Curious about opinions on the Russell Brand/Jonathan Ross/BBC controversy

[ptrbryant]

Caveat: I'm in the U.S. and primarily know of Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross through listening to their podcasts--esp. Ross', which I really enjoy--and seeing youtube clips of Ross' Friday Night show (again, find it fun and interesting) and seeing some Russell Brand clips on youtube. I'm much more undecided on Brand since he can, at times, be smartly, hysterically funny and other times, just much too crude/profane.
I was following on the UK news as this whole controversy unfolded. I completely agree that they were out of line with their immature prank, but I do wonder that someone at the BBC didn't stop it from airing. What puzzles me is

1. Why it seems that the massive outrage came days after the event
2. Given other questionable things I've heard/seen on the BBC or BBCAmerica, it doesn't seem that this was so much worse than many of Graham Norton's rude phone calls, etc., yet there's clearly more outrage over Brand/Ross
3. Andrew Sachs' granddaughter, if I've got this right, is an exotic dancer with a group called the Satanic Sluts and has photos on her myspace page that match the description. I don't understand the insistence that the incident would mar her reputation.

Not trying to stir the pot, I'm just trying to understand how this became such a phenomenon.

Karla B.

 

[natalielongstaff]

hi

Welcome to the uk CB

i think it was stupid what they did and should not have been broadcast, however as andrew sachs didn't make a complaint initially i have no idea why it caused such a fuss although we have had a lot of scandal recently involving tv programmes fabricating quizzes and that may have fuelled the histrionics !

 

[wickesy]

1. Why it seems that the massive outrage came days after the event

Because as soon as it was reported that two people had complained and OFCOM (the organisation that regulates our television) was investigating a whole load of other people decided that they were going to complain as well - even though i reckon half of them hadn't even heard the programme they were complaining about. As the reported number of people that had complained got larger so more people decided to complain and so it snowballed. Just my opinion of course.

As far as I am concerned it should have stopped after the first phone call - I'm sure there must have been a producer in the studio who could have pointed out they were going too far. As it was a pre-recorded show I find it inexplicable that it went out on air and whoever authorised the transmission should be the one resigning and not Russell Brand.

 

[ptrbryant]

Thanks for the welcome! Yeah, it seems almost as if there must have been existing anger towards the media for this level of reaction?

OT: DH and I used to go to the UK each year for our vacation prior to our son being born...yikes, it's been 12 years!!! I hate to compare the exchange rate for us then vs. now.

We really want to come back for a visit again--with DS along---before too much longer. We used to rent a flat in London or a cottage in the country, but now everything seems astronomically expensive (esp. London!) We've also stayed in Bath and Wye (near Canterbury) as bases...may think of something farther north or near/in Wales.

In the meantime, we've at least got a WDW trip coming up and we've got reservations at Rose & Crown...some fish & chips to tide us over.

Karla B.

 

[emily1982]

I must admit i can't stand Russel Brand so he's no sad loss, but i actually like Jonathon Ross, I think mostly people have jumped on the band waggon.

 

[Pinky166]

Hi Karla

I think it is ridiculous the way it has all blown up over the last few days, considering the show was broadcast almost 2 weeks ago and of the 400,000 listeners only two people complained - and they only complained about the use of the F word, not the actual message that was left on his answer phone. It is now reported at over 30,000 and many of those have seem to have complained based on what they have read rather than after actually listening to it.

I am a big fan of Russell Brand and am really sad that he has now quit his show. I also think that suspending Jonathan Ross for 12 weeks is too long. I think they did over step the mark with the comment but don't think it's any worse than some other comedy shows/comedians. It's all part of their persona.

I also think that many of the people that compained have done so not because of the incident, but because they either don't like how much they are paid or the fact that they are paid by the TV licence fee we have to pay.

I totally agree with your comments regarding his grand daughter - she is now selling her story on Russell Brand to the newspapers over here so is going to make as much money out of this as she can....living up to her name I guess.

Getting down of my soap box now....

 

[Pinky166]

As far as I am concerned it should have stopped after the first phone call - I'm sure there must have been a producer in the studio who could have pointed out they were going too far. As it was a pre-recorded show I find it inexplicable that it went out on air and whoever authorised the transmission should be the one resigning and not Russell Brand.

I agree David - it should have been cut as it was a pre recorded show.

Apparently now they are reporting that the head of Radio 2 has been forced to resign.

Considering Andrew Sachs has accepted both of their apologies you think it would be the end of it.

 

[ptrbryant]

Because as soon as it was reported that two people had complained and OFCOM (the organisation that regulates our television) was investigating a whole load of other people decided that they were going to complain as well - even though i reckon half of them hadn't even heard the programme they were compalining about. As the reported number of people that had complained got larger so more people decided to complain and so it snowballed. Just my opinion of course.

As far as I am concerned it should have stopped after the first phone call - I'm sure there must have been a producer in the studio who could have pointed out they were going too far. As it was a pre-recorded show I find it inexplicable that it went out on air and whoever authorised the transmission should be the one resigning and not Russell Brand.

This has been, almost word for word, my impression and feelings about the situation. Again, being in the US and not the UK, I know I may be missing significant pieces of the puzzle, so that's why I posted here. I'm going to miss not having my Jonathan Ross podcast this week...and next...and next.

Karla B.

 

[ptrbryant]

I must admit i can't stand Russel Brand so he's no sad loss, but i actually like Jonathon Ross, I think mostly people have jumped on the band waggon.

Off-topic, but I think our dates at Wilderness Lodge this December may overlap!

Karla B.

 

[ptrbryant]

And back a bit on topic, when the BBC hired Russell Brand, surely they knew who they were hiring!?!? What did they expect?

 

[mikki.young]

The BBC kept showing clips of how idiotic Brand and Ross had been (including some weird sung apology). The more they showed the more complaints they got when people who didn't listen to the show realised what the BBC had allowed to be broadcast. Brand and Ross were immature in what they did but the editorial staff who allowed it to be broadcast are equally to blame. I suspect that the wrong head has currently rolled at Radio 2. I will also agree that the grand daughter is not covering herself in glory. The real point is the question of what is appropriate or not to broadcast. The BBC guidelines are more straitlaced than elsewhere and rightly so as it is tax payers money and overall we are conservative (with a small c). Cheap tricks, poor humour and so called reality fish-bowl coverage have dramatically reduced the quality of TV and radio. Maybe this episode will be a much needed wake up call to performers and editors alike.

Just my point of view. Oh, and I didn't write and complain this time!

 

[stoneyloon]

It's all bloody ridiculous!

There were only 2 complaints prior to the press reporting the story (therefore from people who actually listened to the show). The other 29,998 need to get a life and that includes our esteemed PM, has he nothing more important to worry about?

 

[emily1982]

Off-topic, but I think our dates at Wilderness Lodge this December may overlap!

Karla B.

oo cool...we are there from the 20th Dec till the 2nd Jan.

 

[oceanscape]

It's all bloody ridiculous!

There were only 2 complaints prior to the press reporting the story (therefore from people who actually listened to the show). The other 29,998 need to get a life and that includes our esteemed PM, has he nothing more important to worry about?

That absolutely infuriated me when Gordon decided to chirp-in with a comment. Not as if he has anything else to do, oh, apart from fixing our broken economy and a whole host of other issues

 

[madmumof2]

I think people have got their knickersin a twist over nothing. Yes they went a little far, but all this new coverage and uproar? Some people need to gets things into perspective!

4 days now its been the main headline. There are bigger things going on in the world, I don't see what the fuss is abou, and it's really annoying me seeing it everywhere tbh.

I did think it was rather funny as well lol.

 

[ptrbryant]

What's funny is that I was trying to explain the situation to my husband. He isn't as familiar as I am with Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross, but he's a broadcast radio manager (with a National Public Radio/NPR station, which is kinda sorta like the BBC), so I thought the story would be interesting to him. Each day, the drama got bigger and he wondered how I kept finding these "small, trivial" news reports. I had to explain that it was on the homepage of both SkyNews and BBC most of the week and he was shocked.

Karla B.

 

[ptrbryant]

oo cool...we are there from the 20th Dec till the 2nd Jan.

We're checking in on 14th Dec. and checking out on the 21st of December. Hadn't planned to make this trip, but got an offer for free dining and couldn't resist the idea of a December stay at Wilderness Lodge...plus free food! We've never been there in December before, but I keep hearing how beautiful the decorations are, etc...suppose the fireplace may seem more welcome than when we've been there during May heat waves.

Karla B.

 

[Pinky166]

We're checking in on 14th Dec. and checking out on the 21st of December. Hadn't planned to make this trip, but got an offer for free dining and couldn't resist the idea of a December stay at Wilderness Lodge...plus free food! We've never been there in December before, but I keep hearing how beautiful the decorations are, etc...suppose the fireplace may seem more welcome than when we've been there during May heat waves.

Karla B.

Hey Karla - I am at Wilderness Lodge too from 9th to 16th Dec!!

I can't wait to see all the christmas decorations. It's our first time going at christmas - also our first time at the WL.

 

[hildasmuriel]

I've just come back from a few days at DLRP so I have missed out on all of this. Seems I am lucky.

I do feel sad for Andrew Sachs - he will always have a place in many hearts due to his portrayal of Manuel. It seems a shame that now he is an old man, he has this sort of joke played on him. Don't really know or care about the granddaughter, but he must have cringed at the idea this was played on the radio.

 

[Clare D]

Well you know what they say no publicity is bad publicity and to be honest once all this has blown over I can't see any long term damage being done to their careers.
Yes is was silly and immature and went a too far but I agree with the comments made here that if this all that the likes of Gordon Brown has to worry about at the moment putting his ten pence in then he has a problem.
As for Andrew Sach's grandaughter talking to the Sun - need I say more!