Camilla-gate

The blogsphere - not to mention the mainstream media, and schoolyards across the nation - have been positively humming with debate about the turkeyslapping of BB06 housemate Camilla by (now rightfully expelled) yobs John and Ashley.

The media's silence about the bland approach taken by the show's producers towards explaining the affair (especially the so-called TV special that featured the two men involved and which was a classic example of turning perpetrators into victims - "They're good boys really, it was just a joke gone wrong") has been stunning, given that their so-called joke involved pinning a woman down and cock-slapping her.

One of the most thoughful comments about the whole affair I've seen to date has been made by Mel at A Wild Young Under-Whimsy, and I quote:

"Camilla is by far my favourite housemate and I totally want her to win, but after seeing the video, I am trying to avoid taking a stand on who is to "blame" for the "incident". Rather, I'm wondering what I'd do if caught in that scenario. I'd probably be caught between feeling pleased that I was being invited to interact with two people who'd previously indicated that they particularly didn't like me, and being suspicious that they were deliberately humiliating me.

I mean, if I'd spent the last week being sexually humiliated -- by my own drunken admission that I wanted to "pash Ash", by Ash's subsequent play for Claire, and by Big Brother's challenge to kiss the entire household in an hour -- I would welcome any vague gesture that I belonged. And if the gesture did turn out to be an unwelcome turkey slap, I'd feel so acutely humiliated that I would just want the whole thing to go away."

I've also very much enjoyed Ms Fit's revelations about the hypocrisy of Little Johnny condeming the affair as immoral despite his own immoral policies.

And among the jostling of smug political rats to blame Big Brother for the moral rot of society, it was refreshing to see Democrat senator Andrew Bartlett's analysis of the situation over at his own blog:

"Until I see politicians or other public figures take on the alcohol industry in a similarly strong and unequivocal way for advertising which encourages sexually predatory behaviour, and against the music and TV industry for screening - in prime children’s viewing time on a Saturday morning - innumerable music video clips which objectify, commodify and sexualise women in a one-dimensional way, then I can only assume those who are currently jumping on the ‘axe Big Brother’ bandwagon are just a pack of hypocrites trying to pick on an easy target to build up their ‘moral’ credentials."

Depressingly, the major outcome of the whole event has reinforced the show's credentials as an anthropological exploration of the Australian psyche: it's proved that too many people think a woman who's upfront about discussing sex is 'asking for it', judging by so many of the comments posted over at Ausculture.

Instead of condemning the show, Howard should be proud: it's shown that far too many Australians still hold dear the outdated social values he so obviously cherishes.