Some right-wingers are getting their knickers in a twist over a Dickens audiobook cast
The Deputy Editor of Country Squire Magazine, James Bembridge, set the past among the bigots when he drew attention to a new Audible adaptaion of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist.
His comment drew support from some right wingers, and a few right whingers, including several vowing not to watch …the audiobook.
Mostly, however, it attracted criticism.
You get that it's an audiobook, yes? So you won't have to be triggered by being forced to see a black person?
— Dave Vetter (@davidrvetter) December 3, 2022
"Black children didn't exist in Dickensian Britain!"
— Sooz Kempner🐀 (@SoozUK) December 3, 2022
Perhaps if we inserted a line where Bill Sikes asks Oliver ‘no but where are you really from?’ that would satisfy your concerns
— andrew allen (@my_grayne) December 3, 2022
The comment was brought to a wider audience, thanks to a quote tweet from the much larger account of Darren Grimes, who recently lost his GB News job.
He shared this hot take.
It went down about as well as Bembridge’s had.
1.
"Who knew Dickensian England was so diverse?"
People who spend their time reading books rather than spreading hatred. https://t.co/saqKooHYtL pic.twitter.com/CmmTrpjqkJ— David Olusoga (@DavidOlusoga) December 3, 2022
2.
Anyone with even a passing knowledge of the literature of the time. https://t.co/aWnufqSOiG
— Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) December 4, 2022
3.
Literally from the Dickens musuem: pic.twitter.com/WG5lnTR9nx
— THE SECRET TORY 🇬🇧 (@secrettory12) December 2, 2022
4.
It literally was diverse though — this was at the height of the British empire, London was a world trade hub, populated with people from all corners of the empire. Honestly, you’ve really embarrassed yourself here lad.
— Philip Proudfoot (@PhilipProudfoot) December 2, 2022
5.
Fucking everyone, Darren pic.twitter.com/PiLKJPPfZ4
— Hannah Rose Woods (@hannahrosewoods) December 4, 2022
6.
Does Darren Grimes really believe Scottish people weren’t in London during Dickensian times? #briancox pic.twitter.com/QyXZQ8zPux
— Janey Godley (@JaneyGodley) December 4, 2022
7.
— donga whitetrash (@dongascouse) December 2, 2022
8.
Don't tell him about Queen Victoria & Munshi Abdul Karim… little Darren wouldn't be able to comprehend! https://t.co/RUkrAIzGtI pic.twitter.com/7sgSEZzzlS
— Steve Bray on Mastodon @[email protected] (@snb19692) December 2, 2022
9.
lmao imagine getting this worked up over people’s *voices* in…a work of fiction. get some real problems, Darren https://t.co/PT3zcyJe2S
— Sorcha Ní Nia (@Luiseach) December 4, 2022
10.
Not you, apparently.
— Dave Vetter (@davidrvetter) December 2, 2022
11.
Wait until this guy finds out Bart Simpson is voiced by a woman! https://t.co/V0nKUwug5U
— Paul Regan (@sherbetsaucers) December 4, 2022
If the voice of a black Oliver Twist bothers him so much, wait until he finds out Bob Cratchit was played by a felt frog.
We had a Dickens adaptation of A Christmas Carol played by a cast of muppets, but a black Oliver Twist is where we’re drawing the line apparently https://t.co/cTaC6Aj3X9
— Rima (@therimaahmed) December 4, 2022
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Source James Bembridge, Darren Grimes Image James Bembridge