Benedict Cumberbatch News

[SherlockedCAMPer]

I'm not even sure what the proper adjective is these days.

 

If you talk to someone who is of partial or full African descent that lives in the US, the correct term is Black not Afro-American or African American (despite what PC people want or think) as told to me by the wife of a Black man from Ghana.

[Van Buren Supernova]

BTW, we have spies everywhere - I think I have seen 3 reports from people who run into him in Kathmandu. No pics were allowed though.

Oh my, hope they leave him alone, that is horrible price of being celebrity, that I do not wish on anyone.

 

 

If you talk to someone who is of partial or full African descent that lives in the US, the correct term is Black not Afro-American or African American (despite what PC people want or think) as told to me by the wife of a Black man from Ghana.

I was talking to an acquantaince and the N word came out innocently, even though it's in another languange, the pronounciation is close enough. However there was not a drop of ill meaning, it's just that he doesn't really aware of the sensitivity. I was also unsure if it's normal that I jumped a bit hearing that, and whether a little attempt to explain that the word is sensitive come across fine or too much or necessary.

 

In ideal world, I just wish that words are fine, it has to be evaluated on the content they are used before anyone get offended by them. But that is ideal world.

[Arcadia]

Why are so many people down on being politically correct? I for one am glad certain words have been expunged from polite society. That's all being "PC" is -- being polite. I don't get it.

 

 

BC being in Nepal is now confirmed

https://twitter.com/Anythingbatch/status/662202295363493888

 

On 10th November he must be back in London to pick up his CBE. :o

 

OK, that makes one more man who can wear facial hair very nicely!

Not so sure about that backpack though! :D

[Inge l-w]

Dear Arcadia, I'm not worried about the backpack! I'm freaking out that he looks so much like flipping Anderson from the unaired pilot and S3! Oh my gosh! (Can't even talk about my ears and whiskers, BC is sporting them!)

[sfmpco]

yes, there is a lot of talk about him looking like Anderson, but not all that facial hair will last for the whole film.  They are filming early parts of the movie at the moment.  There will undoubtedly be a lot of green screen work in studio as well as all the other studio work.  The special effects budget will be quite enormous but likely no more than the other Marvel films.

[Boswell]

Why are so many people down on being politically correct? I for one am glad certain words have been expunged from polite society. That's all being "PC" is -- being polite. I don't get it.

 

 

 

 

Agree that politeness is ideally what being PC should be all about. But the 'black' vs 'coloured' affair is a classic example of what I and others like me find so annoying about political correctness - i.e. that it's basically politeness reduced to ludicrous gimmickry. Political correctness is when a group of people decide what should be deemed impolite, regardless of whether it appeals to logic or not. And PC-ness lends itself perfectly to being used as a way of distracting attention from real issues, because it's easier to have a casual conversation about what words someone should have used than to discuss their actual message.

 

In order to be polite you just need to have a minimum amount of human empathy and some common sense. 

In order to be truly PC all the time, you'd probably have to be a media mogul with access to a bunch of minions who'll be able to remind you of the correct word/s to use in any given situation (a la the boss in 'Devil wears Prada'). 

Or you'll have to end every conversation with something like "You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment" i.e. leave your audience neither here nor there

 

I'm reminded of this interview of the wonderfully candid Martin Freeman, vis-a-vis 'The Hobbit', where he was asked how he felt about "finally" being able to come out of "Benedict's shadow" (yes, somebody seriously asked him that!!). I loved his answer, which was to look outraged and say 'if you think I was ever in that m*****f****r's shadow you're mistaken'

That wasn't very PC but it was totally great!

Spoke volumes for the comfort level & mutual respect that seem to surround his interactions with Benedict, I thought. (Or is it just me?)

[Arcadia]

Ah, so let me ask this: what Martin said was (I sincerely hope) in jest. If he had been dead serious, do you still think it would have been okay?
 
I think I get what you're saying, but I don't think being "PC" works the way you say it does. I think it works this way: you just need to have a minimum amount of human empathy and some common sense. :D
 
I agree some people take it too far; and I suspect that's what most people object too. Fortunately, we are free to ignore them. Correctly, of course!

[Carol the Dabbler]

I was talking to an acquantaince and the N word came out innocently, even though it's in another languange, the pronounciation is close enough. However there was not a drop of ill meaning, it's just that he doesn't really aware of the sensitivity. I was also unsure if it's normal that I jumped a bit hearing that, and whether a little attempt to explain that the word is sensitive come across fine or too much or necessary.

 

That never occurred to me -- the added difficulty of avoiding offense across languages.

 

Believe it or not, the N-word is merely a variation on "Negro," a borrowed word that started out its English-language career as the politically-correct replacement for "colored."  (It is still used that way in certain contexts, such as the United Negro College Fund.)  But in certain dialects of American English, the pronunciation was slurred, and because those dialects tended to be spoken in areas with high levels of anti-Black sentiment, the alternative pronunciation became unacceptable to many people, eventually tarnishing even the original word "Negro," which was then replaced by its English translation, "Black."

 

That's all fairly understandable.  What bewilders and saddens me is the apparent war on other words derived from the same Latin root.  For example, there's a river in Africa called the Niger (pronounced, in English at least, as "ny-jer").  A type of seed grown in that area is sold as bird food in this country.  It was originally marketed (incorrectly) as "thistle" seed, but because some people feared (needlessly) that it would sprout into invasive thistle plants, the product was remarketed as "Niger" seed.  But apparently some people were so afraid that the illiterates among us would mispronounce the word that it's now sold under the phonetically spelt name "Nyjer."  What's next -- a petition to rename the river?

 

Why are so many people down on being politically correct? I for one am glad certain words have been expunged from polite society. That's all being "PC" is -- being polite. I don't get it.

 

I'm pretty sure that being polite is still called "polite" ....

 

I think I get what you're saying, but I don't think being "PC" works the way you say it does. I think it works this way: you just need to have a minimum amount of human empathy and some common sense. :D

 

I agree some people take it too far; and I suspect that's what most people object too. Fortunately, we are free to ignore them. Correctly, of course!

... and taking it too far is what's called "politically correct."

 

[Boswell]

Ah, so let me ask this: what Martin said was (I sincerely hope) in jest. If he had been dead serious, do you still think it would have been okay?

 

For a change I managed to trace the link to the interview I mentioned, here it is, do share your thoughts please:

 

https://youtu.be/Zb5cSrKfBG0

[Arcadia]

Oh, I've seen the interview, I just meant ... if Martin had been serious, would it still be a funny line?
 

I'm pretty sure that being polite is still called "polite" ....
 

I think I get what you're saying, but I don't think being "PC" works the way you say it does. I think it works this way: you just need to have a minimum amount of human empathy and some common sense. :D
 
I agree some people take it too far; and I suspect that's what most people object to. Fortunately, we are free to ignore them. Correctly, of course!

... and taking it too far is what's called "politically correct."

 

Ba-boom! :D
 
I maintain that's not what it means, but here's the Oxford definition:

Political correctness: The avoidance, often considered as taken to extremes, of forms of expression or action that are perceived to exclude, marginalize, or insult groups of people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against.

 
So they acknowledge that some people think it goes too far, but overall, it's defined as an attempt to be a more inclusive society. That's the part that makes me not get why people are against it.

 

I get why Niger/Nyjer seems ridiculous, but to me it seems a small thing to give up a word in order to avoid offense. Still, I might be talking out of both sides of my mouth here; I still regret that the word "gay" has lost it's older meaning.

 

I wonder what Benedict would say to all this. There, back on topic! :D

[sfmpco]

Some fan held this up in Nepal:

 

https://twitter.com/naiemessi/status/662936585063698432

[Inge l-w]

In the meantime, Benedict took his fellow actors to a Buddhist retreat and sent a congratulatory message to the British Teen Awards for a lucky fan of his who has been looking after her mother and sister under extremely difficult circumstances. He's lovely when he's being himself!

And he sneaked at least one smoke when he thought no one was looking, but his fandom seems to be even more vigilant than Sherlock's Big Brother, Mycroft!

[Boswell]

I remember reading somewhere that as a student Benedict took a gap year to go to Tibet and teach English to children there. Uncommonly nice, I thought. 

[Boswell]

Ok, I'm going to be boring and go on making my point here, but it's really Arcadia's fault, asking questions that make me want to try answering them :P :D

 

Oh, I've seen the interview, I just meant ... if Martin had been serious, would it still be a funny line?

 

I see it this way: Martin was joking, in a way that was intended to convey the (completely understandable) frustration in his head i.e. "can't I go through ONE interview talking about just my work without having to touch upon a particular co-star and his bloody cheekbones as if he were the one reason I even became an actor?"

 

... here's the Oxford definition:

Political correctness: The avoidance, often considered as taken to extremes, of forms of expression or action that are perceived to exclude, marginalize, or insult groups of people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against.

 
So they acknowledge that some people think it goes too far, but overall, it's defined as an attempt to be a more inclusive society. That's the part that makes me not get why people are against it.

 

It is actually a question of theory vs practice - the definition is the theory, the stated position. The practice of it is far less ideal, and this is such a subjective issue that literally anyone can claim to be either a 'victim' or a self-appointed spokesperson for the 'victim'. The intentions of the 'perpetrator' will be dissected and analysed beyond all reason, no matter how genuine the slip-up, while the intentions of the 'victim/spokesperson' continue to be presumed innocent even if proven malicious.

 

 

...

I wonder what Benedict would say to all this. There, back on topic!  :D

 

If I were the mature & sensible personality that is Benedict Cumberbatch, then - assuming this MF interview even registered on my radar - I would empathise with Martin, and at the most would see it as something to laugh about with, or at, Martin when we met next!

and on the topic of political correctness in general, I would prefer to get away with a 'No comment' - the only safe alternative to being dishonest

[Arcadia]

I'm known as a troublemaker. :p

[Inge l-w]

Agreed, but as a fair-minded, humorous trouble-maker/ mediator!

[J.P.]

Today is the Day!

 

http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/Honours/Investitures.aspx

 

Hopefully he won't wear a sheet.

[Arcadia]

That would be hysterical if he did, though.

[J.P.]

So proud!

 

 

Comment on Twitter

 

Cumberbuddy ‏@Cumberbuddy 12m12 minutes ago

“Where’s my ashtray you wee wanker”

“I’m so sorry Ma’am’ forgive me"

[J.P.]

A little article about the event in Daily Mail - they have good pics though.

[J.P.]

An alternative

http://www.harpersbazaar.co.uk/culture-news/news/benedict-cumberbatch-receives-cbe-buckingham-palace

[J.P.]

And a small video

[J.P.]

Benedict Cumberbatch picks up CBE and defends on-stage refugees outburst

[J.P.]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0Py85Xpjhg&sns=tw

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

This is the part that surprised me:

 

 

I didn't know that the Queen ever did that -- though (according to the video) she did wait till after the actual investiture to offer her hand.  Maybe there's a difference in protocol for CBEs?  Or am I simply a century or two behind the times?