It certainly sounds as if Boris Johnson enjoyed his time on the set of EastEnders but, at the risk of taking the whole thing too seriously, I can’t help wondering why he felt it appropriate to endorse a show which offers such a relentlessly bleak and violent view of the capital.
The impact of popular culture in normalising casual violence and a culture of disrespect can’t be overstated, and EastEnders offers the most inaccurately cynical, dismal and nasty portrayal of London life ever seen.
The show’s lazy, violence dominated storytelling is clearly at odds with Boris’s condemnation of the culture of violence which blights the lives of many Londoners.
Quite how the ‘violence and aggression first’ approach of Albert Square’s residents fits with the Mayor’s efforts to teach the capital’s youth some manners is something we’ll just have to guess at.
In the week Boris filmed his scene the character of Phil Mitchell was shown relying on a gun to settle a family dispute, yet here he is happily talking up the same show which, in the words of Ofcom, is guilty of showing scenes of “sustained violence, intimidation and menace” on pre-watershed BBC One.
Still, as they try and help him recover from the bad headlines of recent weeks, I’m sure Boris’s advisors have checked his appearance won’t coincide with anything likely to cause complaint or contradict his crime policies, and who knows, EastEnders might even find a gap in the cycle of infidelity, intimidation, ridicule, murder, violence and blackmail to examine some issues of concern to real Londoners.
Helen says
July 20, 2009 at 12:13 amI can’t stand Eastenders – unrelentingly unpleasant characters and story lines. Boris must have fitted in well, then.
Mathew says
July 20, 2009 at 8:24 amI understand this was filmed on a Friday. So Boris was skiving off work to appear in a crappy soap opera! Well, I hope he was well paid for it.
Leo says
July 20, 2009 at 9:54 amSo there you have it ! Dont you get the impression that someone is Insulting Your Intelligence ? The Mayor for London should be distancing himself as much as possible from any impression or source of violence , in any way , shape or form .
This was obviously an attempt to to highlight Boris Johnson’s profile , in otherwords a Publicity stunt . I sincerely hope that The Conservative Party has paid for Boris Johnson’s time on this and it was not at the expense of The London Tax payer , as there was more important matters at hand that require urgent attention . When London is facing so many problems I am completely convinced that this was not necessary , or at the least , it could have waited for a more appropiate time , for Example : when there is no or less violence on the Streets of London .
As I have recently mentioned , if this does not demonstrate that there should be vote of confidence as to wether The Mayor for London Boris Johnson should continue to be Mayor for London I dont know what would . This Mayoralty is completely out of touch , just like East Enders .
TawkinSenz says
July 22, 2009 at 12:43 pmLeo:
“The Conservative Party has paid for Boris Johnson’s time on this and it was not at the expense of The London Tax payer”
I sincerely hope the GLA will be checking on this – it’s a complete insult to Londoners.
I also agree with the piece on East Enders and it’s violence. I seem to recall a storyline where (before the watershed) a wife attempted to bury her husband alive – which no seems to have resolved itself and they are back together again (According to my partner).
Maybe if I kidnap Boris and bury him alive I can point to East Enders as the source of my madness…..
Meli says
July 23, 2009 at 1:12 pmIn acting in a BBC’s soap opera Boris Johnson stole work from comedians as he steals work from journalists when he writes articles in The Daily Telegraph in a period of soaring unemployment.
With respect to Boris Johnson’s performance in East Enders, we can say there is a conflict of interest like with Alan Sugar. The Tories were prompt to complain that Alan Sugar’s new position with the Government broke the BBC’s policy of impartiality. This is the same with B. Johnson, mayor of the capital and member of the Conservative party.
In writing with The Daily Telegraph, the mayor of London does not treat every Londoner with equality as his articles are meant for readers who are mainly supporters and sympathisers of the Tory party. The mayor of London discriminates against people who are not readers of The Daily Telegraph.