Brand & Ross issue

[Mark]

There seems to be an awful lot of fuss about this, to the extent that they've now been suspended and will likely be fired from their jobs.

Of course it was monumentially stupid, but radio DJ's have done prank calls since the start.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7696714.stm

[Dave B]

The fact that only 2 people complained at the time of broadcast, and that Andrew Sachs has accepted Ross' apology says a lot.

Nobody was remotely bothered until nearly a week later the Daily Mail dragged the story up and feigned self-righteous indignation.

It was at worst a childish prank which overstepped the mark, but it provides the public with a way of venting their anger at Jonathon Ross' perceived massive licence fee funded salary (conveniently forgetting that the £18 million figure which is so often quoted is actually the fee for his production company to provide a hell of a lot of television at well below the market rate).

Sach's grand-daughter isn't exactly a moral compass herself, being in a dance troupe called the Satanic Sluts and admitting that she did indeed sleep with Russell Brand (but who hasn't?). She was boasting on her MySpace about being mentioned on Brand's show, but seems to have changed her tune today.

I cannot understand why, in the middle of an economic downturn and less than a week before the US elections, this is the lead story on almost every broadcast :s

Storm in a teacup, mountain out of a molehill, and many many other clichés.

[MrJan]

Blown outof all proportion. Daily Mail doing their stuff again no doubt. Only 2 complaints when the thing was first aired but it just took a few numpties who hadn't heard it to decide that they were offended and all of a sudden Ofcom has 20,000 complaints :rolleyes:

Stupid thing to do and they overstepped the mark but effectively the line has been drawn in the sand now and people know that this is a step too far. No need to fire anyone because the statement has been made by the public already.

[jim mcglinchey]

What does it say about Brown and Cameron, that they have time to comment on this crapola in the middle of the current economic mess?

Ah well, at least I can stay tooned to Radio 2 at 10.00 on Saturday morning for once.

[Daniel]

Brand is a fool and I hope he gets fired. It was a dumb prank and I think Ross looks like an idiot for it but I've never understood why Brand is doing anything more than flipping burgers.

[PuddleJumper]

The people who should be sacked are those that allowed it to be aired.

[Dave B]

This (http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/oct/29/jonathan-ross-russell-brand-suspended) is an interesting snippet, if true:


MediaGuardian.co.uk understands that on the day the Brand and Ross's calls to Sachs' answerphone were recorded, a producer from the BBC rang the former Fawlty Towers actor to ask if he would mind them being used.

It is claimed that Sachs said they could be, as long as they were toned down a bit.

[Hazell B]

Sach's grand-daughter isn't exactly a moral compass herself.......

So not the point, though. Even if she's charging for a quickie outside a burger bar, it doesn't excuse what her grandfather was forced to listen to - especially after he'd asked for it NOT to be aired.

I dislike Ross for some of the rubbish he spouted a couple of years ago about Heather Mills. He'd never met her but called her mad, a loonatic and all sorts on live and recorded shows. Never watched him on anything but Film ....since. His wage annoys me - whatever it is - as he's also well known for showing off about it. Even his film reviews have become an utter heap of steaming manure as he never says a film's bad if he knows anyone in it :mark:

Brand's clever but mean spirited, so I've never really decided about him. He makes me laugh then a moment later wince.

They won't be sacked. Within two days (I'm thinking by the start of Ross's Radio 2 show this weekend, in fact) they'll be back at work and saying sorry.

By the way, it's not a mountain out of a molehill thing I don't think. Some people are sick of pointlessly nasty comments and sketches on TV and radio aimed at individuals. This just happens to be the story that's opened up debate. Frankie Boyle's bile might have sparked it, or any number of otherwise funny comedians', but it was going to hit the headlines sooner or later. Twenty years ago it wasn't okay to name somebody and lie, etc. about them on air - yet now it is. It had to reach a point when viewers said no more.

[Daniel]

Thing is though Hazell, why should someone like Heather Mills who has done something to deserve a bit of hatred be immune from comments? I think there comments were needlessly nasty and unnecessary and Neither Mr Sachs or his grand-daughter have done anything to deserve this sort of treatment.

[Dave B]

So not the point, though. Even if she's charging for a quickie outside a burger bar, it doesn't excuse what her grandfather was forced to listen to - especially after he'd asked for it NOT to be aired.
Fair point, what she does is perfectly legal and is entirely seperate to the voicemail messages Sachs heard. I was just trying to add a bit of context.



I dislike Ross for some of the rubbish he spouted a couple of years ago about Heather Mills. He'd never met her but called her mad, a loonatic and all sorts on live and recorded shows. Never watched him on anything but Film ....since. His wage annoys me - whatever it is - as he's also well known for showing off about it. Even his film reviews have become an utter heap of steaming manure as he never says a film's bad if he knows anyone in it :mark:

Again, fair point. Ross seems to polarise opinion like very few others.



By the way, it's not a mountain out of a molehill thing I don't think. Some people are sick of pointlessly nasty comments and sketches on TV and radio aimed at individuals. This just happens to be the story that's opened up debate. Frankie Boyle's bile might have sparked it, or any number of otherwise funny comedians', but it was going to hit the headlines sooner or later. Twenty years ago it wasn't okay to name somebody and lie, etc. about them on air - yet now it is. It had to reach a point when viewers said no more.
But the trouble is, people weren't offended - at least the target audience who actually listened to the show at the time of broadcast. 2 out of ~400,000 listeners complained, 0.0005% of the audience. Even Andrew Sachs himself seems to have given his blessing to a "toned down" version being broadcast.

It only became an issue when the Mail got involved, a paper with more of an anti-BBC agenda then even the Murdoch rags (and I say that as a Times reader). I'm willing to bet that the overwhelming majority of the complainants still haven't heard the broadcast, and even those who did have only sought it out after reading the article.

Georgina Baillie - the grand-daughter - laughed it up when the story broke, even boasting about it on her MySpace. It's interesting to note that she's only recently changed her stance, co-incidentally after an approach from Max Clifford and a nice generous offer from The Sun.

Maybe standards are declining, maybe Brand and Ross shouldn't have made the calls, almost certainly the BBC should have been more robust in their pre-broadcast checks. But when only 0.0005% of the audience feel compelled to complain I don't think they did that much wrong.

[SOD]

What does it say about Brown and Cameron, that they have time to comment on this crapola in the middle of the current economic mess?

Ah well, at least I can stay tooned to Radio 2 at 10.00 on Saturday morning for once.

the same thing when the the Rt honourable Tony Blair commented on Deirdre from Corrie-enders being sent to jail.

forgive Manuel, he's from Barcelona.

[Daniel]

I thought he was Italian :p

[Daniel]

Yay! Brand has quit :cheese: No longer will I have to listen to this talentless arse on Radio 2 again :)

Gotta respect Sachs for the way that he's acting :up:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7698417.stm

[Dave B]

Yay! Brand has quit :cheese: No longer will I have to listen to this talentless arse on Radio 2 again :)
You never had to listen to him in the first place, in fairness.



Gotta respect Sachs for the way that he's acting :up:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7698417.stm
Now that I do agree with. He's the only one to emerge from this with any dignity.

[Drew]

Yay! Brand has quit :cheese: No longer will I have to listen to this talentless arse on Radio 2 again :)


Indeed, but the real thing that should be solved is that you are forced to listen to him, it's appalling. Of all the radio stations available in north east wales, you're forced to listen to radio 2 on a saturday morning!

Either way I can't stand Russell Brand much either, ta rah!

[inimitablestoo]

Of course it was monumentially stupid, but radio DJs have done prank calls since the start.
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Yes, and they've always been a monumentally stupid idea.

Loved Danny Baker's comments last night during 6-0-6 - essentially he was trying to keep the story in the news so that a couple of vacancies might crop up at Radio 2... :D

[Daniel]

You never had to listen to him in the first place, in fairness.

You know what I mean ;) Saying I'm not forced to listen to him is like me saying that you're not forced to watch a racing series that Max and Bernie have raped for their own good. I like Radio 2 and I'll happily listen to Terry, Ken, Chris, Jonathan and occasionally if I feel like being annoyed by people in general I'll turn on a bit of Jeremy Vine. But Russell just didn't do it for me in any way shape or form. I tried to listen many times but he was just extremely annoying and not funny at all. But then again I find Ricky Gervais to be an irritating twonk as well so perhaps I don't have the same tastes as most people have when it comes to comedy :)

Comedy doesn't have to be squeaky clean to be good.... for example I remember this great show where this guy used to hit and shout at this Spanish waiter because he didn't do what was asked of him. Now he was violent AND racist towards this man but it was clearly comedy and not done in a nasty manner. This on the other hand was truly nasty and was completely uncalled for, perhaps if Andrew Sachs was in the news for something negative he'd done (like Heather Mills) then I could understand an element of nastiness but there was none of that. There was none of the class that Cleese and Sachs had in their act in what Brand and Ross did so I don't see this as a storm in a teacup but more of a victory for common decency and niceness.

[MrJan]

Loved Danny Baker's comments last night during 6-0-6 - essentially he was trying to keep the story in the news so that a couple of vacancies might crop up at Radio 2... :D

I just love Danny Baker full stop. I don't understand why we have the drivel of people complaining to Alan Green on a Saturday and the creativity and fun of Baker is consigned to week day evenings..

[J4MIE]

Never liked Brand at all so have avoided anything about him at all cost. Don't see what all the fuss is about, personally, but agree the beeb should have checked it a bit more before broadcasting it.

[wedge]

A huge fuss blown out of proportion except it just happens to involve Russell Brand who I detest.

Hate to say it but I've been waiting for this sort of thing to happen.

There are certain celebrities who I lack sympathy for and enjoy seeing them being kicked whilst they're still down on the ground and in my book, Brand just so happens to be one of them.

[Mark]

Never liked Brand at all so have avoided anything about him at all cost. Don't see what all the fuss is about, personally, but agree the beeb should have checked it a bit more before broadcasting it.

I think that's the point. I don't believe there were any checks.

[Hazell B]

But the trouble is, people weren't offended .......

Not the show's listeners, but something like 30,000 who don't listen have complained now. I do not believe they're all instant complainers, some are genuine in their irritation at this kind of cruel bullying 'joke' being played.

As I said, it's a general comment from the UK's public that we're sick of pointlessly cruel jokes aimed at individuals.

Brand will make money out of this, unlike (for example) Angus Deaton did when he was sacked for taking drugs in his own time, Richard Bacon and all the other BBC bods dumped over the years. I'm actually surprised those people haven't had a mention in any of the news reports I've seen, in fact.

[Daniel]

I agree with your point on pointless nastiness Hazell. It's not as if Andrew Sachs is the most hateworthy of people. I think Heather Mills got what she deserved and I know we disagree on this but Sachs didn't deserve this at all.

[BDunnell]

I think the BBC should be free to broadcast as much controversial stuff as it wants, and it should not be afraid to offend.

However, my problem with the Brand/Ross remarks - which I also think have been blown out of all proportion - is that they were utterly artless. To my mind, there is absolutely nothing funny about what they did. I'm all for juvenile humour once in a while, for offending Daily Mail readers and their ilk, and for using foul language when necessary as it can be employed very powerfully and articulately in the right hands (and in fact I think Russell Brand has demonstrated this on many previous occasions). But on this occasion the exchange was, in my opinion, just plain stupid.

[Drew]

I don't understand everything about his grand daughter, she's a member of the satanic sluts (what ever that is) and is a lesbian porn star?

I'm slightly confused but she's hardly a nun now, is she?

[BDunnell]

I don't understand everything about his grand daughter, she's a member of the satanic sluts (what ever that is) and is a lesbian porn star?

I'm slightly confused but she's hardly a nun now, is she?

There was a very funny bit about her on Have I Got News for You the other night.

[Mark]

I think if the prank call had been directed at her.. there would be no problem. It's the fact that it was directed at her grandfather.

[Hazell B]

I'm slightly confused but she's hardly a nun now, is she?

But what difference does it make? She's still got feelings, and it was her grandfather who bore the brunt of the 'jokes' after all.

[Daniel]

Yeah that's very much part of the reason why it's not funny. But then again is it funny for someone to ring up a woman she's slept with and say dumb crap as he would have done? I would say no but at least he wouldn't have been abusing someone who had no part in what happened.

[BDunnell]

But what difference does it make? She's still got feelings, and it was her grandfather who bore the brunt of the 'jokes' after all.

I agree absolutely.

[SOD]

The Daily Mail and Sky news viewers kick up a fuss over this non issue. The elderly, those who are entertained by The Mail and Sly News , have seen their house prices colapse and their pensions decimated, then they take their anger out on Jonathan Ross and Russel Brand. Its another chance for the non-BBC media to take pot shots at Auntie.

In a few months, Ross will be back on air and Brand will be working somewhere else, Brand talks good, they havn't picked their target very well. Look for Brand to release a barrage of abuse against those that went after him.

[Mark]

Brand will be working somewhere else,.

It looks like Brand has already landed a role in Pirates of the Caribbean 4 (theres a film they should never have made a sequel of, never mind 3 of them)

[Daniel]

Damn, i was going to audition for the role annoying, slighty camp sounding but not actually gay, extremely irritating piratey wiratey guy :p

[SOD]

It looks like Brand has already landed a role in Pirates of the Caribbean 4 (theres a film they should never have made a sequel of, never mind 3 of them)

they only made them films because they didnt want to dismantle the set of tomb raider :p

[Hazell B]

It looks like Brand has already landed a role in Pirates of the Caribbean 4 (theres a film they should never have made a sequel of, never mind 3 of them)


NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
I'm already dreading more of those rotten tomatoes, never mind with that mess in them :mark:


I'm also annoyed the BBC haven't sorted out another person to present Film 2008 yet. I know there'll be sections pre-filmed with Ross, but can't they dump those and put another reviewer in? They've got plenty of other film lovers working for them.

[PuddleJumper]

It looks like Brand has already landed a role in Pirates of the Caribbean 4
Aaaarrrrggggghhhhh!!

[Dave B]

Dragging up an old thread, I know, but today Jonathon Ross announced that he will not be seeking a renewal of his BBC contract.

He says, and he would, that money doesn't come into it. Indeed he says that he hadn't even entered into negotiations. But he must know that in the present climate the BBC would never agree to his terms or anything like them.

We're almost certain to get a Conservative government in the next few months, and Callmedave has already got the BBC in his sights. To pay millions to someone who tends to irritate middle-Englanders so much would pretty much guarantee Tory wrath.

In some ways this is a victory for the small-minded complainers; readers of a paper which whipped up a frenzy over this incident but got all uppity when its own readers dared complain about a homophobic diatribe written by one of its own columnists. Double-standards, much?

Hey ho.

[Mark]

Good. He was a terrible presenter anyway.

[ShiftingGears]

Seriously what is funny about Russell Brand?

[BeansBeansBeans]

Seriously what is funny about Russell Brand?

His comedy.

I went to see him live last year and could barely breathe for laughing.

[Hazell B]

Jonathon Ross announced that he will not be seeking a renewal of his BBC contract.



Thank You BBC Gods!!!

I hate Ross these days. A few years ago I realised he just isn't funny and sure as hell isn't clever, when he used to appear to be both. I even stopped watching Film 2008 (guess when? :p : ) because of his snivelling to bad actors yet bemoaning good ones if they wouldn't appear on his show.

Now I can go back to enjoying TV's only film programme :up:

[AndyRAC]

His comedy.

I went to see him live last year and could barely breathe for laughing.

Think he's got the last laugh - he's now engaged to Katy Perry.....lucky boy!!!

[Mark in Oshawa]

Think he's got the last laugh - he's now engaged to Katy Perry.....lucky boy!!!

The man has good taste. Katy on the other hand...yeech....Girl, ya can do better....

[wedge]

Seriously what is funny about Russell Brand?

Along with Jimmy Carr, I would love to go up their faces and rearrange it with my fists. That's how annoying I find them.


Thank You BBC Gods!!!

I hate Ross these days. A few years ago I realised he just isn't funny and sure as hell isn't clever, when he used to appear to be both. I even stopped watching Film 2008 (guess when? :p : ) because of his snivelling to bad actors yet bemoaning good ones if they wouldn't appear on his show.

Now I can go back to enjoying TV's only film programme :up:

Sadly, his showbiz chums like Ricky Gervais pop up too frequently which is why is show has gone downhill, not his sense excellent sense of humour.

What I really miss are those programmes on Japanese culture, and East Asian cinema he did for BBC 3 & 4 a few years ago.