Paul Gascoigne investigated for joke

[ruthless rocco]

We understand racism and many of us have lived as minorities and are married to people of a different race. We just think you should be able to tell a joke and in times of yore it was perfectly acceptable to do so. Now if Gascoigne had said this aggressively and added a few expletives then I could understand the joke might be problematic, but it seems to have been relatively harmless going by the report.

You can't claim understand racism if you think it's acceptable and inoffensive for a privileged and celebrated white male football hero to take to the stage in front of an audience who paid £350 per ticket and belittle a black man who is there to work his job as a security guard.

The comment and delivery were based solely on the colour of his skin and the fact that Gascoigne knows that he is a celebrity who is surrounded by rabid fans, and that there would be no recourse for his racist statement.

If Gascoigne and the security guard and the audience had been familiar with one another and had a relationship that was based on equality and mutual respect, and if the guard had been a willing and active participant, then it may be considered a joke. In this instance however it just serves to isolate, embarrass and humiliate a black man in front of a bunch of strangers, knowing he could only stand there and be forced to take it.

It's the power play that is most offensive, not the concept of the white teeth in a black face in a dark room.

[Dark Lord Al]

Gascogne has limited education and is an alcoholic , any idiot who goes to a dinner with him as guest speaker should be shocked by his actions why ?
You can barely understand what the prick says when he is sober.

[walrus]

We understand racism and many of us have lived as minorities and are married to people of a different race. We just think you should be able to tell a joke and in times of yore it was perfectly acceptable to do so. Now if Gascoigne had said this aggressively and added a few expletives then I could understand the joke might be problematic, but it seems to have been relatively harmless going by the report.

You can't claim understand racism if you think it's acceptable and inoffensive for a privileged and celebrated white male football hero to take to the stage in front of an audience who paid £350 per ticket and belittle a black man who is there to work his job as a security guard.

The comment and delivery were based solely on the colour of his skin and the fact that Gascoigne knows that he is a celebrity who is surrounded by rabid fans, and that there would be no recourse for his racist statement.

If Gascoigne and the security guard and the audience had been familiar with one another and had a relationship that was based on equality and mutual respect, and if the guard had been a willing and active participant, then it may be considered a joke. In this instance however it just serves to isolate, embarrass and humiliate a black man in front of a bunch of strangers, knowing he could only stand there and be forced to take it.

It's the power play that is most offensive, not the concept of the white teeth in a black face in a dark room.

Rocco's right, you guys should be ashamed. We have no room in this world for people saying stupid things and they should be prosecuted for doing so.

[Gandalf]

We understand racism and many of us have lived as minorities and are married to people of a different race. We just think you should be able to tell a joke and in times of yore it was perfectly acceptable to do so. Now if Gascoigne had said this aggressively and added a few expletives then I could understand the joke might be problematic, but it seems to have been relatively harmless going by the report.

You can't claim understand racism if you think it's acceptable and inoffensive for a privileged and celebrated white male football hero to take to the stage in front of an audience who paid £350 per ticket and belittle a black man who is there to work his job as a security guard.

The comment and delivery were based solely on the colour of his skin and the fact that Gascoigne knows that he is a celebrity who is surrounded by rabid fans, and that there would be no recourse for his racist statement.

If Gascoigne and the security guard and the audience had been familiar with one another and had a relationship that was based on equality and mutual respect, and if the guard had been a willing and active participant, then it may be considered a joke. In this instance however it just serves to isolate, embarrass and humiliate a black man in front of a bunch of strangers, knowing he could only stand there and be forced to take it.

It's the power play that is most offensive, not the concept of the white teeth in a black face in a dark room.

A joke will nearly always come at the expense of something or someone, it is the nature of a joke. It is a joke, it was in poor taste, that is where it should end. Does it really require investigation at the taxpayers expense? Probably not. You seem to have no sense of humour, Rocco. Have you never before mocked someone or been offensive? Should people investigate you or is it just that race is the big issue? Are you fine with mother in law jokes, or should all jokes be banned completely? Or at least be vetted by the government so that societal harm does not result?

Power play? What is that? Like how the media have treated Gascoigne and hounded him for 20 years? Gascoigne told a pithy little joke and again the media wants to hound him.