Fans appalled as BBC’s Gavin and Stacey special brings Christmas Day to a close with a homophobic slur
Bryn and Nessa performing the controversial song on the Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special (BBC/YouTube)
BBC comedy Gavin and Stacey has divided viewers over the unnecessary inclusion of a homophobic slur in The Pogues’ song ‘Fairytale of New York’.
The highly-anticipated Christmas special saw the quirky family return to TV screens yesterday after a ten-year hiatus.
As expected, karaoke duo Bryn and Nessa took to the stage for their ‘biannual singalong’ – but inexplicably opted for an uncensored version of the song, which includes the slur ‘f****t’.
It could’ve been the perfect opportunity to reinvent the controversial festive song, or to sing an entirely different song altogether. But sadly showrunners made the decision to keep the original, outdated lyrics: “You scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy f****t, happy Christmas your arse, I pray God it’s our last.”
The line was delivered with no subtlety, with the character of Gavin ‘lampshading’ the issue by throwing a shocked look to the camera.
The episode is expected to attract hundreds of complaints and sparked a Twitter debate as soon as it aired.
#GavinandStacey was so nearly perfect, but they had to ruin it with something as simple and avoidable as a song choice. Controversy for the sake of column inches and lazy comedy… it didn’t need it.
— Teddy Lamb (@TheTeddyLamb) December 25, 2019
i loved gavin and stacey last night but was that one word really necessary… like can we please begin the next decade not making apologies for slurs just because they are part of a cracking song? #GavinandStacey
— Robbie McAllister ? (@rbfmca13) December 26, 2019
Would you guys be saying it’s “not that deep” if there was a cheery Christmas song that had the n-word in it and everyone gleefully sang that part of the song every year and it was then featured on the biggest Xmas Day show of the year though? Didn’t think so. #GavinandStacey
— Hayley Minn (@hayleyminn) December 25, 2019
The problem isn’t the song, it’s the glee with which straight folk sing The Word as if they know it’s gonna offend people – especially the folk who look at their queer friends as they do it. Fuck them. #GavinandStacey
— Stace Williams (@stackee) December 25, 2019
Gavin and Stacey.
I found it, well, mediocre. And, out of all the songs in the world they could’ve chosen – ANY song without the word ‘faggot’ in it – which would’ve avoided gay Twitter’s™️ battles with each other’s and our clashes with straight Twitter™️. #GavinAndStacey
— Leon Ward (@LeonjWard) December 26, 2019
Also out of all the Christmas songs out there to do karaoke to could #GavinandStacey not of chosen a less offensive song to do…..I mean it is set in present day!
— Philip Joel (@PhilipJoel) December 25, 2019
lmao it’s not even just that it’s just a pointless word to say in a song that you know is offensive, it’s the stomach drops of all the queer people watching it who aren’t out/struggle with family/etc being reminded of your situation whilst trying to relax? #GavinandStacey
— Jamie Windust (@jamie_windust) December 26, 2019
for me, my biggest issue with the ~discourse around ‘faggot’ in FONY (resurfaced tonight on Gavin and Stacey ffs) isn’t even so much the word itself (I like the song!), it’s people rushing to tell those who’ve been abused/bullied with that word that their trauma doesn’t mean shit
— Shaun Kitchener (@ShaunKitchener) December 25, 2019
This was followed by the predictable onslaught of people chastising liberal “snowflakes” for being so offended at what is “just a song,” attempting to justify the lyrics by saying that they have “always” been that way.
But LGBT+ artist Graeme Fullwood perfectly explained why a single word in a song can be so hurtful, and why its inclusion in the comedy Christmas special was so unnecessary.
I remember as a young queer kid being surrounded by drunken straight people in a pub, who got such thrill to shout that word when the song reached it. Every other word was sang normally, but that word was shouted, followed by cheering and laughter.
— graeme (@graemefullwood) December 26, 2019
Every time the song plays around my parents, I have to occupy myself during that line. What does that say? I have to pretend I’m doing something in order to avoid the inevitable ‘are you offended?’ question. Well, quite frankly yes I am. And so fucking what if I am.
— graeme (@graemefullwood) December 26, 2019
Also, that word is ours. Not yours. You don’t have the right to use it, you never did.
— graeme (@graemefullwood) December 26, 2019
Also seeing a lot of ‘oh well it’s just an old song’. That doesn’t make it okay.
Don’t support anti-queer speech.
Don’t support racist speech.
Don’t support sexism.
And many more. Just don’t be a dick and don’t get the thrill of shouting a word you know can bring harm to many.— graeme (@graemefullwood) December 26, 2019
