“Munters and mingers” jibe by BBC Radio 5 presenter
“Gratuitously sexist and homophobic” interviewees
London UK – 6 January 2009
Celebrity same-sex couple, actress Lindsay Lohan and DJ Samantha Ronson, were the subject of “gratuitously sexist and homophobic remarks” during the BBC 3 television programme, The Most Annoying People of 2008, according to human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell of the gay rights group OutRage!
The UK television programme is scheduled to be repeated by BBC 3 tomorrow, 7 January, and is currently available to view on the BBC iPlayer here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00g9293/Most_Annoying_People_2008_Part_2/
Ronson was listed as the 43rd most annoying celebrity of 2008, out of 100 stars who were named and shamed in the two-part programme that was first broadcast on 30 and 31 December 2008.
Commenting on Ronson’s and Lohan’s “bizarre inclusion in a line-up of mostly genuinely annoying celebrities”, Peter Tatchell said:
“I fail to see how Lohan or Ronson qualify as annoying, let along most annoying. What is annoying about this lovely couple?
“I know it was billed as a light-hearted review of the year, but the BBC did not offer an even half-way convincing reason to justify their inclusion in this programme, which at times was lesbophobic.
“The remarks by BBC Radio 5 presenter DJ Spoony and straight US porn actor Ron Jeremy were gratuitously sexist and homophobic. The BBC should have never broadcast them. The upcoming repeat should bleep-out their stupid, bigoted remarks.
“A public apology is due from the BBC.
“DJ Spoony should be suspended by the BBC and be allowed to resume presenting his Radio 5 programme only after he has apologised on air and promised not to repeat his homophobic garbage.
“Ron Jeremy’s comments were needlessly offensive. They added nothing to the programme and should have been edited out. He’s ugly, sexist and arrogant. No self-respecting woman, lesbian or straight, would want to have sex with him or even spend a minute in his company.”
“During the programme, one male interviewee disparaged most lesbians as ‘munters and mingers’ and suggested that glamorous, sexy female Hollywood superstars should be reserved for straight men,” said Mr Tatchell.
BBC Radio 5 Live presenter DJ Spoony said of lesbians: “Let the munters and mingers get each other. That’s cool. No one really wants them ones.”
Referring to Lohan and Ronson, he added: “But when they’re hot and fit…do you know what I mean, and Hollywood superstars, they should be saved for guys like…not me …for other guys.”
“Porn actor Ron Jeremy made sick references to wanting to have a threesome with the couple and ejaculating on them. It was needlessly crude and misogynistic,” said Mr Tatchell.