Ah, to have every word you say examined.

Sherlock Actor May Actually Live in the 1800s, Referred to Black Actors as ‘Colored’

Benedict Cumberbatch apologized for his use of an archaic term.

I hold a special place in my heart for redhead actors, and Benedict Cumberbatch was one of them. The star of Sherlock and The Imitation Game has legions of fans who like to refer to themselves as Cumberbitches. But I wouldn’t go that far with my stanning, and I may have to bring it down a few notches after a recent Cumberbatch interview.

Cumberbatch caught a lot of flak after an appearance on PBS' Tavis Smiley. The British actor was discussing this year’s award-season hot topic of diversity and how different it is in the United Kingdom than in the U.S.

"As far as colored actors go, it gets really difficult in the U.K.," Cumberbatch said in reference to actors such as Idris Elba and David Oyewolo finding greater success in the U.S. than in their own country. Cumberbatch went on to say that the fact that these great actors aren't getting roles in the U.K. is something that really needs to change.

Many people weren't too happy that Cumberbatch used such an outdated and offensive term, which was probably the exact word his family used when they owned slaves. After receiving backlash,Cumberbatch did issue an apology for his ignorance:

I'm devastated to have caused offense by using this outmoded terminology. I make no excuse for my being an idiot and know the damage is done. I can only hope this incident will highlight the need for correct usage of terminology that is accurate and inoffensive. The most shaming aspect of this for me is that I was talking about racial inequality in the performing arts in the U.K. and the need for rapid improvements in our industry when I used the term.

While speaking with a British friend, I asked him how common was it for the word "colored" to be used by others in his country. And unfortunately, it is still all too common, especially by older people. While Cumberbatch may have apologized for his slip of the tongue, one has to realize that the U.K. is just about as post-racial as the U.S. There are words that people refuse to let go that have been ingrained for centuries. In the words of Whitney and Bobby, "We got something in common." 

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