Bingo Lingo under Threat
We have heard of political correctness gone mad before, but a Sudbury council clerk advising a Charity bingo caller to stop using traditional bingo call terms like (two fat ladies 88) and (legs eleven 11) through fear of prosecution, takes the bingo biscuit.
The bingo industry had a sneaky suspicion that our traditional bingo call phrases would come under attack in the not so distant future and now those fears are starting to turn into a reality. Anticipated outlawing of our language led Rob Hutchison who runs (onlinebingoclub.co.uk) to set up a campaign on his website to save our bingo slang a few weeks ago and by the looks of things his campaign which has already seen over 3,000 people cast their votes could not have come at a better time.
As reported by the BBC, John Sayers who runs a weekly charity bingo game in Suffolk has been advised by a council clerk to stop using traditional bingo call slang words, as it could upset some players. Mr Sayers stated that no one had complained before about how the bingo game was called, but now people are starting to moan saying that his (new numbers only bingo calling style) was boring!
John also went on to say, “The concern was that if there might be two large ladies in the audience when I said ‘two fat ladies 88′ or someone might think I was looking at their legs when I said ‘legs 11′. I was advised that someone might take offence and we could end up being taken to court.”
He added: “I’m obviously not being offensive – just having a bit of fun. It’s the tradition of the game and part of our language.”
A council spokeswoman told the East Anglian Daily Times: “In particular with John being a councillor we have to be politically correct. It is very sad because it is part of the fun of bingo but unfortunately in today’s society people take it literally.”
We have to say it is a sad day for bingo lovers and the ‘English Language’ to hear news of such outlawing of our traditional bingo phrases by the Sudbury Council in Suffolk…………..it also makes you think ‘what next’?
Bingo players can join the campaign running at onlinebingoclub.co.uk to save our bingo calling slang, by casting their votes here – onlinebingoclub
