The One With The N Word !

How laughable it was to hear celebrity hair James Brown, self proclaimed 'celebrity stylist' trying to explain away his drunken behaviour with,

"I have a mixed race nephew".

This statement in defence of his racist remarks - the repeated use of the 'N' word to stage-school founder, Ben Douglas and his dinner guest at the Bafta Awards, was bloody irritating to say the least.

His statement, sits alongside that sterotypical closet racists' cry that he or she has "black friends" and so they definitely can't be racist. However, it doesn't mitigate against holding or expressing racist thoughts or views privately or in this case very, very publicly.

One wonders whether, but for reported review about the future of Mr Brown's lucrative hair range stocked exclusively nationwide by Boots; whether Mr Brown would have 'outed' himself as a racist, complete with a grovelling apology and a sackful of excuses, in particular blaming that old devil - drink.

While I have the utmost sympathy for the insulted man, Mr Douglas I also have to wonder where his backbone was?

He says he was shocked into silence and didn't want to do a kiss and tell about the incident. Well sorry that is precisely what level you brought this serious matter down to Mr Douglas.

Sneakily giving the reader just enough information to work out the culprits' name and standing back to see whether the universe or in this instance would do the rest, is the act I think of a coward.

Mr Douglas even followed up his first expose of Mr Brown, with a review of the examination of his apology and whether it was sincere enough.

Mr Douglas complained that he couldn't think of any comebacks, so let me offer him mine.

When Mr Brown insulted you the first time, you should have make a classy, but swift exit, walked over to the nearest Bafta official and made a formal complaint about his behaviour.

I would then have asked for a cup of black coffee, returned to Mr Brown taken him to one side (conveniently within earshot of a PR or Media person), given him the coffee and the number of the Priory; which will no doubt be Mr Brown's next stop, after his admission of having a serious drink problem.

Trust me those actions alone would have made it into the papers, for sure.

Or for a more theatrical flourish and something I myself have used, when someone made the mistake of calling me the N word several times just like you, a glass of wine or water being thrown in your abusers' face.

Job done. End of!