Paul Henry fires back at BSA

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Tue, 14 Jun 2011 6:36p.m.

Paul Henry (NZPA)

Paul Henry (NZPA)

By Tony Reid

Broadcaster Paul Henry has turned his wicked tongue on the Broadcasting Standards Authority.

The BSA today fined Henry’s former employer TVNZ $3000, for failing to take appropriate action over his pronunciation of the name Shila Dikshit.

But there was no misunderstanding the term he used to describe them back.

It’s the organisation Henry loves to hate.

“Peter Radich is the chairman of the Broadcasting Standards Complaints Authority. Then we’ve got a Maori gentleman whose name I probably shouldn’t try to pronounce, just in case.”

Henry’s ridiculing of the Chief Minister of Delhi, Shila Dikshit, caused a major news sensation. It resulted in the New Zealand Government apologising to India.

TVNZ received 1500 formal complaints and Henry resigned.

But the BSA says TVNZ didn’t do enough and issued the fine today.

“It’s a ludicrous decision made by ridiculous people,” says Henry.

The BSA says Henry’s repeated ridicule of Ms Dikshit’s name amounted to a sustained and deliberate attack.

His subsequent comment, which associated the words ‘dick’ and ‘shit’ with people of Indian descent was not only derogatory, but entirely dissonant with common decency and a clear breach of the discrimination and denigration standard.

TVNZ argued that it had done enough and that Henry no longer works for the network. The BSA disagreed.

“If they don’t see the price that Television New Zealand has paid as a result of my resignation, if they can’t see that I was put in a position largely by TVNZ where I had little alternative but to resign, if they think that has nothing to do on their decision now then they are complete prats,” says Henry.

Since leaving TVNZ, Henry has penned a book – about himself – which he says is doing brilliantly.

His return to broadcasting is imminent.

“If people have concerns about my broadcasting, they better get their pens and their typewriters ready. I’ll be back on RadioLIVE on the fourth of July and then TV3 later in the year.”

That means there is a very good chance he’ll be receiving even more memos from the members of the BSA.

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Comments

30 Jun 2011 12:11p.m.

Maria wrote:

I find Paul Henry so funny. The other day I watched most of his tv Gaffs! I was lmao,tears were rolling. I look forward to hearing Paul again when he starts on radioliveNZ, on the 4th July at 3pm. I also can't wait to see him again on TV3. TV3 is a channel i don't normally watch, but will once Paul is on there!

15 Jun 2011 03:33p.m.

Anon wrote:

I think that the real reason he is back on TV is that he is right wing and supports National, and this is an election year. He is confusing to many because he both reads the news and does 'humourous' opinion pieces, so news and opinion becomes a gray area. When he backs the nats, it is a newsreader who does so. These jobs should be separated and not both done by the same person. Why is he doing both? Because a newsreader has credibility with the masses and has the power to subtly guide an election result with his opinion. Henry is not only offensive, he is actually a right-wing propagandist. He stands for everything un-PC and cares not at all for anyone less well-off than himself. If he is brought back to TV, it should be after the election, and either as newsreader or opinionist, but not both.

15 Jun 2011 09:22a.m.

Ron wrote:

First of all welcome back Paul when it eventually happens. I will say television has been the poorer with you absence from our screens.I will say you have told it like it is over the past seven years.We have a lot of yes men and women in TV who are frightened to tell it like it is.Very rarely do we have people that ask the hard questions, and as for humour i find it hard that Kiwis dont really know what humour is.Sometimes its good to laugh at our selves.As for the name Dickshit, it certainly does not sound like Dicksit to me.For the 1500 or so complainents you need to get real, there are more important things in life to worry about than a television host highlighting the name Dickshit.As Paul says and rightly so, all you folks that want to complain sharpen your pencils.

15 Jun 2011 09:21a.m.

Mike wrote:

I can not believe that some people actually support this prat. But then again it is not you or something close to your heart that he is ridiculing. I am the first to appreciate humour and say we must learn to laugh at ourselves, but that should never be offensive and derogatory to anyone personally or culturally. Paul Henry goes overboard and is not funny. If you look at his lifestyle you see a very lonely, pathetic little queer who suffers from “small man syndrome” and needs mommies approval for everything. Come on people, have you ever gone to eat at a restaurant on your own? Damn awkward! He is a very sad figure that will die a very lonely death in some retirement home never having any visitors. Paul, despite what you think, the world does not revolve around Paul Henry and your mommy and some people might find you entertaining, but the vast majority find you offensive and would not even feel a pang of pity the day you expire. I do however feel very sorry for you

15 Jun 2011 09:17a.m.

Mat wrote:

It was not the way paul pronounced the name that is troubling but the way he stated that it fits her to be called dikshit because she is an indian.Paul stay away,you are a racist.

15 Jun 2011 08:56a.m.

Dave wrote:

Henry still cannot understand that he breached standards for decent honest people. Some of us do not have to watch a person who makes us cringe with his smarmy basic school boy humour. His current comments illustrate that very well. I would be appalled is TV3 takes him back. He does not deserve to be on mass media and I will do what I can to ensure his ratings fall if he carries on the appalling way he did. He sets himself low standards and then fails to meet them.

15 Jun 2011 07:02a.m.

frank wrote:

Paul Henry a funny entertainment person,I look forward see him.

15 Jun 2011 01:50a.m.

anon wrote:

Paul Henry isn't a 'caring' man. His humour is primary school humour, funny to a point but basically immature and lewd and insulting. He has a mental age of about six or seven. Paul, when you insulted the Indian members of our community we all thought you had lost it, or had over-medicated. But from your unrepentant blame-the-watchdogs TV interviews in Australia and in NZ it is apparent that this is just your style (or lack thereof). The BSCA is doing a great job and were spot-on about you and TVNZ. It was pathetic watching you try to shift the blame for your own bad behaviour to them. Just the sort of thing a six-year-old would do to get out of trouble. As soon as you are back, I for one will be getting all my news from the internet. Or a neighbour. Anywhere but from you.
Please, Paul, stay gone.

14 Jun 2011 11:18p.m.

Live A Litle wrote:

Come on guys paul henrys a solid bloke i think maybe the people that have used the strong word such as racism may need to wake up its not always about you. freedom of speech is welcome in nz dont get me wrong but for someone to call paul henry a racist needs to relax and live life instead of living your 9-5 day coming home moaning about little things jeez all i got to say is your pathetic.

14 Jun 2011 11:16p.m.

John wrote:

He's just an arsehole, when he starts on TV3 I'm never watching anything they broadcast again. If they can afford to employ this bigot they can afford to pay the NZ taxpayer the 43M they owe us.