« New poll brings us back into hung parliament territory | Main | After a difficult week George Osborne moves on to front foot »

Comments

After the BBC's rank dishonesty and bias over Yachtgate last week- what goes around, comes around.

As an institution, I don't think the BBC realises just how despised they have now become.

In any ordinary environment, Ross and Brand would be subject to summary dismissal for such behaviour.

Entertainment (and, dare I say, politics) seems to operate to different standards.

I am pleased to say that I never watch the Jonathan Ross show as I consider him to be crudely offensive.
I have seen Russell Brand on a couple of occasions and find him to be another unfunny "comedian" with an oversized ego and little talent. He seems to have arisen fully-fledged, overnight and out of nowhere. I think he is an alien creature.
So, for once, I must agree with the Mail.

I think Brand has been a bit unfairly hit with this - yes, he said he slept with his daughter, but it was Ross that took it too far and was just unnessissarily vulgar.
Also we have to remember it wasn't a live show and so if the presenters do get away with themselves the editor(s) should have pulled it.
Given that Sachs hasn't actually made an official complaint then I think blowing this non-story out of proportion is a little payback for last week but 2 wrongs don't make a right (they make a left)

The appalling attack on the thoroughly decent Andrew Sachs, should not surprise us. People like Russal Brand and Jonothan Ross have made a fortune out of ridiculing the good standards of others. These two men, who have contributed nothing of value to broadcasting, are products of the modern age, the modern celebrity who lives by controversy. That a respected man like Mr Sachs is considered game for abuse, tells us much about the mentality of these people. The BBC should fire both Brand and Ross and not hire their type again.

Are these two Liberal Democrats?

This disgusting pair should be shown the door for their disgusting behaviour plus the Producer because it was pre recorded but their reliance on laughs is only gutter humour which brings society down to the lowest common denominator.
Not only do we have to endure the BBC churning out left wing bias we have to suffer scum entertainment shut them down.

This is about accountability.

The BBC is "governed" by "trustees". They should be accountable PERSONALLY for this offensive tripe. Five years ago at the Superbowl half-time show, a certain Janet Jackson bared her left (or was it right, either way not very attractive) breast. CBS, the unwitting broadcaster was fined hundreds of thousand of dollars, and since then everyone involved has gone out of their way to ensure nothing anywhere near that would happen again.

Hold the individuals in charge of the BBC accountable! Fine the trustees and Mr. Thompson thousands of pounds; they'll learn their lesson.

. Five years ago at the Superbowl half-time show, a certain Janet Jackson bared her left (or was it right, either way not very attractive) breast. CBS, the unwitting broadcaster was fined hundreds of thousand of dollars, and since then everyone involved has gone out of their way to ensure nothing anywhere near that would happen again.

Exactly.. if we blow this out of proportion we can end up with the US situation where everything is over-censored because they are scared of a fine if they see a bit of a nipple for a millisecond, so maybe it was best that they did broadcast it, as it did happen, but should also apologise.

Norm Brainer and Dominic, as apparently editors/producers on the BBC seldom get the push, I would imagine that in this case - as in so many others - money talks!, and as Woss (wimpy woss), has a high profile AND lots of dosh, they would have refrained from any criticism. AND its quite possible that THEY found it funneeee too. What a couple of pee brains!

I can't stand Ross but really like Brand- but they've both got to go.

What they did was utterly disgraceful.

Can you imagine if an MP had done the same thing? The uproar would undoubtedly have been led by the BBC itself.

According to Stephen Fry, Brand and Ross are just flowers on a roundabout.

http://conservativehome.blogs.com/parliament/2008/10/conservative-mp.html

Ross and Brand are very over-rated by BBC - my blame lands on Mark Thompson - he has taken BBC in abstract meandering directions-grasping for solutions to his personal lack of insight and vision. I say : get rid of all three. BBC claim the men are 'outspoken' - as if WE have the problem : they have nothing interesting to say above their own amateur level of low-life toilet humour of - bugs and cockroaches. Quite frankly anyone could enjoy superior Cockney humour down the local pub for FREE on a Friday night without having to cringe at the knowledge that WE pay Ross £18 million - for dross-Ross offerings - he is, frankly - pathetic. He is costing a fortune for VERY CHEAP LAUGHS - as in VERY CHEAP. He is no shaker-mover and Thompson is no innovator. He claims he has to pay money like that to keep Ross and Norton - etc. All he is doing is : stealing people who were successful to some degree on Channel 4 - who, don't forget, got rid of Thompson - which is all - nonsense. Thompson also wasted a lot of money trying to catapult Davina McCall on to BBC books - he allowed her a full blown chat-show in his pathetic quest - and that was a resounding flop - on OUR money. McCall is very limited - okay for Big Brother - but limited in real talent. BBC management is a mess - and they go too far in Politics sometimes too. We need to drag them back into focus. I recall the ROSS interview with Nicole Kidman. She is a very serious actress - serious about her profession - and she was visibly UPSET and SHOCKED by Ross's low-life referencing to her - as a female body who might be interested in the size of his private member - she was insulted and could barely respond. She really couldn't believe it was happening to her - and publicly endorsed - by BBC. Such is our national reputation being - sacrificed by these very tatty - very obvious - chancers. BBC in general needs URGENT and FOCUSED attention - it is a broadcasting MESS and not fit for purpose anymore. Pathetic isn't strong enough a word. It is infuriating and I regularly write in to complain - to deaf ears. Thompson, it appears is far too 'busy' to answer mail. He is an empty man who chases the wrong people. He is responsible for a huge crack in our consciousness and culture. I say - make all three walk - and fast. They are BLARE buoys - awl mouth and know trousers. You will understand...Cheap and nasty at very expensive cost - including our national identity and reputation. Ross is the biggest red herring yet - bar none. Brand can be interesting when doing gigs such as Amnesty and he is encouraged to apply some intellect - but most of his output is - not even worthy of a showing IN THE TOILET. We must keep up the pressure to get a new scene for BBC - it costs us enough - we deserve better. Eve.

'Talented broadcasters'? Since when. Personally I think they are arrogant, facile simpletons who are paid obscene amounts of public money to titillate the mentally deficient.

pretty offensive in the first place.. .... seems to me unacceptable.

Goodness, John Whittingdale has a gift for understatement.

Could it be that the ageing metal-head harbours a sneaky regard for the repulsive duo?

http://celebrity.rightpundits.com/?p=4546

I didn't hear the show and perhaps it did overstep the mark but I think the whole thing has been blown out of proportion. I can appreciate that the prank might have upset Andrew Sachs, but then again, his enduring fame came from portraying Spaniards as semi-simian simpletons so you'd think that perhaps he might be able to take a joke even in poor taste.

It isn't as if his grand-daughter is a shy and retiring type - "aspiring model" is just way too coy. Voluptua from the Satanic Sluts sounds just like the sort of girl who could be interested in Russell Brand and I'd guess that Sachs's discomfort comes at least in part from being reminded that his little grand-daughter is also Voluptua.

The 'humour' relies upon an anticipated reaction and the reaction has been as anticipated.

It is funny because the little boys know that outraged decency will ensue like little boys giggling in assembly for no apparent reason.

The trick is to turn the game on them rather than playing their game by bellowing outrage.

You've been very naughty little boys and have said lots of rudey words like the grown ups now let's apologise and write out 100 lines:

'I am Russell Bland and I have the legs of a girl and an infestation of weevils'

'I am Johnny Woss, I am pushing fifty and am still a complete ranker'

From PoliticsHome:

"Roger Gale MP called for the resignation of the Director General of the BBC Mark Thompson, following the controversy surrounding prank phone calls made to Andrew Sachs.

"I think the buck needs to stop right at the top with those with editorial control.

“There's a great danger that under these circumstances the BBC will find a scapegoat which will probably be the schoolboy that produced the programme, rather than taking editorial repsonsiblity where it lies - with the editor-in-chief, or the person who used to be called the Director General, which is Mark Thompson," he said.

He added that needed to a full review from the 'top down' to change the way it operated.

"If the BBC is not prepared to look at itself from the top down and it fails to do so, some of us in a position to do something about it are going to have to do it for them," he said.

He added: "These stables need to be mucked out in a big way indeed"."

It's about time for the quartertly ConHome moral panic. As usual, it's lead by the Daily Mail. I hope you all feel better after your regular dose of outrage. I suppose this is one of the things you miss out on when you are left wing.

I can't believe you can get up such a head of moral indignation about this; when Osborne's Bullingdon chums are alleged to have snorted coke and racially and physically abused prostitutes, you don't really seem to mind that much. Still, it was a very, very nasty phone prank, wasn't it?

The noticeably unactioned stuff the NotW likes to run about Osborne (thanks Andy!) is of course vile: vile in its detail, but vile also in its coarseness and in its exploitation of a fairly damaged individual. But how exactly does that in any way alter rightful public disgust at Ross, Brand and the BBC? Osborne, the hooker and the Screws all do what they did very much on their own dime. The BBC does not. And in not sacking Brand and Ross it of course condones what they did. Had a lesser BBC employee done what they did, they would already have been sacked. The only point of comparison with Osborne, indeed, is that if a PPC had behaved as he did, Dave would have knifed him without thinking twice.

Tee hee, Residence of the Left, the Left doth not know the meaning of moral outrage.

Dubya? The war mongering butcher born of Baal and suckled on the teat of Vlad the Impaler?

Inconsistentcy? Wimin must smash through the glass ceiling except that moose shootin’ Sarah Vlad the ImPalin who must be destroyed before the She Devil lays waste to civilization with her hockey mum lipstick Rottweiler thingy.

How about mentioning Israel and watch the quorn sausage red brigade go off on one?

And why does John Whittingdale look like Jeremy Clarkson?

I agree that this broadcast was crass and spiteful and heads should roll. But Brand's programme is obviously liked by his target audience and only received 2 complaints when it was broadcast on 18 Oct. It is only since the subsequent enormous publicity that thousands have found themselves offended who would never listen to this sort of stuff anyway. Mr Sachs and his grand-daughter have been bullied by Brand and Ross and now the rest of the media are adding to that by chasing them down and making things worse. And when MPs join the chase you know they too are dancing to the Daily Mail's tune of relishing the opportunity to bash the BBC whose usual standards are much higher than the Mail ever achieves. Let OfCom do their investigation and exact full reprimand, but stop this silly moral panic.

"It's about time for the quartertly ConHome moral panic."

resident leftie , no just a bit of pay back after the BBC's partisan reporting of the Mandelson, Osborne, Deripaska affair.

Iain - an eye for an eye and we're all blind.

Not sure it is within DC's brief to comment on this either. It looks like he wants some cheap publicity, as if commenting on some un-political stuff will make him look better as a result after the last few weeks of missed opportunities and poll ratings now back into hung parliament territory (which really means Labour win since they now have their eye on the ball for a change).

A dignified silence on this to let it play out is probably better than rushing to endorse some newspaper or other's crusade. I agree both Ross and Brand should be sacked, just not that it should be Cameron's brief to call for their sacking.

Posted by: Dorian of that Elk | October 28, 2008 at 13:47
Tee hee, Residence of the Left, the Left doth not know the meaning of moral outrage.

It was moral panic I was referring to, not moral outrage. You certainly have no monopoly on that!

And as for the glass ceiling, I'm not interested in promoting people because their women regardless of their other qualities (or complete lack of them), I just don't want them looked over for promotion.

What the hell is Cameron doing jumping on the moral panic bandwagon? After complaining about the media's obsession with Osborne, and saying we out to be talking about important things, he's dealing with this. It's bloody ridiculous. Go and find some ideological backbone and come up with policies instead of showboating.

They really should be sacked as should their editor - at the very least. It does not matter that we have a free choice about whether or not to watch/listen to any particular show - this was grossly offensive and hurtful to inoffensive people and we ARE paying for it. Anyone making the argument that we don't have to pay for it as we are all free not to have a television is making the assumption that we should not have a choice or care what rubbish it puts out alongside the good stuff that is the BBCs duty to broadcast.

But the audience who enjoy Brand and Ross also pay their licence fees and would probably hate the kind of stuff we enjoy and find it offensive.

Perhaps Cameron wants payback for his interview with Ross.

The economy is in turmoil but never mind, let's get outraged about someone making lewd comments about a stripper to her grandfather.

We truly are on the B Ark.

It's time for some mass civil disobedience. Withold payment of licence fee until Brand, Ross, the producer, the head of department and the channel controller are sacked.

Once upon a time you didn't need guidelines, codes of conduct etc. There were things called standards. Everyone understood what they were and no one would have dreamed of doing what this lot did.

Why can't the BBC realize that the reason their figures are slipping is because of all the trash they are presenting. They will not improve their ratings by sinking to the level of other so-called comics. I for one am sick and tired of Jonathan Ross's schoolboy lavatory humour. When is he going to grow up and act with a modicum of decency? He is just an overgrown and grossly overpaid LOUT.
As we pay for the BBC we ought to have some say in how they spend OUR money. All they need to do is to return to presenting the programs they do best, and their followers will return in their droves, and they can save money on the obscene salaries paid to such scum.

"But the audience who enjoy Brand and Ross also pay their licence fees and would probably hate the kind of stuff we enjoy and find it offensive."

Exactly so and that is why the taxpayer funded BBC (which abandonded Public Service Broadcasting yonks ago) must be scrapped.

Audiences should pay for the outlets media providers that cater specifically for them.


Messrs Brand and Ross are frankly revolting. The BBC has no place in promoting such puerile trash at our expense. If these so called entertainers want to be paid loads of money, then let ITV pay them.

It's time the BBC was brought back to their original remit of HIGH quality broadcasting. Under no stretch of the imagination could these two be described as either high quality or talented.

It's time for heads to roll. Ross, Brand and Thompson.

I dont like either of them, avoiding them as much as I can. What I dont understand is why when a straight apology from Brand and Ross would have taken some of the heat off them, why Brand did that ridiculous non-apology just making it worse?

The BBC clearly ignored the Mandelson story until after the Osborne story died out. A bit of schadenfreude does warm the soul a touch...

I think what is interesting is that some of the comments above, about these two boring individuals, one of whom seems desperate to hold off middle-age, says more about the double standards of the posters!

Well now that Goron Brown has pontificated on the matter, will it arise in QT tomorrow, : possibly public flogging and hanging to distract from the state of the finances?

I didn't catch the actual broadcast on the 18th but I was surprised and aggravated when I read the article in the Mail on Sunday. I then rang the BBC and made my complaint making it clear in my view that they both need disciplinary measures taken against them, one of not both needs to be fired. This kind of conduct must not be tolerated at all.

I wonder how many of those who have complained to the BBC actually listened to the broadcast by Ross and Brand...not many probably. I presume the majority of those who did complain are a bunch of old farts who first read about the story in The Mail or The Mailygraph.

Surely this has gone a bit far when politicians are getting involved?

I didn't hear the original broadcast two weeks ago, but only 2 people complained at the time. Then after about a week Andrew Sachs (rightly) complained, and it got in the papers. And there it should of ended.

But no, now 10,000 other people (sadly including Cameron and Brown) have jumped on board an ever-more-hysterical bandwagon. What a country post-Diana Britain has become.

What the hell is Cameron doing jumping on the moral panic bandwagon?

Beating Gordon Brown to it by about 24 hours, that's what.

I wonder how many of those who have complained to the BBC actually listened to the broadcast by Ross and Brand...not many probably. I presume the majority of those who did complain are a bunch of old farts who first read about the story in The Mail or The Mailygraph.

They have every justification to complain. As someone posted on Dale, whether or not they actually listened to it, they have to pay for it.

And presumably they (and all of you license payers over there in the UK) will ultimately have to pay any fine that Ofcom may impose.

Posted by: Saltmaker | October 28, 2008 at 20:19

What the hell is Cameron doing jumping on the moral panic bandwagon?

Beating Gordon Brown to it by about 24 hours, that's what.

Global meltdown, and they are worrying about this tosh.

Jon Gale @ 20.13 - 'And there it should have ended.'

Why?? We all pay the BBC's licence fee, and they as a PUBLIC body have demonstrated that THEY COULDN'T CARE LESS, ABOUT THE SENSITIVITIES OF A PERFECTLY BLAMELESS OLD MAN!! Would you like your grandfather or father to be treated like that, and your sister or daughter to be slagged off like that, just because she had the temerity to apparently advertise herself, probably on the ubiquitous Facebook, in such a way that in a few years time she will wish to hell that she could erase. Slagging her off as no better than a stripper, is typical of some sanctimonious MCP's whose own habits, doubtless, wouldn't bear much scrutiny - one at least on this thread!!!!!!

Woss is a sad old exhibitionist GIT, but Brand is a publicity-hungry, sad, mother's darling tosser. He would flash in the high street, and dance while relieving himself if he could get an audience!!! It would be satisfying if one could imagine him squirming just a little one day WHEN he grows up, but sadly I doubt if he ever will.

And aren't they both great role models while BETTER young men are having their legs and arms blown off, supposedly serving the country that these two w.....s choose to advertise in this manner!!!

Personally, whenever Ross appears on the telly, I reach for the zapper and exit him. Ditto Brand. Appalling people, both of them.

Patsy, I think you'll burst something if you don't calm down. Just have a cup of tea and think of Terry Wogan,

I too am not impressed that Cameron has seen fit to comment on this subject.

When Tony Blair weighed in over Glenn Hoddle's Times interview on the disabled paying a price for sins committed in a previous life it effectively lost him his job as England manager. Blair got his publicity looking tough, and that was that. Within weeks it was all forgotten and Blair carried on lying to and cheating the electorate, then took this country into war on a false prospectus.

However, it is the hypocrisy of Brown's intervention which is most striking. How can a man who promoted the offensive Sion Simon only days ago have the gall to pass comment on this issue.

Simon impersonated Cameron and invited those listening to him to sleep with Samantha Cameron. That was offensive too.

Brown should keep his trap firmly shut.

Actually resident leftie, I never listen to Terry Wogan, ot in fact any BBC radio, not since jenni Murray took over Woman's Hour. I watch Fern Britton instead!, she is much more fun!

It's time in the interest of taxpayers that the BBC was seriously scrutinised. The BCC is propped up by the Govt purse and by license payers ie taxpayers. How much are they spending and on what? Do they need so many people at the US election? Who is paying for all the lunches and champagne? Why do we pat for foul mouthed people like Ross? The questions could be formed into a huge list. The BBc love to scrutinise others and its now time a real light was shone on them.

It's about time we stopped pussy footing around with these overpaid lewd "entertainers" & those who hide behind political correctness. Enough is enough- let's stand up & be counted!

Patsy Sergeant 28/10 23:12"He would flash in the high street, and dance while relieving himself if he could get an audience!!!"

I am a bit late to this conversation but I would like to state for the record that Brand has already done this.

I have seen a DVD of his, in the extras there is a sequence where he wets himself in the street and then takes his trousers off and offers them to passers by.

There is also a sequence where he is presenting for MTV and his voice over is saying "I was high on cocaine when I was doing this."

The DVD is Russell Brand Live as far as I can remember.

I love stand-up comedy but this bloke is a joke.

It appears that there is a degree of truth behind Brand's statement. There is obviously two sides to this story and we are only hearing one side. The old adage of leaving enough rope appears to be true if you look at the one of the victims own statements to the newspapers.

Why on earth is this leading the news, and provoking statements in the House of Commons?

Really.

I have just finished reading an autobiography about Oscar Wilde. It was interesting to note the British public loved him for his rebellious ways and his risque humour, and were probably well aware he was gay long before his trial. However as soon as he was arrested his London contemporaries and most of the British public turned on him suddenly and completely. His only open support came from Irish writers and of course some of his close circle of friends. It struck me that over 100 years after the trial of Oscar another risque and controversial London dandy seems to be going through the same witch hunt.

Jonathan Ross has been lauded and loved for his humour for many years and he has always rested his wit on the boundary of good taste. It seems that he only had to fall through that boundary once before the Great British public turned on him and make him an outcast. It is like a national bullying gene at play in Britain, and I hope that unlike Mr Wilde it doesn't cause Jonathan Ross enough pain that it permanently destroys his creativity and comedy.

The comments to this entry are closed.

#####here####

Categories

ConHome on Twitter

    follow me on Twitter

    Conservative blogs

    Today's public spending saving

    New on other blogs

    • Receive our daily email
      Enter your details below:
      Name:
      Email:
      Subscribe    
      Unsubscribe 

    • Tracker 2
    • Extreme Tracker