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Last Post 12/19/2007 5:32 AM by  starbelgrade
Radio 1 censors Pogues' Fairytale
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starbelgrade
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12/18/2007 6:51 AM


    "BBC Radio 1 has said it will stand by its ban on the word "faggot" from the Pogues' 1987 Christmas hit Fairytale of New York to avoid offence.

    The word, sung by the late Kirsty MacColl as she trades insults with Shane MacGowan, has been dubbed out. "


    And yet they play Ronan Keating's version - now, if anything is ever offensive, that is!
    Unicron
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    12/18/2007 6:59 AM
    So it's only offensive in 2007, and not the previous 20 years?
    starbelgrade
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    12/18/2007 7:22 AM
    Yes, unlike Ronan Keating who's been offensive from the day he was born!
    starbelgrade
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    12/18/2007 7:35 AM
    The last time they performed the song on TOTP, it was also censored, but not the word "faggot"... instead, Kirsty had to sing "ass" instead of "arse". Truff!
    Ally
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    12/19/2007 5:22 AM
    this is funny...
    starbelgrade
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    12/19/2007 5:30 AM
    Apparantely they did a U-turn on this yesterday...

    A Radio 1 spokeswoman said the station's management had met on Tuesday morning to discuss the issue. She said they "had made their decision" and would not be going back on it.

    However, yesterday afternoon, they did a big U-turn....

    The Radio 1 controller, Andy Parfitt, reversed the decision to censor the Pogues' Christmas hit Fairytale of New York after the station was inundated with complaints by listeners.

    In what could prove to be the shortest ban in pop history, Parfitt said the broadcaster was "wrong" to bleep the word "faggot" out of the 20-year-old duet with Kirsty MacColl.

    Parfitt added that the unedited version of the song would be played from now on.

    "After careful consideration I have decided that the decision to edit the Pogues song Fairy Tale of New York was wrong," he said.

    "Radio 1 does not play homophobic lyrics or condone bullying of any kind. It is not always easy to get this right, mindful of our responsibility to our young audience. The unedited version will be played from now on.

    "I want to stress that everyone at Radio 1 and its music team take the issue of language very seriously and enormous care is taken in ensuring that offensive language is edited from records where necessary.

    "I understand absolutely, in a climate where questions about editorial standards are at the fore, the thinking behind this decision. While we would never condone prejudice of any kind, we know our audiences are smart enough to distinguish between maliciousness and creative freedom.

    "In the context of this song, I do not feel that there is any negative intent behind the use of the words, hence the reversal of the decision."


    WARF!
    starbelgrade
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    12/19/2007 5:32 AM
    Most visitors to the Radio 1 messageboard agreed, with some claiming it was a publicity stunt by the station.

    "Totally pathetic," said one. "Radio 1 plays many songs with far more offensive lyrics, and they even employ Chris Moyles."
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