Martin Brundle's 'pikey' gaffe sparks equality row

[BertRoot]

Martin Brundle's 'pikey' gaffe sparks equality row after F1 pit interview with Ecclestone


By Rod Gilmour
Last Updated: 10:47am BST 09/06/2008


Montreal is known for its comedy, but it was no laughing matter for ITV commentator Martin Brundle after he found himself at the centre of an equality row.
Speaking to F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone during his traditional live interviews prior to the Canadian Grand Prix, Brundle used the word 'pikey' in reference to track repairs that workers had carried out overnight. In the pits: Martin Brundle's pre-race interviews are lively affairs, but have now landed him in trouble Brundle, 49, said: "There are some pikeys there at turn 10 putting tarmac down - what do you think of that?"
The frantic nature of the build-up to the race left both unfazed by the remark, but the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the racial equality watchdog, condemned the phrasing.
A spokesman said: "This word has been used on television in the past and is highly derogatory. They have caused much offence in the past."
The remark came after tarmac began crumbling away from the track during weekend qualifying. Drivers were also quick to pass judgement on the surface saying their lap times were significantly slower.
'Pikey' is as a slang term to gypsies or travellers but has now been coined as a general term for anyone living with no fixed abode.
A spokesman for ITV said: "We apologise for any offence caused by this remark." He added that it was too early to say if there had been any complaints made against Brundle.
Last December, a Sussex gardener is believed to have made legal history when he was convicted of racially aggravated harassment for using the word.
Lee Coleman repeatedly used 'pikey' in a drunken outburst over a nightclub entrance fee. He was given a 12-month community order and told to do 200 hours of unpaid work.
And chef Marco Pierre-White has also been censured for using the expression 'pikey's picnic' on ITV reality show Hell's Kitchen.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mai...umgaffe109.xml

[Freddy]

Surely you need a fixed abode and to be a contributor to society in order to be illegible equal rights.

Pikey cunts.

[super mike]

I fuckin' 'ate Pikey's.

[BertRoot]

I fu(kin' 'ate Pikey's.

How many did you do? I can manage one and a half with a little caesar dressing.

[super mike]

How many did you do? I can manage one and a half with a little caesar dressing.

2 and a child with chips, mushy peas, beans and a fried egg.

[Goldberg]

Ya wanna buy a daaaag?

[Zippeyrude]

eur maams buernin

[Goldberg]

http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Pikey

Quality:

The land on which the pikeys set up camp will be left resembling a landfill site, with features such as;

* burnt out cars
* piles of rubbish
* soiled articles of clothing
* remains of stolen electrical appliances
* charred campfire areas
* pungent aroma of shit
* child on a leash tied to a gate

Pikeys or (Gypsies) areas of interest are most commonly Scrap yards, Car breakers, ETC. This is due to china having raised the demand for scrap alloy etc in recent months.

[wonkyfox]

I have been successfuly hating pikeys for years, with never a problem...just seems Martin Brundlefly was just a bit unlucky!

[doughboy]

They don't deserve human rights, they're sub-human scum.

And no, I'm not joking.. Those fuckers will steal the shirt off your back given half a chance.

[CzarJunkie]

Back in the l8 90's I had a website called SpaceGypsys, it was a spoof site and I basically took the fu(king piss. The amount of email complaints I got from all manner of gypsy groups was fu(king startling.

The (unts can't read, write or remember their name when picked up about local burglaries but put a website up taking the piss and every fu(king pikey is knocking out prose like Shakespeare.

(unts.