Post by Teddy Bear on Apr 2, 2008 14:43:59 GMT
While Ben Elton claims it's because the BBC are scared, and to some extent it might be a mitigating factor for staff to maintain the company policy, I rather suspect it's more a matter of appeasing their Muslim audience to gain popularity in the Islamic countries. They clearly have no fears of breaking 'political correctness' when it comes to Christian, Jewish, or any other faith jokes.
Ben Elton: BBC scared of Islam jokes
By Sophie Borland
Last Updated: 10:56am BST 02/04/2008
The BBC is too scared to make jokes about Islam, the comedian Ben Elton has claimed.
Elton, who is also a scriptwriter and author, accused the corporation of being too concerned with political correctness for not allowing jokes about imams but allowing ones vicars.
He said: "I think it all starts with people nodding whenever anyone says 'As a person of faith...'
"And I believe that part of it is due to the genuine fear that the authorities and the communities have about provoking the radical elements of Islam.
"There is no doubt about it, the BBC will let vicar gags pass but they would not let imam gags pass."
Elton, who has written scripts for BBC comedies Blackadder and the Thin Blue Line, said the BBC might pretend that this reluctancy had something to do with moral sensibilities. "But it isn't. It's because they're scared," he said.
Speaking in an interview with Third Way, a Christian culture magazine, he added: "I wanted to use the phrase 'Mohammed came to the mountain' and everybody said, 'Oh, just don't! Just don't! Don't go there!
"It was nothing to do with Islam, I was merely referring to the old proverb, 'If the mountain won't come to Mohammed, Mohammed must go to the mountain.' And people just said, 'Let's not!' It's incredible."
A BBC spokesman said: "No subject is off limits for BBC comedy. The treatment should not cause harm or offence as defined by the BBC's Editorial Guidelines or breach other BBC Guidelines. There is no evidence that the BBC is afraid to tackle difficult subjects."
By Sophie Borland
Last Updated: 10:56am BST 02/04/2008
The BBC is too scared to make jokes about Islam, the comedian Ben Elton has claimed.
Elton, who is also a scriptwriter and author, accused the corporation of being too concerned with political correctness for not allowing jokes about imams but allowing ones vicars.
He said: "I think it all starts with people nodding whenever anyone says 'As a person of faith...'
"And I believe that part of it is due to the genuine fear that the authorities and the communities have about provoking the radical elements of Islam.
"There is no doubt about it, the BBC will let vicar gags pass but they would not let imam gags pass."
Elton, who has written scripts for BBC comedies Blackadder and the Thin Blue Line, said the BBC might pretend that this reluctancy had something to do with moral sensibilities. "But it isn't. It's because they're scared," he said.
Speaking in an interview with Third Way, a Christian culture magazine, he added: "I wanted to use the phrase 'Mohammed came to the mountain' and everybody said, 'Oh, just don't! Just don't! Don't go there!
"It was nothing to do with Islam, I was merely referring to the old proverb, 'If the mountain won't come to Mohammed, Mohammed must go to the mountain.' And people just said, 'Let's not!' It's incredible."
A BBC spokesman said: "No subject is off limits for BBC comedy. The treatment should not cause harm or offence as defined by the BBC's Editorial Guidelines or breach other BBC Guidelines. There is no evidence that the BBC is afraid to tackle difficult subjects."