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Dannii, Got Talent cleared of complaints

Britain's TV regulator has cleared both Dannii Minogue and Britain's Got Talent in relation to separate viewer complaints.

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Danni-MinogueOfcom, Britain’s television watchdog has cleared both Dannii Minogue and Britain’s Got Talent of any wrong-doing following a string of complaints over separate issues.

Minogue was given the all-clear over a joke she made about a contestant’s sexuality on The X Factor.

After singer Danyl Johnson changed the gender of his lyrics in the Dreamgirl’s song I Am Telling You, I’m Not Going, Minogue joked that if bisexuality reports in the newspaper were true he needn’t have directed his lyrics to a female.

The high-rating show netted nearly 4,000 complaints over the remark, while Minogue formally apologised on air the next day and made a public apology on her website.

But Ofcom found that Johnson’s sexuality had “passed freely into the public domain” through a number of newspaper interviews “in circumstances he chose and controlled”. It also ruled that Minogue wasn’t homophobic in her remarks (as if!).

“In Ofcom’s view it was not outside the established nature of the programme for an X Factor judge to make such a comment as Dannii Minogue’s, especially in circumstances where the performer had placed information about his sexuality in the public domain,” the media regulator said.

But it also noted ‘outing’ of participants in television programmes should not be encouraged, condoned or legitimised.

Meanwhile, there were 53 complaints that Britain’s Got Talent had exploited singer Susan Boyle, who was hospitalised after her appearances on the talent show.

But Ofcom does not cover the “welfare and dignity” of those over 18 unless a formal complaint is made by the individual concerned or someone acting directly on their behalf.

“Susan Boyle did not appear humiliated of particularly distressed, and when the result was announced on air at the end of the final she swiftly congratulated (winners) Diversity for their win,” it said, rejecting any breach of the broadcasting code.

Source: Guardian

9 Responses

  1. David, you’re spot on about the complaints that were made about Dannii. I remember when that episode aired, it caused a huge online reaction straight away, but I don’t think I heard of a single gay person who was offended or condemned her remarks – instead it was all coming from people who were desperate to get offended on someone else’s behalf. No gay groups criticised Dannii at the time and the reaction on gay websites to what she said was positive.

    The whole thing pretty much blew over once she apologised the next night, so I think on reflection a few people realised they’d overreacted.

  2. I think you’re spot-on about the housewife factor David. If Dannii had been found guilty of homophobic conduct (which she clearly wasn’t) it would have made that mardi gras single a bit awkward …

    @Keira Except Dannii … who the story is about. Well done.

  3. I just watched this on Youtube for the second time and there’s nothing homophobic about her remarks. They were inappropriate simply because she was fueling rumors and bringing up a subject that the contestant didn’t feel comfortable with. She misjudged the situation, that’s all. Nobody could reasonably interpret anything she said as being indicative of any homophobia on her part. In fact, I don’t have to stretch my imagination very hard to picture a gay judge making the exact same comments.

    Gay rights activists do nothing for their cause by getting involved in this sort of trivial rubbish. Why the hell do we have to swing the pendulum around from censoring any reference or depictions of homosexuality to censoring anything which could possibly deemed to be homophobic? Those 4000 wingers who complained to Ofcom about this are no better than the fundamentalist Christian groups who attempt to have their own agenda forced down everyone else’s throats. Sure, their agenda may be more appealing, but their methodology is just as abhorrent. We’re just coming full circle, from right wing authoritarianism to left wing authoritarianism. We need to remember freedom is a two way street.

    1. Gay viewers would know Dannii is a big community supporter and probably unlikely to have complained. Somehow I reckon the majority of complaints were Danyl’s housewife fans who were more aghast at the revelations because it diminished their own dreams….. Dannii’s complete acceptance of homosexuality allowed her to have fun with the point, it wasn’t even remotely homophobic. That said Ofcom needs to make sure this stuff doesn’t condone Outing on TV.

      Mike: thanks…

  4. I don’t think David should have to defend his decision on what he reports on at this site. The title is afterall TVTonight, and this is television related.

    @Kiera, if you don’t want to read about Danii Minogue or overseas television news….

    Firstly, don’t click on the story,
    secondly, don’t go to the effort of commenting on the story,
    and lastly, start your own TV blog.

    1. Both Dannii and Susan Boyle are newsworthy here. Heck Dannii makes news here when she changes dance partners -which I avoid. At least in this case there was some news, as well as Duty of Care for reality shows.

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