The shows foundation began to be seen as offensive on account of it’s portrayal of blacked up characters behaving in a over the top clichéd and stereotypical manner. The BBC received a petition not much later, demanding the show be changed or taken off air, in 1967. There was a organization titled the ‘Campaign Against Racial Discrimination’, which used the petition to suggest that the show be taken off air. “It causes much distress to most coloured people” to which the BBC then responded quite tactlessly:
“The corporation has a strict attitude about the presentation of racialism in its programmes and we do not think The Black and White Minstrel Show offended in this way. The show is not about race. It is traditional, enjoyed by
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One of these people, was the chief auditor, Mr Barry Thorne. Thorne wrote to the then Chief Deputy Director General, Mr Oliver Whitley, who retaliated and wrote back to Thorne, with such spite saying:
“Thank you for your memo. Much could be and has been said about this. The best advice that could be given to coloured people by their friends would be, on this issue we can see your point but, in your own best interests, for heavens sake shut up” (Whitley, Oliver, 1967)
It then took another ten painful years until societies of colour were listened and adhered to resulting in the show actually being taken off air. Since the shows cancellation in 1978, The Black and White Minstrel Show has come to be seen more widely as a Great British humiliation, despite it’s huge popularity and the time.
“While blackface in the literal sense has played only a minor role in entertainment in recent decades, various writers see it as epitomising an appropriation and imitation of black culture that continues today.” (Wikipedia)
“To this day, whites admire, envy and seek to emulate such supposed innate qualities of blackness as inherent musicality, natural athleticism, the composure known as ‘cool’ and superior sexual endowment” (Strausbaugh, J. ‘Black Like You’,