Adam
04-12-2008, 12:19 PM
Outspoken Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles has sparked more complaints to the BBC after appearing to tell listeners that Polish people make good prostitutes.
British Poles protested to the corporation over the comments, which they deemed to be racist.
The BBC has told Sky News Online it has received 32 complaints, but insisted that Moyles had "definitely not meant to cause any offence".
"I've always found in my experience that prostitutes make very good cleaners and their ironing, brilliant," Moyles said in his award-winning breakfast show on November 19.
"I just find that if you're Polish, you're very good at ironing ... and prostitutes ... very good also at fixing cars."
British Polish news website Infolinia.org has led the protests, describing the comments made by Moyles - who is yet to make a public apology - as "nasty stereotyping".
"Chris Moyles is a very known radio DJ in the UK. His opinions influence a lot of people," a letter by Infolinia.org to the Beeb said.
"Statements he has made on his show [are] greatly damaging to the image of the Polish community in the UK.
"Instead of fuelling prejudices and dividing Great Britain, the BBC should educate people in the UK about Poland and who Poles really are, so that we can all live in harmony."
A BBC spokesperson told Sky News: "Chris was poking fun at ridiculous and unfair stereotypes, and making a nonsense of generalisations based on nationality.
"At no point did he say that Polish people were involved in prostitution �?? he separately joked that prostitutes were good at fixing cars and ironing.
"These comments were made in a live broadcast and were definitely not meant to cause any offence."
But it will raise further questions about the Corporation's ability to control or censor its highest paid broadcasters.
Radio chiefs have already been asked to crack down on potentially offensive material following the BBC Trust investigation into the answer phone scandal involving Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand.
Moyles' comments are not the first time the DJ has found himself accused of racism.
His interview with X-Men III star Halle Berry earlier this year saw her ask "are we having a racist moment here?", after he mimicked a "fat American black guy" amid a robbery.
Clicky (http://www.ananova.com/entertainment/story/sm_3107990.html?menu=)
British Poles protested to the corporation over the comments, which they deemed to be racist.
The BBC has told Sky News Online it has received 32 complaints, but insisted that Moyles had "definitely not meant to cause any offence".
"I've always found in my experience that prostitutes make very good cleaners and their ironing, brilliant," Moyles said in his award-winning breakfast show on November 19.
"I just find that if you're Polish, you're very good at ironing ... and prostitutes ... very good also at fixing cars."
British Polish news website Infolinia.org has led the protests, describing the comments made by Moyles - who is yet to make a public apology - as "nasty stereotyping".
"Chris Moyles is a very known radio DJ in the UK. His opinions influence a lot of people," a letter by Infolinia.org to the Beeb said.
"Statements he has made on his show [are] greatly damaging to the image of the Polish community in the UK.
"Instead of fuelling prejudices and dividing Great Britain, the BBC should educate people in the UK about Poland and who Poles really are, so that we can all live in harmony."
A BBC spokesperson told Sky News: "Chris was poking fun at ridiculous and unfair stereotypes, and making a nonsense of generalisations based on nationality.
"At no point did he say that Polish people were involved in prostitution �?? he separately joked that prostitutes were good at fixing cars and ironing.
"These comments were made in a live broadcast and were definitely not meant to cause any offence."
But it will raise further questions about the Corporation's ability to control or censor its highest paid broadcasters.
Radio chiefs have already been asked to crack down on potentially offensive material following the BBC Trust investigation into the answer phone scandal involving Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand.
Moyles' comments are not the first time the DJ has found himself accused of racism.
His interview with X-Men III star Halle Berry earlier this year saw her ask "are we having a racist moment here?", after he mimicked a "fat American black guy" amid a robbery.
Clicky (http://www.ananova.com/entertainment/story/sm_3107990.html?menu=)