What do internet bingo and a popular TV show have in common? Very little if we are honest because whilst the Midsomer Murders producer makes a ‘ballsup’ with remarks to the lack of ethnic minorities featuring in the show, internet bingo does not differentiate between its players. Whatever the colour of your skin or your religion, all of the hundreds of bingo brands available online today will welcome you through their virtual doors.
Of course we have some brands aimed predominantly towards certain cultures, take BingoLore for example. This brand has a distinctly Indian feel about it with a turbaned tiger as the mascot, the Taj Mahal features on the home page and you even have a sari clad lady giving you the thumbs up. However step through the virtual doors of this brand and you won’t find Gujarati, Punjabi or Hindi spoken as the main language in the rooms.
Of course in most of the adverts from the operators of internet bingo brands, the stars of the commercials do tend not to be of ethnic origin but this is likely not to be something premeditated when casting for their commericals – after all the best known brands advertising is fronted by a FOX!
Just because the setting for Midsomers Murders is a small rural village, is it really acceptable to specifically not cast someone who is coloured simply because you are “trying to appeal to a certain audience”. You have to wonder then if Mr Brian True-May really understands the “typical English village” mentality as we are sure that the majority of viewers of this popular program who live in such a community would not be put out by a coloured face in their midst.