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DTC: 'I refuse to tick boxes on race or sexuality'; + Major similarities between his family and the Carters
Topic Started: 3 Feb 2015, 03:01 (3,567 Views)
MrJames
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http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-02-02/eastenders-boss-i-refuse-to-tick-boxes-on-race-or-sexuality

Something I agree with, not just in EastEnders, but in all areas of life. Once you start seeking out a certain demongraphis to fill a certain role, I think a bit of integrity is lost. These things have to happen organically.

The similarities between his own family and the Carters are actually more alarming than I thought. Certainly puts the swimming plot into a slightly new perspective.
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Will Slater-Mitchell
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Yes, I always think a character should be introduced if there is a purpose, a story, what can they add to the show other than the colour of their skin, their nationality or who they sleep with at night.

I LOVE that Radio Times cover.

Will be very interested to read what else Dominic says.
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WalfordE20
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Poignant interview, particularly the part about the swimming storyline.
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Planck
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He says he doesn't tick boxes but then how does he explain Donna who has served absolutely no purpose since coming in like July?
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Desdemona
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Lovely man and a moving interview but I hate the 'tick boxes' argument that tends to be conveniently mobilised by those who like to keep their soap white and heterosexual.
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The Local Butcher
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He's not going to make himself popular with that statement.

In my experience Eastenders tends to gets unfairly targeted because of it's East London setting. Last year Lenny Henry who's heavily involved in some sort of organisation or commitee on minority representation actually jumped to Eastenders' defense because even he felt attacking what's already one of the most diverse shows on tv is completely missing the point.

Those who want more representation are better off fighting shows that truly are 99% white.
Edited by The Local Butcher, 3 Feb 2015, 08:19.
Warning: Posts made by The Local Butcher may contain sarcasm, frustrated expressions of fatigue in the face of Eastenders' neverending insanity, desperate and ill-conceived attempts to be funny, controversial opinions and nuts. Not necessarily in that order.
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Mr. Right
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planck
3 Feb 2015, 08:14
He says he doesn't tick boxes but then how does he explain Donna who has served absolutely no purpose since coming in like July?
Donna wasn't created as a disabled character, Lisa Hammond won the role after going up against able bodied actresses.
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Leon
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"I taught my dad to swim." Wow, that's heartbreaking.
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MrJames
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Haha, I can already taste the reaction. A very fair and valid reasoning has turned into:

@Telegraph: Eastenders boss says 'impose ethnic quotas and I'll quit' http://t.co/ifman5mMSz http://t.co/Lq0bccXmim
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Leon
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"This aspiration thing is something we're about to address in a big way."

Interesting...
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Sey
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Mr. Right
3 Feb 2015, 08:57
planck
3 Feb 2015, 08:14
He says he doesn't tick boxes but then how does he explain Donna who has served absolutely no purpose since coming in like July?
Donna wasn't created as a disabled character, Lisa Hammond won the role after going up against able bodied actresses.
I never believed that. The only material she's had in a year has been about her disability.

For the record I think Donna is crap regardless of her handicap.
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Mrs Peel
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Sey
3 Feb 2015, 12:34
Mr. Right
3 Feb 2015, 08:57

Quoting limited to 2 levels deep
I never believed that. The only material she's had in a year has been about her disability.

For the record I think Donna is crap regardless of her handicap.
Khali Best isn't sacked until Tameka Empson is ready to return to work?
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MrJames
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Khali Best isn't allowed to leave until his contract is up more like. He was disposed of within the first two days of January.
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Ross
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I'm in the kitchen eating a biscuit
There has not been one story regarding Donna's disability... :huh:
Massive thanks to NickM for this wonderful signature! :)

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Sey
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Donna has only existed as the bully who no-one stands up to because she is disabled and helping Kat deal with being different.
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Katsis
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The diversity issue on telly has always been divisive. Is a character introduced as some kind of social statement or is he/she introduced because the character fits into a particular storyline, regardless of race? I thought Cora and Patrick worked better than Cora and Stan; there was more chemistry, more sensitivity between Patrick and her than she's had wth Stan...wish they would have kept her with Patrick as that would have been more believable, IMO...not because he's black and she has a daughter of mixed race but because the characters actually blended better. I'm not particularly fond of the Masood family except for Shabnam...it has nothing to do with the race and everything to do with just not warming to the characters. In my world, race is completely irrelevant to whether it's a good character or not. It has everything to do with the acting, how the character fits into the Square and where the writers take the character...race not being a consideration. It always seems "forced" when a character is introduced in a way that makes their race, disability, whatever, the issue instead of it being a smooth, believable beginning due to plots..and nothing else.
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The Local Butcher
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"In order to reflect it's rural setting Emmerdale will now have an all white cast."

Anyone who'd actually argue the above would be shot on sight. It's a clear example of why basing how diverse a show should be based on it's setting doesn't work.
Edited by The Local Butcher, 3 Feb 2015, 16:48.
Warning: Posts made by The Local Butcher may contain sarcasm, frustrated expressions of fatigue in the face of Eastenders' neverending insanity, desperate and ill-conceived attempts to be funny, controversial opinions and nuts. Not necessarily in that order.
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The Other Slater Cousin
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Had a lump in my throat reading that about his father.
"I loved it in the Olden Days because you talked more. There’s more action now. You know, we would do scenes in the Rovers of me, Bet and Doris Speed with a cup of coffee each before we opened the pub, talking about absolute rubbish. But it was something, and it was what people do." - Betty Driver
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Mrs Peel
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It was actually Angela Wynter (Yolande), who raised the quota issue when her character was axed. She pointedly said that the show had a quota for ethnic characters, and she was the obvious choice for axing, in order to make way for Don Gilet's character.

In recent years, we've had three adult disabled characters - Craig Moon (who could have been interesting, had he remained), Adam Best and now Donna. Adam and Donna have both been pejorative characters - unpleasant, arrogant (especially Adam, who used his disability as a challenge to people to call him out for what he was - an unpleasant prick). It's only been recently that we've seen Donna have a nicer side to her - helping the Moons out etc.

I don't know where the storyline with Donna is going, but it's been revealed that they are going to delve into her backstory, so that has to have something to do with her disability in some way.
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Cam
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In regards to disability, I always hated how Janet left with Honey first time around when TPTB at the time of Janet's birth said we'd watch her grow up on the show.

I know she's a child and can't really do much in terms of drama, but I hope when she gets older we see storylines with Billy maybe finding it hard to cope or something. Not that interesting, but a nice bit of realism the show needs in the middle of secrets, lies and Shirley Carter.
Edited by Cam, 3 Feb 2015, 17:58.
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