I believe that he made an uncomplimentary remark about Desailly, including the "N" word. The UK broadcast had finished, but it was beamed to several other countries.
This is not the first time he's slipped up while thinking he was off the air. During WC 02 he said Totti looked like a little twat while he was still being broadcast.
He's absolutely right about that It's a stupid, unprofessional and disgraceful mistake to make. However....... In Big Ron's defence, I don't think he is necessarily a racist except in the way that many people of his generation seem to have an element of racism as part of their nature. As he himself pointed out, he was the first manager in England to really give black players a chance, and I'm fairly sure he wouldn't ever actually judge someone purely on the colour of their skin. But it was idiotic and inexcusable - not to mention extremely offensive.
I'm not sure it's quite as simple as that to be honest. More accurately, I think that's only part of the answer. It may be a subtle point but I think there is a difference in a phrase or word used to describe a person's actions when they have committed a transgression of some sort and one used to describe the person themselves. One is an insult used in extremis whilst the other describes the way you feel about someone because of what they are rather than what they have done. My day, who's nearly 80 now, was 'on the pavement' fighting against the blackshirts when they marched through the east end in an attempt to ferment trouble between the local population and Jews, Blacks, etc... I remember him giving a fella in a car park a spanking when he called the attendant a n!g!er when the attendant insisted on him paying... but that didn't stop my dad naming his black labrador after wingco Guy Gibson's, (of dambuster fame), in the fifties. It's almost as if there's a disconnect between the use of the word and hurt it can cause.
Im sorry to see Big Ron go, he was my favourate commentory person. Talked rubbish and shouted alot. I dont think hes a racist, he was just annoyed that Chelsea had thrown the match away and the comment just came out.
It`s also worth pointing out he said it in the third person: `There are some schools who`d call him a Lazy F.. N..`. Is the way he said it. I agree with a previous post in that I think he was showing his age more than anything, he`s 65. It`s as though it was a term widely used in the 70`s and he repeated it. He was right to resign and no other channel will take him on, it was too serious a slur.
Things like this didn't help, either... http://www.phill.co.uk/comedy/lovethy/ http://www.phill.co.uk/comedy/till/index.html I don't know whether it's healthier to listen to these people and their attitudes and laugh at them for their stupidity or pretend that they don't exist any more.
His comments in full - complete disgrace Read below and make up your own mind...if they are true he is indeed a angry racist stuck in a timewarp Here are his comments in full (apparently) Ron: "What in heaven's name was fVcking Ranieri thinking in bringing Veron on?" Second, unidentified voice: "He'll get savaged by the press.." Ron [in an increasingly animated voice]: "Oh and fVcking rightly so. "And I'm sorry, but I fVcking think that fVcking Desailly is a cheating fVck. That was wrong." [Noise from crowd and interference momentarily obscures Ron's voice...] "He's fVcking been gone for two and a half years! And instead of playing like an old man and saying 'alright I'll fVcking stay where I can't get exploited'... "I've always thought that he has no awareness of danger." "He is what is known in some schools as a fVcking lazy thick ni**er." [Still Ron, but now shouting] "That is a fVcking disgusting performance." "Full marks to them though. They were fVcking different class."
Have you ever watched Love Thy Neighbour? It does have a racist character, having and expressing a large number of offensive views. But most of the humour in the show comes from ridiculing that man's views, pointing out the flawed logic and inconsistencies that support his opinions. Racism was mude cruder then. The idea of a black couple being just as intelligent,honest and hard-working as their white neighbours would have challenged the preconceptions of an all too large 'minority'. I don't see the show as ever being an 'obstacle to be avoided' on the road to getting rid of racism... merely a rung on the ladder that we have already passed, and should not seek to drop back down to.
are people still talking about the big ron comments?? he;s already quit the job so what more needs to be said. I cant believe this is still all over the press 3 days later.
Til death us do part is the same, it doesnt promote racism or small mindedness, it laughs at it, garnett is the one always looking like a dick at the end.
Yes. Not often because it wasn't very good but, yes. That's what I meant when I said... 'and laugh at them for their stupidity'.
The trouble with the Atkinson's of this world is that he's not intelligent enough, (or is too old), to learn the new phrase for n!gger... Asylum seeker. Oh, I'm not saying that everyone who considers there to be a problem with asylum in Britain is a racist but it's certainly true the other way round... everyone who's a closet racist or is bigoted in some other way complains about asylum seekers. You know, every dog has four legs but not everything with four legs is a dog. In some ways it was better when these people were out in the open.