‘Politically Correct’ Bingo

Posted on December 28th, 2009

Bingo has a long history in the UK and over the years bingo callers have developed a colorful language understood only by inveterate bingo players. Phrases such as ‘One little duck / me and you’ (2), ‘One Fat Lady’ (8) represent the numbers on the typical bingo card. Bingo callers in the UK have been using this obscure language for decades. Recently political correctness reared its ugly head in a local bingo hall in Sudbury, Suffolk.

John Sayers, a 75 year old bingo caller was censured by his local council in Suffolk. The flap was over common bingo phrases such as “legs, 11″ and “two fat ladies, 88″ which were deemed by the local council as being ‘potentially insulting.’ Despite the fact that there had never been any complaints, council clerks asked Mr. Sayers to use numbers only while calling the popular bingo games at the town hall. Mr. Sayers stated, “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.”

Although there had never been any complaints Mr. Sayers was forced to use numbers only while calling the games. Local bingo players complain that calling numbers only is boring. Some worry that the popular local game will lose players. Mr. Sayers said, “No one had ever complained about being offended. I’m obviously not being offensive - just having a bit of fun. It’s the tradition of the game and part of our language.” Some of the ‘cleaner’ calls will be allowed such as “two little ducks, 22″. A spokesman for the council confirmed that ‘political correctness’ was behind the action taken against the caller. The spokesman stated, “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.”

Internet bingo remains untouched by silly attempts at ‘political correctness.’ Internet bingo sites are not subject to the whims of town councils and would be censors. In addition bingo sites are able to offer players significant bingo bonuses not available to land based players. Most bingo websites offer players a bingo sign up bonus and players can comparison shop to find the best bingo bonus. Players can play their favorite game free from interference by the so called ‘politically correct.’