This Brand/Ross malarkey

[SeanMacGabhann]

Is the *Bob* who regularly (and rightly) bemoans the blandcom that is My Family the same *Bob* who often berates people in the music thread for being "too cool" to like more mainstream fare

I wonder.............

;-)

[mockney piers]

Perhaps bland can be the new cool, I love 'irony'.

Right, I'm off to get My Lighthouse Family album.

[Keef]

Have just caught up on this thread, and have to say I'm with ???? in saying there are some rather holier than thou and somewhat offensive posts going on.

[Jimbob]

brand i could never stand, think he is a load of over rated tosh, ross good for a while espicially on "they think its all over" but now he,s become very predictible with the same old stuff everyweek both on the telly and radio. what they have done is wrong and beyond acceptable, but without knowing the ins and outs of it all, i am coming to some sort of conclusion that brand was likely behind it all hence his decision to resign, not as the right thing to do, but more as a case of jumping before being pushed following the inquest which will no doubt follow. the suspension of them both again a case of the beeb having to be seen to do something in the face of the whole affair.

when the whole thing dies down in the next few days, ross will be back on air hopefully chastened by his part in the affair and maybe in a position to reflect on his actions and perhaps give us shows in which he is able to use his wit and repartee not to outrage but to provide the type of entertaining program which no doubt the beeb were hoping he would provide for 6 mil a year.

[cdonline]

What happened to the Saturdays of Radio 2? Didn't it used to be wall to wall Big Band Classics or hours of somebody playing the Wurlitzer from Blackpool Tower? Times have changed.

The only person whose come out of this with any dignity is Mr Sachs. From his pathetic grandchild milking the situation for as much money as she can. The media lapping up all the stupid shenanigans and going along with all this mock outrage. And especially to the 27,000 minus two, who have got nothing better to than contact the BBC, just after some of them have logged onto Youtube, just to check out how outraged they really are.

Oh, and myself for loving all the minutiae of this overblown story.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Offensive keef? How so. . .

[KalamityKel]

I'm rather concerned at the attitude of many on this thread... has it suddenly become acceptable to harass someone in the name of "comedy"? Surely the act of these two is an act of gross misconduct which in other firms would lead to instant dismissal?

None of it was particularly "funny"... shame on you lot!

[Brendan]

SeanMacGabhann Wrote:

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> Offensive keef? How so. . .

Well there is a definite undertone of big-hair discrimination to the whole thing. Not to mention prejudice towards satanists and sluts, both of which play an important part in and are valued members of our society.

[Mark]

KalamityKel Wrote:

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has it suddenly become acceptable to harass someone in the name of "comedy"?

No, it's been acceptable since the 40's when candid camera did it. Jeremey Beadle did it too, so did Noel Edmonds. Chris Morris was rather good at it.

[Edited once]

[david_carnell]

I don't think anyone (or least hardly anyone) is condoning the actions of Brand and Ross. Their actions were unfunny and to some people, offensive. But this raises the following issues:

1)Andrew Sachs - the direct recipient - doesn't seem that bothered. He expressed his displeasure intially, asked for an apology, got one and has since said not a lot. He doesn't want revenge. He was on the news last night saying that as a fellow comedien he didn't want the careers of two fellow comediens ruined by a single lapse in editorial judgement. The best comedy always sails close to the wind and in this instance overstepped the mark. End of story.

2)The granddaughter - the direct target - doesn't seem to be doing to badly out of this either. She appeared on Ch4 News last night caslling for an OfCom inquiry whilst sitting in front of a Sun logo. It didn't exactly enhance her argument. Aside from this, her career as a goth/vampire/S&M artiste is likely to flourish as a result and her use of the services of Max Clifford do little to ellicit any sympathy.

3)When the show was first aired only two complaints were received. One of those was for swearing. Now this shows one of two things. Either no-one really cared or the subsequent 27000 people who did complain never heard the show in the first place. And even these 27000 are a mere 0.1% of the 25 million license fee payers - and yet through their mob mentality they have managed to cost a man his career and possibly affected the way in which the BBC will now approach comedy. Will it now be a safety first attitude where Russ Abbott is considered risque?

This is little more than a media witchunt of two controverisal comediens, the doyens of the "liberal media elite", who the tabloid press have decided to make an example of. It is a shameless example of mob mentality that has already cost one man his job and possibly another. As has been already noted by other forumites, far worse behaviour (a la Chris Moyles) goes unpunished and the tabloid press (not just the Daily Mail - although they are a prime offender) publish hate-filled bigotry and unfounded accusations on a near daily basis and yet remain unaccountable.

It is a sorry reflection on society when so much fuss is made of such a pathetic incident. And it is, IMO, a sorry inditement of those who can think of little more to vent their anger at.

[Brendan]

I give up. I?ve tried a couple of times now to steer this thread towards some proper, constructive and considered discussion but if you?re all going to insist on taking the piss I?m not going to bother anymore.

[????]

oh this is sooooo yesterday's row.....I'm looking for a tear up on something more topical

[mockney piers]

West Ham's annus horibilis, how bad will it get?

[Jah Lush]

You're right ????. Let's pull up stumps and go back to the Pavillion.

Edited: Because felt like it OK.

[david_carnell]

The controller of Radio 2 has tendered her resignation.

Still no news on Ross.

Brand was meant to be guest captain on Never Mind The Buzzcocks tonight....be interested to see what happens there. Plus he has a new series on Ch4.....viewing figures will be massive.

[EDOldie]

Exactly, publicity stunt.

[jctg]

Noel Gallagher:

"At worst it was a juvenile prank that wasn't unfunny - but it's hardly offensive... I'm outraged that columnists in the press have dictated the tone and are telling people how to behave... It's so typical of the English in general - 10,000 people get outraged, but only five days after it's happened. You know what? There's now a massive divide. Them and us... People like David Cameron are on one side and shouldn't get involved in something that doesn't concern him. Then there's us".

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Also, if Jonathan Ross has been suspended for 12 weeks then surely Ian Hislop, Paul Merton and any other number of comedians/performers should suffer the same punishment?

[jctg]

EDOldie Wrote:

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> Exactly, publicity stunt.

If you are seriously suggesting that this whole thing was concocted by the BBC as a 'publicity stunt' to boost ratings then you are mad.

[HonaloochieB]

I'm starting a whip round for Rossie.

On the positive side Danny Baker this pm said if anything happened as far as JR was concerned, he was getting his CV round to Radio 2.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Candyman on a Saturday morning? - yes please

Watching the news tonight where this led again - senior sackings, Met investigations, BBC bitch-slapped for years to come, schedules awry it struck me.. this is how the world ends. Lunacy

And complaints are up to 30 something thousand? What, several thousand people sat on the fence until now and then decided "ooh I'm going to have a go myself"

Pathetic

For the record, there was no incitement to any listeners to do anything wrong, there was no anti-gay comments a la Moyles for example - the "victim" has handled himself very well and appears to be recovering splendidly. so WTF????

Oh - and people ringing in saying "well, I'm a nurse/doctor/lawyer/driver at so and so and if I said anything like..." - yes - a DIFFERENT JOB WITH DIFFERENT RAISON D'ETRE!!!!

[HonaloochieB]

!8 million...role models....shagmeister...lack of judgement...falling broadcasting standards...failure by the producer...venerable old character actor....grandad....grandad...we...love...you...

[HonaloochieB]

BBC...looked up to worldwide...reknowned...cutting edge comedy...pushing the envelope...controversial performers...trial by media...Lord Reith...Lord Reith...we...love...you...

[EDOldie]

jctg Wrote:

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> EDOldie Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Exactly, publicity stunt.

>

> If you are seriously suggesting that this whole

> thing was concocted by the BBC as a 'publicity

> stunt' to boost ratings then you are mad.

No, not set up intentionaly, but put on air when they must have known it would cause a stir (to say the least) Looks like it's backfired on the spoilt brats that are the BBC. Ross and Brand are hardly the Sex Pistols.

[bon3yard]

...hell in a handcart! Get Jon Gaunt in, he'll sort the buggers out...hangings to good for 'em...Gary Bushell? Hilarious! Never liked that Graham Norton...poof you know...altogether now 'Send the buggers back, send the buggers back'... ;-)(this symbol denotes that 'urine extraction' was underway and is in no way a derogatory depiction of a Chinaman with grit in his eye).

[SeanMacGabhann]

genius post bon3yard!

EdOldie - they knew nothing of the sort. The whole point of this fiasco is that what happened, compared to much of what they say, barely registers. It's hysteria whipped up

Now you may not like them, you may detest them and that's all well and fine - but it's irrelevant to the situation. You can't just sack people because you don't like them! You don't like them, Madworld doesn't like them and plenty other don't - but here's the news - plenty more people DO. So the question remains just what is this furore all about. And it's not about how close to death Andrew Sachs is because of this phone call. Not a random phone call either.