Comic Relief hits back at Labour MP David Lammy over his criticism of its ‘poverty porn’
Comic Relief has hit back at Labour MP David Lammy after he criticised it of ‘poverty porn’ in celebrity-led appeal films it had claimed to rethink last year.
Stacey Dooley's social media posts that caused contention
The public row began after Lammy criticised the documentary maker Stacey Dooley for social posts she made while she filmed a Comic Relief documentary in Uganda. “The world does not need any more white saviours,” tweeted Lammy. He also said: “Stacey’s Instagram posts continue a very long established trope of white female heroine with orphan black child with little or no agency or parents in sight.”
The world does not need any more white saviours. As I've said before, this just perpetuates tired and unhelpful stereotypes. Let's instead promote voices from across the continent of Africa and have serious debate.https://t.co/LySa0BXeyi
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) February 27, 2019
His tweet picked up a lot of engagement on Twitter, with many joining Lammy in criticising Comic Relief for distorting images of Africa.
Following this, Comic Relief released a public statement, claiming: “we have previously asked David Lammy if he would like to work with us to make a film in Africa and he has not responded.” Lammy then hit back at Comic Relief to say he was "not prepared to become part of a PR exercise,” and called them out on the claim, tweeting “we had two meetings in my office. I had hoped – and still hope – your coverage would improve.”
It's simply not true to say I did not respond: we had two meetings in my office. I had hoped - and still hope - your coverage would improve but Stacey's post was more of the same tried tropes. As I told you before, I'm not prepared to become part of a PR exercise. https://t.co/D5K0gI1dSz — David Lammy (@DavidLammy) February 28, 2019
After Comic Relief challenged the MP again to "make a film or visit our funded projects,” Lammy declined the offer as felt it wasn’t his place. He instead urged the charity to “invite an African filmmaker, celebrity, farmer, teacher or businessperson.”
You continue to miss the point. Flying me, a British politician, out to speak for citizens of a continent I have never lived on is more of the same patronising fluff. Please invite an African filmmaker, celebrity, farmer, teacher or businessperson to make a film in my place. https://t.co/5heWUWRHZj — David Lammy (@DavidLammy) February 28, 2019
This isn’t the first time the MP has contested the charity over its appeal films. Last year, Lammy penned an article in the Guardian criticising it for “blurring Africa’s 54 separate nations.”
After an aid watchdog described Comic Relief as poverty tourism, it decided to rethink its celebrity-led appeal films and subsequently dropped them from last year’s Sport Relief.
Despite deciding to include celebrity-led appeal films this year, executive brand and creative director Bill Griffin openly acknowledged to The Drum that there is a problem around using British personalities in these appeals.
"We don't put celebrities into all of them because sometimes you want the beneficiaries of the work to be able to speak for themselves and not condescendingly talk over them," he explained, adding: "they are capable of articulating what their struggle is."