BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Ben is going to be on Tavis Smiley!!

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** February 5, 2015 9:34 pm

I finally had the chance to watch this interview... (I'm so behind!!)

I completely missed this 'scandal'... All I can add to this is what everyone has already said. Way out of proportion.

This was an amazing interview, very interesting and Benedict was very interesting to listen to. Tavis Smiley seems great at getting people at ease and have a real interview and not some show and giggle stuff. Good one!

Last edited by This Is The Phantom Lady (February 5, 2015 9:35 pm)

**Posted by REReader** February 11, 2015 8:36 pm

There's an interview with David Oyelowo in The Big Issue, and in it Oyelowo was asked about the "controversy":

Benedict Cumberbatch caused a storm by using the outdated term ‘coloured’ while, ironically, promoting on-screen diversity. You did Small Island together – what are your feelings about what he said?

To accuse him of racism is absolutely ridiculous and nonsensical, and anyone who does should be ashamed of themselves. He was talking about the under-representation of people within the UK film industry and the fact that actors like me are getting better opportunities in the US. He has no dog in that fight. He is one of the premier white actors, not just in the UK but the world. And he has done something truly beautiful in saying this isn’t right.

Last edited by REReader (February 11, 2015 8:37 pm)

**Posted by Vhanja** February 11, 2015 8:42 pm

Such replies restores my faith in humanity.

**Posted by nakahara** February 11, 2015 8:50 pm

REReader wrote:
There's an interview with David Oyelowo in The Big Issue, and in it Oyelowo was asked about the "controversy":

Benedict Cumberbatch caused a storm by using the outdated term ‘coloured’ while, ironically, promoting on-screen diversity. You did Small Island together – what are your feelings about what he said?

To accuse him of racism is absolutely ridiculous and nonsensical, and anyone who does should be ashamed of themselves. He was talking about the under-representation of people within the UK film industry and the fact that actors like me are getting better opportunities in the US. He has no dog in that fight. He is one of the premier white actors, not just in the UK but the world. And he has done something truly beautiful in saying this isn’t right.

As some people pointed out, there´s actually an organisation in the US, called "National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Association_for_the_Advancement_of_Colored_People

If people are not offended that this "taboo" word is a part of a name of an official institution, they shouldn´t be offended if the word is used by a private person during an interview.

**Posted by Ah-chie** February 12, 2015 5:38 pm

Coming from North America as I do (although from Canada, I am pretty well aquainted with US cultural aspects) I think the word in question is usually more looked upon as an outdated term now, rather than a offensive putdown (although context is everything in regards to words like these). That's one of the reasons I think that to make a hysterical fuss about him using the word is ridiculous and to link it to racial bigotry somehow (especially in the context he used it) is downright vile.

And yes, the NAACP still does have that word in its title because it was formed when that word wasn't considered an outdated term (if it had been formed at a later date I do think I can say with a fair degree of confidence "Colored" would not have been used in their moniker).

Once again, some people took that respectable word and sometimes twisted it into offensive usage - by the context of what they were saying. But most people, even today, wouldn't think the word had innate racist intent - not like some other words that were always used to be opprobrious and originated as racial affronts.

In the NAACP's case it is historical usage but not something that would be used by a lot of people in the venacular (another example of this sort if thing might be the remaining use of horses on the crest of The Teamsters Union since its progenator was formed in the very early 1900s when actual "horse" power was what drove the goods to market). It's anachronistic.

-Val

-Val

**Posted by REReader** March 16, 2015 6:29 pm

The former chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (I assume this is a British institution) has spoken out, albeit belatedly, in defense of Benedict: Benedict Cumberbatch was victim of 'bonkers' political correctness.