Former Nottingham Forest footballer Jason Lee has said he never received an apology from comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner, who made fun of his hairstyle in the 1990s.
The double act hosted Fantasy Football League from 1994 to 1996, in which they used a pineapple to mock Lee’s hairstyle.
âBaddiel and Skinner: did they realise the impact of what they were saying, how it affected so many people?â Lee told PA.
âEspecially a hairstyle, youâre talking about ethnicity, a lot of black people would wear dreadlocks and feel deeply offended by someone whoâs getting mocked for a similar hairstyle. The implications were far wider, and it wouldnât happen today.”
Lee received suffered verbal abuse at the time, with fans leading chants at matches that drew on Baddiel and Skinner’s sketches.
âYou see [Crystal Palace’s Wilfried] Zaha playing today, and others with similar hairstyles, it couldnât happen today,” Lee added.
The former footballer said there had been no direct attempt at an apology from the comedians: âI never received an apology from Baddiel and Skinner.”
Baddiel has since taken to social media to apologise for his past jokes.
âIt wasnât like I was looking for one, but Iâve never met them in person. If I met them in person, itâs a conversation we would have. Iâve never been mentally weak or physically weak, so would you stand in front of me and mock me? I think you wouldnât.â
On whether he would accept an apology today, Jason Lee said: âItâs never too late. I think that would be good for maybe my children to hear that, and it would show them that in todayâs day and age people maybe are more remorseful, and people are having to look at how they act.â
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