Radio joke at maids' expense was in bad taste
LAST Thursday, I was listening to 98.7FM between 9pm and 10pm. The show was hosted by Justin and Vernon, I believe popularly known as 'The Muttons'. At one point, one of them commented on a new pawn shop that opened recently at Lucky Plaza, also renowned as a gathering place of maids.
He then cracked a joke I found extremely offensive. He made a remark to the effect that it was great to have a pawn shop at Lucky Plaza, because if one had a maid and found jewellery missing...He then trailed off for people to draw their own conclusions, at which point his partner started laughing hysterically. The laughter seemed forced, and I suspect it was because he realised how offensive the joke was and was trying to deflect attention from it.
Indeed, that 'joke' (I place the word in inverted commas because it was not even funny) was extremely derogatory, insensitive, insulting and uncalled for. My thoughts turned immediately to those unfortunate maids who might have been listening to the radio at that time. One can only imagine how they must have felt.
Such comments reinforce stereotypes and prejudices which already exist in society. Those who have a public audience should exhibit greater responsibility when making statements, be they in the form of jokes or personal observations, so as not to further these prejudices.
I think an apology is in order to all the maids, without whom many of us would be at a loss in juggling our many responsibilities in life. I hope such offensive comments will not be heard on air again, or for that matter, anywhere.
Anthony Siow
LAST Thursday, I was listening to 98.7FM between 9pm and 10pm. The show was hosted by Justin and Vernon, I believe popularly known as 'The Muttons'. At one point, one of them commented on a new pawn shop that opened recently at Lucky Plaza, also renowned as a gathering place of maids.
He then cracked a joke I found extremely offensive. He made a remark to the effect that it was great to have a pawn shop at Lucky Plaza, because if one had a maid and found jewellery missing...He then trailed off for people to draw their own conclusions, at which point his partner started laughing hysterically. The laughter seemed forced, and I suspect it was because he realised how offensive the joke was and was trying to deflect attention from it.
Indeed, that 'joke' (I place the word in inverted commas because it was not even funny) was extremely derogatory, insensitive, insulting and uncalled for. My thoughts turned immediately to those unfortunate maids who might have been listening to the radio at that time. One can only imagine how they must have felt.
Such comments reinforce stereotypes and prejudices which already exist in society. Those who have a public audience should exhibit greater responsibility when making statements, be they in the form of jokes or personal observations, so as not to further these prejudices.
I think an apology is in order to all the maids, without whom many of us would be at a loss in juggling our many responsibilities in life. I hope such offensive comments will not be heard on air again, or for that matter, anywhere.
Anthony Siow
