Bingo caller told to ditch 'dirty' calls
Bingo caller told to clean up phrases over fears of legal action
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By Matt Hallam. |  |
Monday, 28, Dec 2009 08:55
By inthenews.co.uk staff.
A 75-year-old bingo caller has been censured by his local council in Suffolk for using what were deemed to be potentially insulting phrases in his calls.
John Sayers has been told traditional gimmicks such as "legs, 11" and "two fat ladies, 88" are to be axed from his script at the Sudbury game he calls for fear of causing offence.
Council clerks asked Mr Sayers, who said he had never received any complaints before, to use numbers only because legal action could be brought against the bingo hall.
"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'," explained Mr Sayers, who says members are now complaining because his new style is boring.
"I was advised that someone might take offence and we could end up being taken to court."
He added: "No one had ever complained about being offended.
"But they moan now they say it's boring. And I think just saying the numbers is boring too.
"I'm obviously not being offensive - just having a bit of fun. It's the tradition of the game and part of our language."
Cleaner calls are apparently being allowed to stand, such as "two little ducks, 22".
And a spokeswoman for the council told the East Anglian Daily Times: "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."