Ross and Brand

passout

Yes, even the Telegraph seems to have gone down the lifestyle route I'm afraid. I quite like the Independent but there is still some excellent journalism with the Telegraph so I'll stick with it for a bit. Do you think the Independent lives up to it's name though? Isn't it left of center? I have noticed that the Independent often leads with different stories to the others - so it's independent in that sense at least.

MoonCircuit

No opinion on Ross or Brand, I don't watch either of them. I'm glad angry crowds are banging on the BBC's gate though. Not before time.

Le Commentateur

The Guardian is becoming a blog disguised as a newspaper. Nice fonts though.

Porgy

passout wrote:

Yes, even the Telegraph seems to have gone down the lifestyle route I'm afraid. I quite like the Independent but there is still some excellent journalism with the Telegraph so I'll stick with it for a bit. Do you think the Independent lives up to it's name though? Isn't it left of center? I have noticed that the Independent often leads with different stories to the others - so it's independent in that sense at least.

Isn't that the sense that was always intended?

I can't say I've detected the leaning to the left, but I'm very impressed with the alternative lead stories. I've always thought that the columnists were fairly well balanced across the spectrum - or at least as well as the journos I respect - Cockburn and Fisk in particular, there are a few writers that I find offensively right wing.

heavymental

Well, Brand resigned. I think its worth watching his statements and apology if you think he is a worthless piece of crap because there's no sign of it in what he says.

Fkin Daily Mail. Hope those dumb fuks are happy.

passout

Porgy wrote:

passout wrote:

Yes, even the Telegraph seems to have gone down the lifestyle route I'm afraid. I quite like the Independent but there is still some excellent journalism with the Telegraph so I'll stick with it for a bit. Do you think the Independent lives up to it's name though? Isn't it left of center? I have noticed that the Independent often leads with different stories to the others - so it's independent in that sense at least.

Isn't that the sense that was always intended?

I can't say I've detected the leaning to the left, but I'm very impressed with the alternative lead stories. I've always thought that the columnists were fairly well balanced across the spectrum - or at least as well as the journos I respect - Cockburn and Fisk in particular, there are a few writers that I find offensively right wing.

I thought it amied to be politically objective, hence the name - I admit this is an assumption on my part. I think that's different from deciding which story to lead with, as the Guardian and Telegraph often lead with the same stories anyway despite their political leanings. Interesting to hear that you notice the political leanings of individaul journalists, I guess it wouldn't stand out in a paper that's overtly left or right wing throughout (pretty much). To be honest I never even read their names and I don't like the way they have their photos on their articles now. Anyway....

passout

Heavymental wrote:

Well, Brand resigned. I think its worth watching his statements and apology if you think he is a worthless piece of crap because there's no sign of it in what he says.

Fkin Daily Mail. Hope those dumb fuks are happy.

Sorry to hear that

Tim Farr

IMO the reason for so much interest in this news story is not only the awfulness of Brand and Ross's. The point is that we understand this matter/can relate to it/can discuss it whereas more complicated and arguably more important issues - such as the financial crisis - your average person such as myself do not understand/can't discuss beyond wanting our savings protected.

It's a bit like your average local councillor who is happy to talk about refuse collection or street sweeping but struggles when it comes to personnel matters, industrial development, financial budgets.

So when it comes to Brand and Ross, a clear black and white issue, we all pile in!!

shockedsoshocked

Just listen to Adam and Joe instead.

All is well.

CHRISNOIR

Nasty, horrible Russell has gone now, well done the people of Great Britain…

People complaining about this after the event should hang their heads; jumping on a bandwagon of manufactured outrage in order to give Ross, Brand and the BBC a bit of a kicking. I find it baffling that a person would hear about something that sounds like it might be offensive and then actively seek it out in order to be offended. How dumb do you have to be? Especially when that manufactured outrage is produced the Daily F**king Mail…

Will they be safe in the knowledge that nothing offensive, controversial, exciting or,even, God forbid, different will assault their ears? Hope they’re pleased they’ve done their bit to put an end to something they previously had no interest in.

“I don’t like them” seems to be the bottom line on most of the criticism. Well, guess what? I don't like 99% of the sh*te pumped out by TV and Radio but instead of complaining I avoid it…

TheBoyBilly

Why just the Daily Mail (my read of choice, by the way) Just walking past newstands it was plain to see that most of the other papers were calling for Brand and Ross's heads. Ah, I see, it's because the Mail had "SACK THEM" as their topline. But if, as I'm sure most of you wouldn't, you'd cared to explore further it wasn't the Mail itself calling for this. Right then, that's me off to earn more money to put towards the gilt-edged, index-linked pensions for the non-jobbers in my local council.

CHRISNOIR

Because the Mail on Sunday was first onto it (albeit a week after the show...).

passout

I agree Chirs. The Mail and Co. stir up a frenzy over anything - asylum seekers normally. They are hypocrits because they harp on about political correctness interferring with free speech (these presenters are far from PC), yet criticise people for been 'rude' and saying things they don't like. Obviously there is a middle ground but you get the feeling that really means that they'll have a go at anyone who doesn't reside on that 'middle ground' with them. The problem with the middle ground (including 'common sense' & other versions of the same thing) is that it stifles creativity, innovation, meaningful debate, humour but most of all it's extremely dull! I'd rather have edgy than dull! Most of us don't want to be right wing Victorian style moral hypocrits - the market that the Mail panders to. Tim made a good point about over simplification too.

That said the BBC does need to review it's systems with a sense of urgency if it wants to avoid Mail reading lynch mobs in the future. It is endangering the license fee with this and all the other bad press it's had.

PS Who are Adam & Joe?

Ash_

TheBoyBilly wrote:

Why just the Daily Mail

But wasn't the moral 'outrage' largely generated by the Daily Mail (nobody cared until they ran a story on it)? You can't really blame other papers for running the story once the BBC had received so many complaints and even the Prime Minister was commenting on the issue.

Of course the Daily Mail aren't the only ones to produce lazy, sensationalist journalism (though they're probably the best at it), but they're guilty of turning what Brand does week in week out (pretty much) into a scandal this time round.

shockedsoshocked

passout wrote:

PS Who are Adam & Joe?

They present a show on Radio 6 on Saturday mornings (amongst other things). They've won multiple awards for their show, it's really good, and often very funny (plus they don't prank call old blokes).

They do a great bit called Song Wars. Here's a few if you have time (the Quantum of Solace proposed theme tunes are incredible).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMoJRLStD9c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOH8_Vf_xIE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP4CsByFF6w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLZpxVI7Pa8

TheBoyBilly

Now I know that our Gordy likes to pinch Tory ideas but the notion that he follows a (supposed) campaign in the Mail takes a bit of believing. He's just doing his usual bandwagon jumping unfortunately. Still, it was New Labour that got all this "Cool Brittania" nonsense off the ground :roll:

CHRISNOIR

TheBoyBilly wrote:

Now I know that our Gordy likes to pinch Tory ideas but the notion that he follows a (supposed) campaign in the Mail takes a bit of believing...

This is true. Tim Farr's post touched on this issue; I think Gordon is deploying Weapons of Mass Distraction here - "Economic Crisis? No, don't look at that - look at this!"

passout

Thanks shocked so shocked,

Weren't they on TV for a while? Anyway I'll give it go instead of Wossy on Radio 2 (the only DJ and the Mrs both like as it goes).

attica

I can't help feeling that the BBC have let RB and JR down here.

Before I go on, I completely agree that the phonecalls were in the worst of taste and infantile in their humour.

The calls however were made whilst pre-recording and not live, so the presenters would have felt free to push the boundaries of good taste.
Brand in particular was employed to push the boundaries of good taste, this is the man who was sacked by MTV for turning up for work dressed as Osama Bin Laden on Sept 12th 2001, the BBC knew what they were getting when they employed him.

To then allow an editorial process to fail so dramatically is appaulling.

I honestly think the BBC should not have accepted Brand's resignation as he was doing his job (however distasteful his humour was). By allowing the Mail to dictate in this way creativity is going to be stifled.

As for Ross, I think the picture is a little muddier, he seems to have two faces, firstly, serious film critic and family man, secondly a grown up ex-punk comedian who sometimes skirts the boundaries of taste. It could be argued that he should have known better, but also equally, that he was pushing the boundaries and doing his job in the same way that Brand was.

All a moot point really as the Daily Hell has manufactured this $hitstorm and it's cost at least one man his job (yet his reputation will probably be enhanced by this in the long run)

boybiker

passout wrote:

What ever happened to peace, love and understanding? Some of these posts are pretty hateful - why does it bother people so much? Jealous of their high salaries or is it the 'I could do that job' factor? I think that they are both talented (although Brand's not really to my taste), intelligent and pretty entertaining. They've bothdone well condsidering how 'stupid' or 'chimp like' they are.

By the way Biker Boy - Noels House Party was awful. It's a tregedy that it took a mans life to end it but I was glad it ended!

It bothers me because Brand is a talentless w@nker who for some bizarre reason seems to think that he is funny. I really don't see what his appeal is, but then again many of the people who get a break on the radio seem to do it for no good reason other than their ability to get drunk and say cock to little old ladies.

Infamous

2 hours less entertainment a week on the bbc... what's that now? about 90 minutes a week that is even remotely watchable?

If I paid my TV licence, I'd be seething.

Le Commentateur

CHRISNOIR wrote:

Nasty, horrible Russell has gone now, well done the people of Great Britain…

Ah, it's just a strategic step so he can be appointed as the new Dr Who.

Le Commentateur

...with accompanying pay rise!

CHRISNOIR

That's scary - I was saying at work this morning Russell Brand would make a brilliant Doctor Who! The campaign starts here.

Oh, and... SFW

http://s4.tinypic.com/21nf892.jpg

heavymental

boybiker wrote:

passout wrote:

What ever happened to peace, love and understanding? Some of these posts are pretty hateful - why does it bother people so much? Jealous of their high salaries or is it the 'I could do that job' factor? I think that they are both talented (although Brand's not really to my taste), intelligent and pretty entertaining. They've bothdone well condsidering how 'stupid' or 'chimp like' they are.

By the way Biker Boy - Noels House Party was awful. It's a tregedy that it took a mans life to end it but I was glad it ended!

It bothers me because Brand is a talentless w@nker who for some bizarre reason seems to think that he is funny. I really don't see what his appeal is, but then again many of the people who get a break on the radio seem to do it for no good reason other than their ability to get drunk and say fool to little old ladies.

Trouble is. He's not talentless is he. And its not just himself who thinks he's funny....

2006 Time Out Best Stand-Up - Won
2006 Loaded Laftas Best Stand-Up - Won
2006 British Comedy Awards Best Newcomer - Won
2007 33rd Annual Television and Radio Awards Best Television Performer In A Non-Acting Role - Won
2007 Channel 4 100 Greatest Stand-Ups - 69th
2008 British Book Awards Biography of the Year - Won

Plus he has a very successful career so maybe you're wrong here? It comes down to taste and whats annoying is that the Daily Mail has managed to get someone off the airwaves who isn't to their taste. As Chrisnoir says. If you don't like something. Avoid it. Are you happy to see the DM stick its nose into every comedy club, tv and radio show, cause a shtstorm and get them sacked/cause them to resign? If they wanted they could pick on any rude gag that gets uttered on the airwaves, in theatres and comedy clubs around the land, print it, express shock, vilify the perpetrator and wait for the public to register their disgust. Lets not forget that no one gave a fck until the Mail ran the story a week later and suddenly everyones off to youtube to get offended. Just think, 99.9% of the public wouldn't have been aware of it ever happening but the DM decided to shine its moral spotlight on it. Just think, everyone would have been sleeping soundly, not knowing that the vile braggart Brand was busy leaving some rambling offence on Manuels answer machine. Boybiker could have never been tainted by the whole sorry situation. But luckily, the DM was able to expose everyone to his poisonous 'humour'. They're like our big brother. Looking after us when we need their help.

If the DM wanted to, it could mess up anyones career/image.... 'Boybiker types the word W@nker on cycling forum. A young cycling enthusiast has infuriated readers by using coarse and offensive language on a cycling forum. Shocked readers were stunned to see the offensive word, a slang term for an onanist, used quite uneccesarily on a forum dedicated to discussion about cycling. Boybiker, seen here leaving his surrey mansion refused to comment.'

Its all bllsht. What we've witnessed over the last few days has been classic witch hunt journalism.

heavymental

I hope he does get to be Dr Who. That would pss all over their chips.

Brassknocker

check out the daily mash:-

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/inte ... 810301363/

...a fantastic website!

boybiker

Oh noooooo!
Dr Who sinks to even greater depths of utter crapness with The Doctor played by a deeply unfunny guy who looks like a child molester who needs a bath.

TheBoyBilly

If the DM wanted to, it could mess up anyones career/image...........

In the interest of balanced argument so could any paper. The lefty press and Bandwagon Brown were quick to jump on George Osborne's ill-advised trip on an oligarch's yacht, even calling for an enquiry, but have remained strangely quiet (especially the Tribune) about the far greater, sinister dealings of the twice-disgraced Mandelson who still insults our inteligence by refusing to answer questions. And there's the bottom line - when the lefties and their agenda are cornered the best that they can come back with is lame attacks on the Daily Mail (mainly) or the Torygraph. You only have to look how many times it (the Mail) gets a mention in some of these posts. Perhaps the gentlemen doth protest too much, methinks.

attica

TheBoyBilly wrote:

If the DM wanted to, it could mess up anyones career/image...........

In the interest of balanced argument so could any paper. T

It's just that it's only the Daily Mail that actually does mess up someone's career.