1 min read
Sigh. Big Brother is back and it is more mind-numbing than ever.
Sixteen fame-hungry contestants are vying for the show's prize money and the possibility of a subsequent media career.
But no housemate's entrance has been more embarrassing than that of former JFS student Matthew Davies.
In his introductory video, he boasted about having gone to the largest Jewish school in Europe, claiming money was no problem for the teenagers at his school.
This, of course, is untrue as around 10 per cent of 2,050 students at the state comprehensive school in north-west London, qualify for free school meals and other forms of financial support.
At the very least, the 23-year-old comments were irresponsible. Social media users started to tweet about the "rich Jew" on the Channel 5 show, and gave life to the stereotype that so many of us have worked hard to dispel.
Other Jewish reality-show contestants have tried to catch the attention of viewers, but none has done so by regurgitating antisemitic caricatures.
Now that Mr Davies is in the public eye, he has a responsibility to represent the community in a positive light, and not recycle statements that are too often circulated by those who want to bring us down.
