Professor Robert Kelly, expert on South Korea, appeared on the BBC yesterday to discuss the impeachment of South Korean President Park Geun-hye. When he shut himself into the study to go live, however, maybe he should have locked the door, which he realizes as first his toddler, then his baby come wandering in the room to hang out with dad.
He tries in vain to hide the toddler and keep going, then gives up and waits while a woman comes to take the kids out the room, crawling back in Mission Impossible-style to shut the door behind her.
Watch the video, then keep reading.
Every working parent I know, moms and dads alike, can relate to this. It was an adorably human moment, but the anti-fun brigade of the internet were quick to come out with torches and pitchforks. Their battle cry? “PATRIARCHY.”
Some saw it coming:
How long until we get the first "What the BBC interview interrupting kid video tells us about the Patriarchy" piece? You know it's coming.
— Benjamin Winters (@SKCBensa) March 10, 2017
It wasn’t long!
The BBC pundit's children video is NOT FUNNY. It's patriarchy in a nutshell https://t.co/b8VXofXaT5 pic.twitter.com/BQh60udUxx
— Media Mole (@ns_media) March 10, 2017
Maaaaaaaan that BBC pundit+children+mother video made me feel uncomfortable. It’s like Patriarchy 101
— Raphael 🌱 (@lowercasename) March 10, 2017
https://twitter.com/SocProf/status/840238165713670145
Then there’s this piece The BBC pundit’s children video is NOT FUNNY. It’s patriarchy in a nutshell, containing some of the hottest of takes, like this one (which contains a bad word, sorry):
Basically, the message this video delivers to me is: being a man is playing life on the easy setting. Once again, the yawning awareness of the patriarchy shits on my ability to enjoy something.
Fortunately, the internet was quick to mock the idea that this was in any way about the patriarchy.
The BBC dad is not about "the patriarchy". It's about the horrors of conference calls and telecommuting as a parent at work today.#bbcdad
— Captain Fuckbeard (@Karna6e) March 10, 2017
1) If gender roles were reversed we would have exactly the same reaction. 2) The PC police ruin everything. https://t.co/r5XvdXGNP6
— Kelly Maher (@okmaher) March 10, 2017
https://twitter.com/elisafayevila/status/840241264322850816
And some commented on how quickly the internet can turn on someone:
The whole internet loves BBC Dad! *5 seconds later* We regret to inform you that BBC Dad is the patriarchy.
— luke oneil (@lukeoneil47) March 10, 2017
https://twitter.com/DanMacEachern/status/840255674168795136
Finally, this is probably true:
THEORY:
BBC Dad didn't put his children away himself because he was 100% not wearing any pants.
— Sishir Chetri (@SishirChetri) March 10, 2017
Join the conversation as a VIP Member