https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radi ... nguage-cut
and
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/0 ... 32797.html
Even if the lines were intended to show the character is racist, he is someone we're encouraged to find funny in other scenes so for my money the cut was justified.
Other shows have also been taken down from various platforms and these are not shows from the 'bad old days' of 1970s TV:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53020335HBO Max temporarily removed Gone With The Wind because of its "racial depictions", and Little Britain was removed from the BBC iPlayer and Britbox because "times have changed".
Netflix has also removed Little Britain plus David Walliams and Matt Lucas's Come Fly With Me, and The League of Gentlemen and The Mighty Boosh.
Meanwhile, Ant and Dec apologised for impersonating "people of colour" on Saturday Night Takeaway, and requested ITV remove the 2003 and 2004 sketches from its catch-up service.
Last week, comedian Leigh Francis issued an emotional apology for having dressed as black celebrities in the noughties impression show Bo' Selecta.
I've seen some old shows or films on TV with a warning at the start that some of the views expressed were acceptable at the time that aren't now and that may work if it's just a passing reference but where there is lengthy or repeated racism, there needs to be a discussion about what to do with them.
Should a whole series be taken down or just the offending episode or a sketch cut?
If they decide to get rid of shows with sexist and trans/homophobic content too, that's a huge chunk of old light ent shows that will go. And what will it take for that discussion to happen too?
I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all easy answer but it's a discussion worth having