Flippin' 'eck. It's come to our attention that some folks think the word Pommy is racist.
The Newcastle Herald ran a headline in its email newsletter last Friday that said: "Knights sign huge teenage Pommy centre for next three years".
In response, we received an email from a reader that said: "I strongly object to the racist use of 'Pommy', having suffered that slur. He is British."
We should add that the story itself said: "Teenage English Super League outside back Dominic Young will link with the Newcastle Knights on a three-year-deal".
The idea that the words "Pommy" and "Pom" are racist is an interesting one that's worth a bit of examination.
We reckon most Australians use the terms in an affectionate way. But we have heard them used in different ways. Some people use the words with a weird kind of anger in their voice. This can come across to Brits as a form of prejudice.
Like when some people say: "Pommy bastard".
Of course, we are living in the age of political correctness and cancel culture, in which these kinds of things are heavily scrutinised.
But even as far back as 2006, the ABC reported that a bloke called Dave Thomason, from the group British People Against Racism, had tried to stop Australian companies using the word "Pom" in advertisements.
The report said the word Pommy was part of the Australian vernacular that was "normally saved as an occasional fond dig at our English forebears", but advertisers had seized on it to "cash in on the reinvigorated rivalries of Ashes cricket".
An advertisement at the time went like this: "Introducing Tooheys New super cold, served so cold it's a Pom's worst nightmare".
The group complained to the Advertising Standards Bureau that the word "Pom" was just as offensive as the most demeaning racial slurs.
The bureau concluded that it was OK to use the word Pom.
Some British people, we should add, say they're proud to be called a Pom.
Dictionaries, however, note that the word is "usually disparaging" and "could cause offence".
After you've mulled over your thoughts on this topic, it's probably a good time to lighten the mood with a joke: An Englishman, Aussie and Irishman walk into a bar. They each order a beer. When the beers arrive, they all have a fly floating in them. The Englishman calls the waitress over and asks for a new drink. The Aussie shrugs his shoulders and downs the beer and the fly. The Irishman grabs the fly and yells, "Thief! Spit it out, spit it out".
More Or Less Weird
Isn't it strange how we all feel a little bit weird sometimes? [Just sometimes?]
That lyric comes from the Hanson song, Weird. You remember Hanson - three youngsters with long, straight hair playing pop-rock in the 1990s who went on to become accomplished musicians.
OK, maybe you don't know they're now accomplished musicians, but the people who follow the BringHansonToNewcastle Instagram page do.
A video of Hunter musician JJ King playing a cover of Weird was just posted on the page.
The band's drummer Zac Hanson responded: "Love it".
Newcastle's Hanson fans were, no doubt, delighted. We imagine it made them feel just a little bit less weird for a moment or two. Or maybe more weird.
We can't decide which.
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