Roy Hodgson Apologises For ‘Feed The NASA Monkey’ Joke About Andros Townsend

Chris Wright

17th, October 2013

16 Comments

By Chris Wright

Britain England Poland WCup Soccer

See? This is why we can’t have nice things! Days after qualifying for the World Cup, the English press have already sought to prick the bubble of happy thoughts by kicking up a stink around a rather anodyne joke made by Roy Hodgson at half-time during the Poland game.

Here’s the joke in full:

“NASA decided they’d finally send a man up in a capsule after sending only monkeys in the earlier missions.

“They fire the man and the monkey into space.

“The intercom crackles, ‘Monkey, fire the retros.’

“A little later, ‘Monkey, check the solid fuel supply.’

“Later still, “Monkey, check the life support systems for the man.’

“The astronaut takes umbrage and radios NASA, ‘When do I get to do something?’

“NASA replies, ‘In 15 minutes – feed the monkey.’”

The “issue” apparently being that Hodgson was supposedly using “feed the monkey” as an analogy for “pass to Andros Townsend”.

Several newspapers (notably good old Ollie Holt in the Mirror) are reporting that at least one, unnamed England player in the dressing room was “shocked” at the racial implications of Hodgson’s joke, though our cynical minds would suggest that maybe they’re probably only reporting that to justify making a story out of it.

Hodgson then used his press conference yesterday to publicly apologise for causing any offence, not that – by Andros Townsend’s own admission – he had done anything of the sort:

“I would like to apologise if any offence has been caused by what I said at half-time. There was absolutely no intention on my part to say anything inappropriate. I made this clear straight away to Andros in the dressing room.

“I also spoke to Andros again on Wednesday. He has assured me and the FA he did not take any offence, and understood the point I was ­making in the manner I intended.”

Indeed, Wayne Rooney was first to issue an incredulous Tweet in which he protested that the England manager had “done nothing wrong”, which was swiftly followed this morning by a Tweet from Townsend himself…

Well then, that’s probably the last we’ll hear of it, eh?

*Sigh*

Posted in International football, Managers, Media, Newsnow

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16 Comments

  1. Al says:

    unbelievable isn’t it, it seems the word monkey can not now be used in any context without it being construed as racist, does tha actual solid work being done to stamp out racism no good whatsoever

  2. Hazza says:

    Complete over reaction and typical of the press to put a spin on a non story to create news rather than reporting it, ridiculous that you can’t use the word monkey in the correct context, seriously undermines FARE if they actively pursue this,

    Just My Opinion,

    H

  3. C says:

    Please explain how this is racist ?

  4. Anonymous says:

    Should have used the word chimp just for a quiet life?

  5. carl says:

    So who leaked it? Hmm…

  6. Giancarlo says:

    Really? This is the news? They qualified and some leeches decide to print this to stir shit up. Joke!

  7. Jarren says:

    This is the kind of shit that will result in monkey chants in the playground, when we thought they had been eradicated.

    Well done media, WELL DONE.

  8. Olivier says:

    I dint know monkeys was ofensiv to sum people. I’m gonna try it on me classmates.

  9. chris says:

    It a story because the left wing like to peddle their race hate against english (white) people. We are all caste as racist regardless of what we do.
    Its a extension of Gramsci’s cultural hegemony.
    In short, the left wing in the UK are seeking to destroy the English identity as it dosent fit with mad multiculturism.

  10. chris says:

    O, and has anyone picked up that Chris Smalling was supposed to be the man in the story? Last time I checked he was black.

  11. Joe says:

    Er, Chris (reply #9), the story came from The Sun which, as far as I’m aware, is not generally considered left wing.

    Also, are you really equating English to white?

    You are of course free to state whatever beliefs you choose, but I’m just as free to point out that you’re an idiot.

  12. Hav sum sense says:

    When u r dead u don’t know ur dead but other people do! The same applies when u r stupid!

  13. ste coops says:

    All I can say its a good job gareth bales not English

  14. terry says:

    it was racist when i first heard it. yes, feed the momkey was said.
    when i first heard it it was in reference to the IRISH having a space programme. now wot you think?

  15. paul says:

    How can we identify a racist in our community?

Leave a Reply to terry