QFT, I do however think that Russel has taken things to far after his prevous prank call. Though I never really found him that funny anyway.
Read that again. Taking the piss out of people for anything? So if Gordon Brown walked up downing street in a clown suit with a ***** superglued to his forehead because tony blair told him to you wouldn't take the piss out of him for being a thick ****? Come on mate this stuff happens, they apologised and he accepted it. If Sachs wanted more done about it maybe it would be appropriate, but the bloke clearly doesn't give a **** anymore...! I personally don't like Russell Brand that much...but all this media attention is only going to make him do more similar things...
Caution: be prepared to have your IQ sapped by daily mail readers. Seriously some of the people on that board must need help walking and breathing at the same time.
Yes I do know what comedy is - Brand is not funny. Never has been, and never will be. Ross does, I admit, have his moments of being hilarious - but this is not funny. If you think it is, which apparently you do, then you really are a special cookie. Next time someone insults you, I'll make sure to roll on by and laugh my ass off at you and your job. See how you like it. Carlin isn't a fair comparison - He was funny every time he intended to be funny. Andrew Dice Clay might be a more appropriate comparison. He's funny sometimes, but more often than not, he's a crass *******, with the humour level of a knife in the eye. Brand is a ****bend. I hope he gets hit by the next bus he's near. Ross is slightly more tollerable than Brand, but that doesn't make it any funnier. If the rest of the world considers us a joke because our comedians are about as funny as a poke in the eye these days, then let them go right ahead and be stupid. I don't know why the government are dragging themselves into this, they have enough stuff to break and half-arsed fix without this too. That's hardly a fair thing to say. Everyone wants to see Brown in a clown suit with a rubber dick on his head. I'd have said it'd be one of the smartest things he'd ever done, actually. But no, I think I should rephrase that. Taking the piss out of someone because of what they do is stupid, is what I meant.
But this is the crux of the matter for most people. They would have him sacked because they don't think he is funny. See my earlier points. Just because one individual finds something offensive or even just not funny isn't grounds to censor. To you. (and me admittedly but i'd still say its fine to broadcast)
My issue is, not only was it unfunny, it was incredibly crass. I think I've got a bit carried away with my posts in this thread - The responsability for recording it, and being so crass and generally flippant about it, lies directly with the Ross and Brand, Ross at least should have known better. The responsability for the show being aired is on someone elses shoulders, I don't know whos, and they should also be reprimanded, with what I don't know. Personally, I wouldn't want either of them representing my company, were I a member of the board for the BBC. Admittedly that is just me, going by everyone elses responses here. However, my opinion is my opinion, good luck to anyone wishing to change it when it comes to something like this Of course, I'd have sacked Brand for being a ****, but hey..
I don't disagree a small reprimand and a full apology from the presenters is the least one can expect they were over the line. But that is what has happened, end of story. The bloke who was responsible for its broadcast had permission from Sachs and is certainly not responsible for deciding what is good taste for the whole nation and done exactly what he should have. Boundaries have to be pushed/broken for any thing to move forward. Nor would I but I don't run the entertainment arm of a broadcast company. fair enough.
The whole thing has been blown way out of proportion, IMHO. I think the Mail on Sunday knew exactly what its readers would do if they printed it, and they got what they wanted. The media will flog this dead donkey for all its worth. Only 2 complaints about the show from 400,000 listeners in the week before the Mail printed it and 1, 585 the day after? C’mon. I thought it was amusing, but for Radio 2 poss too far, apologies have been made and accepted, move on.
It's been blown out of all proportion. Their are much bigger issues that should be getting the politicians attention and on the news. I agree the BBC should not have let it broadcast, and I personally didn't find the news highlights of it funny. But apparently only 2 listeners to the show actually complained, the others are merely jumping on the bandwagen. Not even 100% sure yet (with mixed reports) if the message was really left on the answerphone or whether that was just faked (as radio show windups usually do). As the incident that happend many days ago, was according to Sach's grand-daughter something he'd just heard about, bearing in mind he was meant to be at home waiting for a call anyway. And if his granddaughter was as upset as she claims, why not tell that to ITN or the BBC news immediately, instead of going to The Sun later for the commercial benefits. I'm trying to think of the name of her burlesque dance troop, santurns sluts was it . . . . doesn't make the wind up any less acceptable, but does put things into some context, so perhaps The Sun was the better channel for her. They don't deserve the sack over this. Reprimand yes, public apologies yes, as well as the private apology made in person by Ross. Tighter editorial measures at the BBC as well. But bear in mind these comedians are trying to be modern contemporary and cutting edge, they are thus going to take risks, and the fact some backfire is not to be unexpected. How many members of the public complained when an innocent man was shot dead on a train in London, by wrongly informed Police? How many are complaining that OFCOM might sell one of the future HD channels on freeview to a shopping channel, so much for public interest versus government coffers. Why hasn't the OFT investigation into house builders involved the actual home owner directly, instead of listening to the builders friends to ascertain if the current laws and regulation is working? This all needs to be kept in perspective. The constant airing of the clips on news channels is more offensive to me - their are real problems out their to tackle.
I think that it was a stupid thing for them to do, whether or not it as funny (personally both ross and brand are about as funny as a brick wall). However I do think this is being dragged out of proportion, there shoulud be someone who checks for things like this and says no. I mean come on their stupid little stunt had "OMG BAD PRESS + TROUBLE" practically written on it.
Completely agree, it's things like this that make me absolutely abhor the media. Even the prime minister has felt the need to comment on this. Who the **** really cares?!
I haven't heard it yet, but i bet that 18,000 complaints didn't come from people who listened to it. Just to contextualise this, they have said far worse on previous occasions and it has been most amusing yet nobody has said a thing.
i dont understand why there has been so much drama over this... i dont think this is the worse thing that has ever aired on radio or even been seen on t.v..
And nobody says a thing about the calls he (Brand) makes during his live shows? What really makes this any different and deserving of attention?
It would appear that Brand has quit the BBC as a result: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7698417.stm
Obviously they went a bit over the line, the producers cocked up by allowing it to be aired. Even Andrew Sachs has accepted the apologies and moved on, but this whole thing has been blown way out of proportion and doesn't merit all the attention it's been getting. Now we have 20 thousand idiots writing in having not even heard the show. To me it looks like this was an issue between Russel and Georgina that got dragged into the public. PS, Looks like Russel has now quite his Radio2 show over this. PSS, And why the **** has that numpty Brown got involved, this is just getting silly tbh.
Yes, and that was not it. Come on, it was puerile and facile --it was bad comedy. Both deserve to be sacked just for that. I can't believe Jonathan Ross actually makes £6 million a year for being a professional asshole. Your logic is broken. Get it serviced immediately.
This is the most important news today? Finally the world has gone completely mad. Anyone want to club together and buy a space ship? I'm not sure I want to live here any more. For what it's worth, Andrew Sachs was meant to be on the show, so it's not like it was some random person. Also, it's not like this kinda of thing doesn't hasn't happened before in comedy, see: Graham Norton, Fonejacker. Also: http://www.smh.com.au/news/lifeands...-of-bbc-scandal/2008/10/29/1224956096604.html In short, strictly speaking she is 'a satanic ****' (also, granddaughter ) To me this just looks like the Daily Mail and its readers deciding it's about time the nation was appalled by something for no good reason. It seems to have worked
