Scoop Feedback: Response To Holmes Sacking Survey

Tuesday, 30 September 2003, 4:12 pm
Opinion: Scoop Feedback

Twenty four votes in so far in this Scoop Survey (click here for links to audio, transcripts and commentary) with a majority in favour of sacking Paul Holmes for his "Cheeky Darkie" remarks about UNSG Kofi Annan. Of those in favour of keeping Mr Holmes political correctness is the oft used reason. Meanwhile there seem to be a fair few punters who have long wanted to be rid of Mr Holmes and who simply regard this as the last straw. Paul Jones expressed this view asking, "Can anyone explain how Holmes rose to his pre-eminent and hugely paid position at TVNZ with the on camera demeanour and charisma of a brussel sprout with a speech impediment?"

- The Scoop Editor

What Do You Think - Should Paul Get His Marching Orders?

Paul Holmes

holmes should be sacked

Doug Hood

Holmes must go!

There is no going back even if he had shown himself capable of making any apology beyond the smirking self justification so far. No one has picked up on it so far but to my ears it sounded uncannily like Piggy Muldoon's racist put down of Abraham Ordia of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa way back in 76 before the Montreal Olympics boycott debacle. Newstalk ZB and TVNZ are purely concerned with ratings and couldn't give a stuff. And if the disgraceful anti Mitsubishi rant of last night by Larry Williams, the far right apologist host of NZBs Drive time is indicative of station management attitudes then it may well be that Holmes position is even safer.

Cheers

Andrew P Nichols

Christchurch

Homes should be fired

The man is an embarrassment to NZ and is obviously a chauvinist & racist. Annan has shown courage to stand up to Bush and his warmongers. Maybe Holmes would be better suited on the front lines in Iraq?!

Jared Ball

Holmes/sack or not to sack

I've only seen the Scoop transcript of his comments and heard elements of his self-serving apology.

As a relatively new New Zealander, I'm astonished he is still on air anywhere. There are few environments in the sophisticated world where this type of commentary would be tolerated.

The transcript, if it endures on the public record and he sustains his leadership role in the media, suggests that New Zealand tolerates and finds ways of supporting this type of language, this type of intent, this retarded and insular view of the world, this desperate appeal to our basest community instincts, this exercise in the flaunting of oligarchic power (is NZ is still an non-democratic influence and power oligarchy?), this insult to heritage and new New Zealanders - for a racist statement is a racist statement and has a universality of its own. It is not restricted to the colour of the skin. If the nation succumbs relatively quietly to the man's so-called apologetic statement out of "respect for the public man called Holmes" then it risks being seen to agree with his commentary.

Congratulations to Mitsubishi - swift and powerful and meaningful action. Your employees and customers are prouder of you today - may your business thrive.

As for the anti-women statements, what can you say? Too old (an old style old man talking to an old man who should have known better), too out of touch, too divisive, too unintelligent, too meaningless and mean spirited, too thoughtless, too boring, too uncool, too pointless, too self-indulgent, too (insert your own comment) to worry about.

Pariahs on our weaknesses and our ignorance are not needed as respected public figures. They only retard national & personal development. Let's get on with 21st century, not the 19th! These comments and commnetators do not belong in the public domain.

Michael Hogan

Paul

Yes

Peter

Paul Holmes

Sack the racist.

Michael Gibson

Holmes

Should be sacked

Lindsay McKenzie

Paul Holmes and his comments

Of course many people say what Paul Holmes said is OK. This is because the majority of New Zealanders are white, and have never experienced any form of racism. Its just another joke at someone else's expense.

Some people claim that everyone is getting too PC about this. They say that many people are made the target of jokes, the English, Australians, Irish and so on. However, these are nationalities, not ethnicities. I believe the core part of the offense is at the word "darkie", which does not apply to any one nationality, but at the color of a persons skin. I think his attack is about ethnicity. The word darkie came up six or seven times, and the Ghanaian reference only twice.

Why does he keep referring to the man on the basis of the colour of his skin? Is that how we should judge the worth of what people say? Does dark skin infer lower intelligence or faulty reasoning? I tend to think that a person who judges another on superficial characteristics is the one who has faulty reasoning.

If Paul Holmes has an insightful argument, let him say it. If it is a strong one, it will stand up to scrutiny on its own. If he must resort to racial slurs, then he has nothing to say, and should be quiet.

Michael Forde

About Paul Holmes

People like Paul should know the consequence exactly after what he had done. He is totally irresponsible for what he said. Something can't be undo and someone will take the responsibility. NZ needs this accountability. Especially when the little girl Coral was missing. It wasn't no one's fault, and someone had to take the blame no matter who you are.

Mike

Holmes

Should Paul Holmes be sacked?

My answer = No

Adrian Sprott

Paul Holmes

I think he should be fired. In his position of a public voice, possibly influencing what many people may think, he has certain responsibilities. Freedom of speech (or action) comes with responsibility. He may have only been stirring in order to provoke reaction, but the method used was far from professional or very humourous.

Many people have complained about the governments position on Iraq not doing us any favours with the US, but I believe Holmes' comments could possibly do NZ's reputation re:race issues harm in the eyes of many countries.

Marcel Spencer

Paul Holmes

Goodness me NO!!. NZ is becoming a humourless nation! Stop all this political correctness rubbish and get on with worrying about our children and their interest in the drug culture that is beginning to threaten our nation Kids and drugs are more important that a little satire that went wrong for goodness sake!

Derek Treeby

BYE BYE PAUL

Holmes, when on tax payer-funded TVNZ, is a civil servant... and, in this case, one who behaves this badly brings the state broadcaster into serious disrepute. This time his idotic tabloid style has bitten him in the arse.

C'mon Ralston ... sack him and save the cash. This is the chance you have been waitng for!

Louis Slugso

Paul Homes

I think that we should stop being so precious about this. My goodness, the man was extremely foolish to let his tongue loose on this very PC community of ours. He has not previously had an racist reputation and I don't believe that he was inciting racism in any way.

There will be plenty more car companies ready to come forward for sponsorship and if people are walking away from their jobs - let them go, there will always be someone else ready to step in with fresh energy.

There are plenty of other issues which deserve dominance and attention. I am firmly of the opinion that all this bleating should now stop, that people stop letting themselves become victims and act positively about the issues in our communities that really deserve attention.

Is anyone conducting a poll about this??

Barbara

PAUL HOLMES

I'd like to see Paul Holmes severely reprimanded for his stupid commentary. I do not like to hear him called our foremost broadcaster because he is shallow and sentimental and populist and self-obsessed. However, sacking is scary because of the freedom of speech issue. I am glad I'm a National Radio fan because there's none of what Prof Michael Neill calls the 'wanton rhetoric' of talk back radio on it.

Another however: Holmes has always shown a certain amount of sympathy for Maori issues, I think. when the Sunday Star Times had a go at Tuku Morgan and Tau Henare on 7 September, Holmes showed the other side of the chat show in the garage issue. So, no - I'd love a more intelligent current affairs show on ONE but sacking, that's too draconian.

MAUREEN JANSEN

Holmes

Mitsubishi pulling the plug is a joke. The Japanese are one of the most racist countries in the world. Try getting a work visa for anything other than teaching English or hostessing over there. A case of the pot calling the kettle black I'd say.

Mitsi has bought into a media beat-up and I hope they pay for it. I for one will be boycotting their cars from now on.

Duncan Bridgeman

Sack Him, sack him!

Please, please, please Bill Ralston use this as the excuse to finally get rid of this pathetic excuse for a journalist and hire someone who can actually speak in sentences.

Can anyone explain how Holmes rose to his pre-eminent and hugely paid position at TVNZ with the on camera demeanour and charisma of a brussel sprout with a speech impediment.

Paul Jones

Paul Holmes

According to the late news last nite, Paul Holmes speech on his comments regarding his darkie comments was more of trying to justify what he said, it wasn't an apology. When he made the comments I sent and email to TVNZ to let them know that Paul Holmes show is off limits to my house, he is now an unwelcome guest, all doors are closed to him.

Robert Biddle

Should Paul Holmes be Sacked

Even before this debacle I've believed that Paul's time has come. There is no excuse - parody or not - for his rambling and repeated commentary on Annan and woman journalists. It simply wasn't funny - not even 'black humour' - this was never even touching on parody. This person with such a high profile should not be representing the voice of NZ, nor have the luxury of beaming his personal views into our radios and televisions.

Zef

Holmes and the real world

Holmes may be the current "newsworthy" face of the race debate, but I believe there are much more dangerous racial problems in society.

On Sunday my 7 and 9 year old sons were playing "Spaceships" on some play equipment at a local swiming pool. Everyone who came near them became an "alien monster" - including me, and occasionally one of them.

Some girls of at least part Maori descent decided that my 2 kids were the real aliens - "dirty white Pakeha" was shouted at them, along with "go back to where you come [sic] from", and similar comments.

Never mind the headlines - what hope have we of having harmonious race relations when 13-15 year old girls take that sort of attitude to a couple of kids playing a harmless game??

What sort of message are our young being taught about race relations that results in this?

Mike Campbell

Resignation of Paul Holmes

Paul Holmes' comments have simply revealed him to be just like the average New Zealander. Perhaps the debate is raging because the public are disappointed because they realise that they can no longer look up to him as a morally superior figure.

Russell Clarke

Paul Holmes

No amount of apologising can excuse the appalling behaviour of Paul Holmes. He must be held accountable, as must Newstalk ZB. As his employer they must take action, and sacking is the only option.

P. Brocklebank

Should Holmes be sacked

Holmes should be sacked for his crappy show in general. Yes he was over the top but then he often is. I find it more disturbing that people pick on this issue when there are so many "ist" statements made everyday- like Mike King's not particularly veiled homophobic "jokes". So ultimately yes, but really, is everyone going to be put under the same scrutiny. I think his show is nauseating anyway and for that he should be sacked....

Sarah Baker

Should Holmes be sacked?

Yep, Holmes should be sacked. He's lost all judgement and sense to think people would find such insulting words 'funny.'

Erica Challis

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