US TV
Anti-Semitic outburst on US 'Big Brother'
Published Thursday, Aug 9 2007, 10:12 BST | By Daniel Kilkelly
CBS's Big Brother 8 has come under scrutiny after one contestant was heard making anti-Semitic remarks on the show's live feed.
Earlier this week, internet viewers watched as Amber Siyavus Tomcavage, a 27-year-old cocktail waitress, declared that the majority of Jewish people she knows are "selfish", in a conversation with fellow player Jameka Cameron. She added that her mother and sister taught her to tell who is Jewish "by their nose" and surname.
"The majority of people I know from New York are Jewish, and the majority of Jewish people I know, my gosh, so many are so selfish. So weird," Amber said.
"Even my sister always tells me, she's like... my sister, and my mum will meet someone and I'll be like, 'I don't like that person. That person doesn't seem like a very good person to me,' and my mum and sister are like, 'You know why?' Why? 'They're Jewish.' How do you know? 'Amber you can tell by their last name, you can tell by their nose.' I'm like, 'Really?'"
The footage has not been broadcast on the CBS update show, but a Youtube video of Amber's outburst has now been viewed over 120,000 times.
Abraham Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, told TMZ.com: "It's offensive. It's part of the unintended consequences of the communications revolution. Anybody can say what they do - but reality shows are now giving license to these expressions of anti-Semitism. Now, all of a sudden the world is privy to their bigotry and its on national television... then enhanced on YouTube.
"What they've done is distributed anti-Semitism - which started as a private conversation - and by putting it on a reality tv show broadcast it to the world at large. I want CBS to understand they are facilitating anti-Semitism. They should act responsibly to the community; they are legitimising bigoted conversation."
Big Brother 8 continues on CBS tonight, with a live eviction and highlights from the house.
Earlier this week, internet viewers watched as Amber Siyavus Tomcavage, a 27-year-old cocktail waitress, declared that the majority of Jewish people she knows are "selfish", in a conversation with fellow player Jameka Cameron. She added that her mother and sister taught her to tell who is Jewish "by their nose" and surname.
"The majority of people I know from New York are Jewish, and the majority of Jewish people I know, my gosh, so many are so selfish. So weird," Amber said.
"Even my sister always tells me, she's like... my sister, and my mum will meet someone and I'll be like, 'I don't like that person. That person doesn't seem like a very good person to me,' and my mum and sister are like, 'You know why?' Why? 'They're Jewish.' How do you know? 'Amber you can tell by their last name, you can tell by their nose.' I'm like, 'Really?'"
The footage has not been broadcast on the CBS update show, but a Youtube video of Amber's outburst has now been viewed over 120,000 times.
Abraham Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, told TMZ.com: "It's offensive. It's part of the unintended consequences of the communications revolution. Anybody can say what they do - but reality shows are now giving license to these expressions of anti-Semitism. Now, all of a sudden the world is privy to their bigotry and its on national television... then enhanced on YouTube.
"What they've done is distributed anti-Semitism - which started as a private conversation - and by putting it on a reality tv show broadcast it to the world at large. I want CBS to understand they are facilitating anti-Semitism. They should act responsibly to the community; they are legitimising bigoted conversation."
Big Brother 8 continues on CBS tonight, with a live eviction and highlights from the house.
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