Paul Henry

What does Paul Henry being one of New Zealand’s primetime broadcaster’s say to the country’s audience? 

The racist comments of Paul Henry are seemingly never-ending and unapologetic. And a lot of it he gets away with because it is hidden under a veil of “comedy”.  In my opinion, the very act of allowing someone like Paul Henry to remain in such a primetime broadcasting position, not only encourages his blatant racism and perpetuation of racist stereotypes, but also encourages the rest of New Zealand to behave the same way.

How is Paul Henry racist, you ask? Let’s count the ways.

1)   Firstly, and most infamously, his extremely racist response to the, apparently hilarious, surname of Indian politician, Sheila Dikshit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhRvmNyid24

2)   “I am not going to be insensitive but I’m going to do some racial profiling here” Here Henry uses the classic”I’m not racist, but”, before he goes on to make racist comments about Asian people.
http://mananews.co.nz/wp/?p=7330

3)   This video shows Henry blaming “Hispanic people who pick them” for tomatoes causing salmonella –“I call it as I see it, if you’re Hispanic you pick tomatoes” Later going on to say, in a very half-hearted apology, that he “certainly didn’t think any Hispanics were watching.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JSTi89tJBA#t=108

4)   When he asked John Key if the Governor General, Sir Anand Satyanand, was really a New Zealander or not, and if he was going to pick someone who “looks and sounds more like a New Zealander next time”.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10678060

5)   Here he can be seen mocking Indian accents…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtPHjR__Y1A

6)   During his time on Australian television he made many controversial comments about asylum seekers, including these, which insinuate that they are “smelly” and “dirty” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2RMAxaI5jk

This list only compiles instances of racism so overt that the general public took enough notice for them to be controversial. From the various times I have watched Henry’s show I have noticed that casual racism, the kind someone who doesn’t think critically about race wouldn’t notice, is a staple of his show.

Paul Henry is an excellent representation of white privilege. After all of these instances, he still has his own primetime breakfast show. In the morning, it is through Henry that a lot of people first hear that day’s news, and the opinion he presents that news with is going to have an impact. If he is racist, and that racism is met with laughter, and not a significant negative response (like, say, firing him for good this time), that only encourages New Zealanders watching to also employ that behaviour. By allowing him to continue to hold this position of power, we are allowing someone to perpetuate harmful racial stereotypes – a lot of the time not even in a subtle way. Additionally, his continuing to be on air says something profound about the state of race and racism in our country – if this is okay, what’s not okay? Where do we draw the line?

The way I see it, Paul Henry exists as a constant reminder that as white man, it doesn’t really matter what you say, people will, in most instances, forgive, forget, and give you your own primetime breakfast show.