As an English speaker, when you look at the Indian surname ‘Dikshit’… well, there’s only one certain pronunciation that comes to mind.

Whilst your average Joe might be wary about saying ‘Dikshit’ out loud in public the way it’s spelt, it takes someone special to have a go – nonetheless on public television.

With the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi currently going on, New Zealand breakfast host Paul Henry couldn’t help himself when the show mentioned Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit.



Part of the hilarity for me is the publicly pointing out of what most English speakers would be thinking but also in the candid manner in which he does so. The awkward squirming by Henry’s co-hosts is just a bonus.

Cultural sensitivity aside, you’ve got to wonder what went through the mind of the person who decided ‘Dikshit’ would be an appropriate translation for a surname. Personally I don’t care who you are, I’m never going to initially see anything other than ‘dick shit’ when I see the name.

And if you want it pronounced Dixit, then why not just go with Dixit in the first bloody place?

Perhaps the jibe about being ‘dick in shit’ was a bit much but given the context and fact it was aired live I’m a little forgiving. I’m sure if my surname phonetically translated into ‘vaginabottom’ in written Hindi I’d either have to put up with Indians laughing about it, or change the way the name was spelt.

Good on Paul Henry for not being afraid to have a laugh about it. In an age of politically correct presenting it makes for a refreshing change.

Meanwhile Henry is currently serving a two week suspension, but not for his comments on ‘dikshit’…

On the 4th of October, Henry was interviewing New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and they were discussing the appointment of a Governor-General.



Now obviously Henry is implying that current Governor General, Anand Satyanand (photo right), doesn’t fit the stereotypical New Zealand look.

My New Zealand stereotype is some overweight Maori guy running around in a loin cloth with black paint all over his face so I’m not quite sure what Henry’s on about seeing as he doesn’t fit that profile either.

Or maybe the New Zealand stereotype differs in the country itself.

Regardless I can’t quite tell if Henry is serious or if it’s just a joke that went a bit wrong – either way though it makes for some great uncomfortable television and is much more interesting then your usual dumbed down crap we’ve come to expect.

Henry himself has a bit of a history of controversy it seems. As Wikipedia notes, back in 2009 Henry had a female Greenpeace guest on the show sporting a rather distinguished look.

(once again one of the highlights is the hilarious uncomfortableness of Henry’s co-host!)



Clearly there’s a moustache on the woman (who’s seen at the start of the clip) and good on him for pointing it out and running with it! I’m sure the fact that she had a moustache was far more interesting than whatever it was she was discussing…

Henry has also referred to homosexuals as unnatural and claimed Susan Boyle was retarded amongst other thing.

Agree or disagree with his comments and presentation it’s hard to not acknowledge that Paul Henry is a dying breed of a certain type of presenter – one that’s not afraid to openly speak his or her mind. Teleprompters have a lot to answer for in killing a lot of the entertainment of television and it’s great to see hosts like Henry still playing it by ear.

Hopefully TVNZ thinks twice about suspending him again and if they dare fire him, hopefully one of the Australian channels can snatch him up and let him continue his great work.

Meanwhile on Australian tv this week our two major gaffes involved Guy Sebastian going on about blowjobs on X Factor (y’know, just incase you’d forgotten he wasn’t a virgin anymore), and Kerry-Anne Kennerley labelling drunk women who make themselves available to sports stars as ‘strays’.

…how delightfully drab.



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