
Just to be clear.. his point is that only gay people masterbate?
alanj
And in breaking news: a certain gay website addresses homophobic comments on its own site in real time …. or some time or never.
darkanser
@Wadey-New Zealand: Unless, he thought self-pleasuring meant having a flexible spine and auto-fellating. I have a feeling that’s where he was going since he boasts about the size of his manhood.
Caleb in SC
@Fitz: No, only gay people “masturbate.”
Ellen J. Singleton
just as Jimmy replied I’m alarmed that a single mom able to get paid $9861 in a few weeks on the internet. check this site out http://gg.gg/xwj4
Fitz
@Caleb in SC: Thank God that you are here to correct the spelling. The internet is a busy place, I suggest you make coffee.
fagburn
What a boring article!
Thanks!
Stache1
@Fitz: Expecting logic from this dufus would be akin teaching algebra to your dog.
Fitz
I know.. my dog barely got through math 2. He’s doing well with the humanities though.
chill84
Who doesn’t admit to wanking in this day and age, let alone palm it off (no pun intended) as a gays only recreation? For someone who should be representing the ‘yoof’ he’s pretty old fashioned. Also, to contradict your article, there is nothing ironic in his name – he is a 100%, class A, unashamed, FUCKING MORON!
Camsean01
Bent hardly seems offensive to me. Even Bart Simpson says it.
alanj
Neither Dappy nor Hollander got evicted, says a lot really.
Mind you the first two to be evicted weren’t really evicted (don’t ask), that’s how contrived this program is.
disneyvillain
But that full frontal that dappy leaked HOT