The BBC Jonathon Ross/Russell Brand/Andrew Sachs Debate

[xGlowingAngelx]

Well the real question is why it was broadcast in the first place. It was pre-recorded afterall. Someone in the BBC made the decision to let it air knowing what was on the show.

Thank you! That is something I've wondered myself. And I'm assuming there are quite a few people behind the scenes, so surely at least one of them must have known they were over stepping the mark, so why didn't anyone put a stop to it? That's more baffling than the whole hype itself.

I don't really know much about either of them because I've seen only a few shows that they have been on, but from what I gather, the general way they went about it was behaviour that isn't completely unexpected from either of them.

The hype over it seems more of an over reaction. Everywhere I turn there is something that states that Georgina is apparently very distressed by the whole situation. So depressed of course, that I do believe she has told her story to a newspaper.

[MissOlivia22]

I admit that it shouldn't have reached out screens, but i think its got a little out of had. At first there were a few complaints, but then it got covered by some newspaper and it become some massive thing. One of the staff higher up in the BBC has resigned due to this, but she had nothing to do with it. She can't check everything. She doesn't go through everything is filmed.

And about the Mock the week thing - :O:O They wouldn't, would they.... :'(

[Eduardo Bearo]

It is far too easy to say that its over hyped and people are over reacting. The public have been complaining, about Ross in particular, for months, if not longer. I used to like him a lot but recently his mid life crisis has moved hm away from what was intelligent edgy humour towards infantile toilet sex obsessed humour. I see I am not alone in thinking this :-

SEE HERE

Russell Brand can be very funny, I was impressed by the fact he did the decent thing and resigned immediately. All we have heard about Wossy is how frightened he is of being sacked. If only Ross had had that sens of honour. I would have had more respect for the man if he had.

The editorial staff are being also being blamed but people like Ross will have editorial control written into their contracts.

A friend of mine said they thought it was hilarious and then I asked, "how would you have felt if it was your grandfather and how would he have felt it it was his grand daughter being talked about in this way" - the reply was "OMG he would have been devastated!" The penny dropped. There is a line which can not be crossed in comedy. The deliberate humiliation and denigration of another human being for the amusement of others is not acceptable. You can poke fun at someone, you can make a joke about a them of course you can; however, light rabaldry, a bit a risque humour is one thing, but this crossed the line. As Ricky Gervais said, "they crossed the line and they know they did". Ross is paid a lot of money by us the license payers, he needs to grow up, and start thinking with his brain and not other parts of his anatomy. His isn't 14 any more and and he is far too clever a man to have to rely on adolescent toilet humour for a laugh. He was edgy and funny before he went down this route and can be again. One hopes this is the wake up call he needs.

[Izzy H]

People just need to get over it. People are complaining for the sake of it. It's a Ross and Brand way to behave like that and there have never been any issues like this in the past which concern them in terms of big media focused attention. I respect Brands decision to leave as what is the point of staying when listeners are going to complain at the slightest thing. I hope he goes onto bigger and better things.

[MissOlivia22]

Another thing that annoys me is that they say it was too rude to be shown...

Then stop showing it over and over again!!!

[monkeysmoke]

The hype over it seems more of an over reaction. Everywhere I turn there is something that states that Georgina is apparently very distressed by the whole situation. So depressed of course, that I do believe she has told her story to a newspaper.

Tell me about it!

And Russell Brand isn’t a “t**t”. I remember he was bragging about sleeping with Rod Stewart’s daughter one time, then when Rod Stewart called him out about it on stage. He then cr***d his pants and admitted he didn’t.

In Russell Brand's defense, Rod Stewart (one of the biggest womaniser's going) did call Brand a womaniser when Brand had done nothing to him. Brand stated himself in his interview with Conan O'Brien he only said it cos he thought it was a bit rich coming from the master. Again, not holier than thou behaviour from either side, making it fair game really. Brand apologised because he realised it was getting out of hand, he said himself he's a comedian and he made it into a joke, he believes in comedy not in fighting so he wanted to call a truce but Rod Stewart doesn't want to know. Spot the t*** there.

It is far too easy to say that its over hyped and people are over reacting. The public have been complaining, about Ross in particular, for months, if not longer. I used to like him a lot but recently his mid life crisis has moved hm away from what was intelligent edgy humour towards infantile toilet sex obsessed humour. I see I am not alone in thinking this :-

SEE HERE

The editorial staff are being also being blamed but people like Ross will have editorial control written into their contracts.

A friend of mine said they thought it was hilarious and then I asked, "how would you have felt if it was your grandfather and how would he have felt it it was his grand daughter being talked about in this way" - the reply was "OMG he would have been devastated!" The penny dropped. There is a line which can not be crossed in comedy. The deliberate humiliation and denigration of another human being for the amusement of others is not acceptable. You can poke fun at someone, you can make a joke about a them of course you can; however, light rabaldry, a bit a risque humour is one thing, but this crossed the line. As Ricky Gervais said, "they crossed the line and they know they did". Ross is paid a lot of money by us the license payers, he needs to grow up, and start thinking with his brain and not other parts of his anatomy. His isn't 14 any more and and he is far too clever a man to have to rely on adolescent toilet humour for a laugh. He was edgy and funny before he went down this route and can be again. One hopes this is the wake up call he needs.

Initially only 2 people who actually listened to the show complained. The rest were sparked by the daily mail story. I won't go into a huge rant about my hatred of the daily mail, but I think it's fair cop to say the way the stories are written is designed to make people enraged and therefore over react.

I agree there's a line that shouldn't be crossed. But I also think that some people who cross that line are then making it acceptable to cross that line with them. I feel that both Andrew Sachs and his grand daughter have both shown they are willing to cross that line for the sake of their careers and therefore don't feel its fair for them to moan when it comes back to bite them because somebody else is doing the same thing. I get that people sympathise because it was a grandfather and a granddaughter, but we have to put it into perspective; it wasn't just Joe Bloggs or John Smith down the road, who would never dream of insulting or provoking anyone else. It was 2 people who take part in the edgier sides to life just like Brand and Ross. It's not the same as if they'd just phoned someone at random who had never done anything similar. Again like Rod Stewart it all seems a bit Pot and Kettle.

Although I do agree that Ross should have apologised. But then I heard that they both did and that Andrew Sachs has accepted that? I hope he has seen the other side to it anyway, because it would be shame to think everything he did in fawlty towers was just for a pay cheque and not because he wanted to test boundaries.

[honeychild]

the thing i find most despicable about the whole thing is that andrew sachs asked for them not to play the segment and yet they went ahead and played it. as a person who cannot stand Brand and finds Ross grossly overpaid i'm glad they've been pulled up about this, for once. i like comedy, and a good bit of crude comedy doesnt go amiss with me, but this was no comedy. it was a disgraceful and malicious action they took, not just doing it but also playing it on the radio.

i think it was right of Brand to resign but i find simply suspending Ross is not enough. It's simply not fair that the consequences are only fully felt by one of the two truly responsible. after all, what is the loss of £1.3 million to a man who is earning £6million a year?

[Taz]

People just need to get over it. People are complaining for the sake of it. It's a Ross and Brand way to behave like that and there have never been any issues like this in the past which concern them in terms of big media focused attention. I respect Brands decision to leave as what is the point of staying when listeners are going to complain at the slightest thing. I hope he goes onto bigger and better things.

Initially only 2 people who actually listened to the show complained. The rest were sparked by the daily mail story.

I work in the media industry and I can assure you that there were a lot more than TWO complaints made and the complaints were flooding in long before the Daily Mail story broke. There have been complaints being made about both these two, but particularly Woss for ages, and this was the straw which broke the camels back. The BBC let them get away with it as it was after the yoof viewers and a bit of street cred, paid Rossy millions even though other programs get much higher ratings. There was no logic in it but the suits seemed to think that getting the yoof viewer was more important than ratings where Rossy was concerned. IF he hinted he was getting offer from somewhere else they would have paid him even more.

The no one complained before and the only two complaints story was put about by people trying to cover their backs. If you believed it more fool you. It was not true then and it isn't true now.

When some one gets too big for their boots they think they are invincible they think they can do what they like. If any of us had done that we would have been arrested but instead its said that it's their way to behave. Sorry but I do not buy it. Being a celeb paid 6 million does not excuse it. He has gone on TV in the past suggesting Russel Brand has sex with his own(Ross's) underage daughter - (how sick is that?) - suggested David Cameron gets off on Mrs T, and wanted to have sex with Gwyneth Paltrow only weeks after she had had a baby because of course she was gagging for it. Quit frankly if a bloke said that to me I'd sock him one. He, not Russel Brand, initiated this so called joke and he egged on Brand in this situation and as the older more experienced broadcaster he should have known better. It was juvenile, it was like a couple of school kids sniggering over a dirty joke, except it was not even remotely funny.People who sneer and jeer at others like this are not really funny, just sad and pathetic. I like a dirty joke with the best of them, I don't mind if people make fun of me, but this was totally out of order and if any did that to my Dad or my grandad I would sock them one too.

The producers are in a difficult position they are told to keep Ross and Brand happy. If a 25 year old on £30,000 a year says to Roos, on £6,000,000 "err sorry Jonathon but I don't think we can broadcast that" the response is going to be " don't be a wuss, do you know who I am, I am Jonathon Ross, do you want to keep that job?" may be not in those words, but the message will be clear.

I agree with EB, he , J Ross, is a very bright bloke, and there is a difference between being edgy and clever and just being puerile and lewd.

I think he got off light and I think Russel Brand by resigning immediately may have made a wise move. Ross has not done himself any favors by acting like a victim. He should come back, and will come back but he better stop thinking he can do what the hell he likes because he sure as hell can't.

[monkeysmoke]

People just need to get over it. People are complaining for the sake of it. It's a Ross and Brand way to behave like that and there have never been any issues like this in the past which concern them in terms of big media focused attention. I respect Brands decision to leave as what is the point of staying when listeners are going to complain at the slightest thing. I hope he goes onto bigger and better things.

Initially only 2 people who actually listened to the show complained. The rest were sparked by the daily mail story.

I work in the media industry and I can assure you that there were a lot more than TWO complaints made and the complaints were flooding in long before the Daily Mail story broke. There have been complaints being made about both these two, but particularly Woss for ages, and this was the straw which broke the camels back. The BBC let them get away with it as it was after the yoof viewers and a bit of street cred, paid Rossy millions even though other programs get much higher ratings. There was no logic in it but the suits seemed to think that getting the yoof viewer was more important than ratings where Rossy was concerned. IF he hinted he was getting offer from somewhere else they would have paid him even more.

The no one complained before and the only two complaints story was put about by people trying to cover their backs. If you believed it more fool you. It was not true then and it isn't true now.

When some one gets too big for their boots they think they are invincible they think they can do what they like. If any of us had done that we would have been arrested but instead its said that it's their way to behave. Sorry but I do not buy it. Being a celeb paid 6 million does not excuse it. He has gone on TV in the past suggesting Russel Brand has sex with his own(Ross's) underage daughter - (how sick is that?) - suggested David Cameron gets off on Mrs T, and wanted to have sex with Gwyneth Paltrow only weeks after she had had a baby because of course she was gagging for it. Quit frankly if a bloke said that to me I'd sock him one. He, not Russel Brand, initiated this so called joke and he egged on Brand in this situation and as the older more experienced broadcaster he should have known better. It was juvenile, it was like a couple of school kids sniggering over a dirty joke, except it was not even remotely funny.People who sneer and jeer at others like this are not really funny, just sad and pathetic. I like a dirty joke with the best of them, I don't mind if people make fun of me, but this was totally out of order and if any did that to my Dad or my grandad I would sock them one too.

The producers are in a difficult position they are told to keep Ross and Brand happy. If a 25 year old on £30,000 a year says to Roos, on £6,000,000 "err sorry Jonathon but I don't think we can broadcast that" the response is going to be " don't be a wuss, do you know who I am, I am Jonathon Ross, do you want to keep that job?" may be not in those words, but the message will be clear.

I agree with EB, he , J Ross, is a very bright bloke, and there is a difference between being edgy and clever and just being puerile and lewd.

I think he got off light and I think Russel Brand by resigning immediately may have made a wise move. Ross has not done himself any favors by acting like a victim. He should come back, and will come back but he better stop thinking he can do what the hell he likes because he sure as hell can't.

Do you work for the daily mail by any chance? (only joking, sorry, couldn't resist)

I agree they were having a bit of childish lad's moment and it went too far and I think i've made my point about why I think it's different teritory ripping into someone who also delves into edgy comedy athan someone who does not.

But the Daily Mail made their view about the BBC crystal clear long before now, this is just another wedge to help the campaign.

As for the true figure of complaints, unless you can give me a figure of how many people really complained between the shows broadcast and the newspaper article, with some sort of proof to back you up, I'm sticking with the 2 people until Ofcom release their inquiry - purely because it is the most solid figure I have to work with at the moment (not saying it's a true figure, just being sensible)

So, on this grounds (which is all we have to go on) the daily mail took the show out of its context. The show has a warning, and the people who listen are warned and knowledgable of the type of content involved, they choose to listen to it. People who read about it elsewhere are not really choosing to read it/hear it or expecting it, and therefore more easily offended (if that makes sense) I'm not saying that makes their complaints less valid, I'm just trying to show that it is overhyped because of this because the Daily Mail have their own demographic and it really does clash with the demographic that Brand and Ross are aimed at.

I agree the BBC are in a difficult position. The BBC are being attacked over the tv license money issue (again) in the lead up to Ofcom's change of regulations regarding the TV license (sharing it out with other main channels) and its a shame that two great British talents are being bullied out of their jobs because of it (jobs they are good at most of the time).

[Taz]

Do you work for the daily mail by any chance? (only joking, sorry, couldn't resist)

:o Shudders at thought. I would not work for that lot if they paid me ten time what they pay Jonathon Ross.

Take it from me the vast majority of those working inside the BBC are mightily relieved that finally something has happened to reign in this madness. It was not a good way for it to happen, but it was long over due. Rossy isn't going to lose his job,the Daily bigot will have somene else to be up in arms about next week and when the 12 weeks is up JR will be be back. Probably with something newer, and freesh and maybe even better than before.