Basil!

I was away while this farce was going on, but I just HAVE to comment on the ridiculous Basil Brush story. In case, by some miraculous set of circumstances, you haven't heard about this, here's the deal: The children's television character Basil Brush is at the centre of a police investigation after an allegation that an episode of the programme was racist towards gypsies. A complaint was made after an episode of the long-running BBC show aired in February this year, which featured a gypsy character selling pegs and lucky heather and a joke about a fortune teller stealing Basil's wallet. Gypsies have reported the show to Northamptonshire Police alleging that the storyline is racist towards their community and way of life.

Awwwwww, bless 'em!

Meanwhile, a former writer for the Basil Brush Show has defended this joke, explaining that the character has always insulted people with an "almost Tourettes-like enthusiasm". And Anne Widdecombe has weighed in on the right side of the debate, saying that the gypsies should "go and get a life" - which could almost be construed as "racist"! Haha!

That said, it is the obvious solution. If the gypsies don't want people to be suspicious of them or to make stereotypes about them...stop stealing things, and get a job.