The BBC Jonathon Ross/Russell Brand/Andrew Sachs Debate

[monkeysmoke]

Seeing as Jonathon Ross and Russell Brand's prank radio phone call to Andrew Sachs (Manuel from Fawlty Towers) is still being talked about on the news, i thought I'd start a thread to see how people really feel about it.

A brief description for anyone who's been living under a rock for the past few days

On the BBC Radio show hosted by Russell Brand, Jonathon Ross (another BBC employee and presenter of another show) made a prank call to the comedian Andrew Sachs, saying they had f***ed his grand daughter. His grand daughter Georgina Baillie, a member of a group called 'The Satanic Sluts'

My opinion: Personally I really didn't care much for the debate, in fact I didn't see it as a debate at all and was confused by the 10,000 odd complaints the phone call recieved to be honest. That was until I found out that Friday Night with Jonathon Ross (One of my all time favourite shows) is suspended (therefore cancelled) for 12 weeks!

Seriously what is the big deal? When you watch or listen to Brand or Ross you know to expect some pretty edgy comedy. Yes I think it was a mean thing to do. But seeing as his grand daughter is in a group called the satanic sluts (google them to see the true horror) I think its fair to say she had it coming. So ok, I think to myself, but it was her granddad - thats pretty mean you might say. Yeah, her grandad who back in the 70s was in a very controversial comedy portraying a stereotype of the spanish as thick. Surely you might say thats insulting a whole nation. Don't get me wrong, I am through and through an avid Fawlty Towers fan, I grew up on those 12 episodes of solid gold comedy. But for someone who pretty much ripped the s*** out of an entire nation it's a bit rich to kick up a fuss when someone prank calls you about sleeping with your grand daughter when said grand daughter openly goes around calling herself a satanic slut.

I also have a theory behind the 10,000 odd complaints or whatever that were recieved because people were supposedly offended on his behalf. Firstly, there is a mass following of fawlty towers fans, if they had done it to somebody else I really don't think there would have been this massive uproar. Secondly, because the public pay a license for the BBC people feel they have more of a say over what goes, so something like this that happens on the BBC always causes more fuss than other networks. Thirdly, because the BBC probably would have just caved in and sacked them both if they weren't two of the most popular talents on BBC, and the public, hating the idea that celebrities can just behave however they want, are trying to prove a point.

Phew. Anyway, I guess my point is the whole things been blown so out of proportion and I pay my TV license too and I want Ross back on Friday Nights.

[Pierced Musie]

It was uncalled for, especially the part where they asked Sachs if he wanted to hang himself now that he knew Brand had bed the grand-daughter.

But I hate the fact that Russell Brand has taken the fall for the whole prank and apologised on national TV, where as Jonahon Ross has only been suspended without pay and hasn't really given an apology.

Excuse the language but I have always found Jonathon Ross to be a complete t**t and this behaviour does not surprise me at all.

My only concern is they are looking into censoring Mock the Week

[monkeysmoke]

Oh see I like Rossy I think he's alright. I get the impression you may have been one of the people who complained which makes this verrrrrrry awkward...

Nooo I love mock the week (although the new series seems to be lacking something that i can't quite put my finger on)

[Pierced Musie]

I never complained but that prank did disgust me and that ain't something that happens alot. Especially since I am a major fan of Franky from Mock the Week...

Who, lets face it, loves the edge.

[LAURZY!]

I think it has been pretty over hyped, however what they did was uncalled for! Still love Russel Brand though - why cant Jonathon Ross do one, i cant stand him! Thats just their kind of humour - lude and controversial, the radio producer people shouldn't of let them do it in the first place!

I rec they're being used as scape goats to show that the BBC is serious.

They better not even think about doing anything to Mock the Week, that programme is genius But i agree with Monkeysmoke, it has lacked something this series

[Slade]

It was uncalled for, especially the part where they asked Sachs if he wanted to hang himself now that he knew Brand had bed the grand-daughter.

But I hate the fact that Russell Brand has taken the fall for the whole prank and apologised on national TV, where as Jonahon Ross has only been suspended without pay and hasn't really given an apology.

Excuse the language but I have always found Jonathon Ross to be a complete t**t and this behaviour does not surprise me at all.

My only concern is they are looking into censoring Mock the Week

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.

[Pierced Musie]

That is true. Slade, I take your opinion and I also add Russell Brand to the t**t list

[Mrs Bishop]

Really I think you should take in to account that the prank phone calls were unjust and there was no need for them to be broad cast Russell Brand I,m not surprised about as he is very near the mark at the best of times, but as for Johathan Ross hes a married man with kids of his own would he like some one phoning his wife or kids saying what they them selves.? did.

Not only has the BBC still looking into the mater but one thing I will say for Russell he did oppolagise but Jonathon Ross has not had the decentcey to appolagise him self and I think that is really bad, as for suspending him for twelve weeks it is not enough he is not going to miss that money, this should be made by the BBC that every thing before it goes out shoud be heard to make sure its not derogertry to any one in the enterainment industry or to the listner, it makes you ask what one earth was going threw there minds when they did it.

[Reo]

I dont think they should 'punish' them because the viewers complained. Because they have a history and you should know what they are like. But what they said to and about Andrew Sachs who has done nothing to hurt anyone and his granddaughter, I do think they should be punished for what they have done to them. Jonathan being suspended and losing around £1mil and Russell quiting.

I dont think it should be about the viewers or in this case listeners. They should expect things like this from them both. Its about Andrew Sachs and his daughter and should just be about them.

I also really hope they dont censor Mock the Week and other programmes. There is a big difference having jokes even those that go beyond, and insulting and upsetting a person deliberately for a laugh.

I read the article about the Mock the Week Queen joke, stupidly they repeated the episode this week and the papers latched onto it and made a campaign against the show and Frankie Boyle. When the orginal episode aired a year ago with no complaints.

I read that Jonathan Ross wrote(and delivered in person) and/or phoned Andrew Sachs and did apologize not long after it made the paper. Before any word was said from Russell Brand.

[carmelle]

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.