Anyone british will, unless they have been living in a cave, have heard about the recent controversy regarding Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross.
For those that aren't aware, The two were on Brand's radio show a couple of weeks ago, and were scheduled to have Andrew Sachs, of 'Faulty Towers' fame on the show for an interview. When he didn't arrive, they phoned him on air, to find out where he was. They got his answer machine, and what started as an inquiry to his location, ended with Ross shouting 'Russell Fucked your daughter' down the phone.
From then on they carried on saying some SLIGHTLY out of line things to the 70+ year old via answer machine messages. I say SLIGHTLY out of line, because the comment about Brand having sex with Sachs' daughter was true.
Initially, there were only a few complaints. They were off people listening to the show. When the story reached the papers, the next day, in the Mail on Sunday, all hell broke loose, and thousands of complaints flooded in. The Sunday paper didn't specify too much on what the two comedians said, only exaggerating the offence it caused. The people who complained didn't even know what was said in the first place.
In the end, Russell quit the BBC, and Ross has been suspended for 5 weeks. Surely an explaination and a heart-felt apology would have done, and what about the network that broadcast the show? It was pre-recorded, so the BBC should've edited it out.
Now, the BBC are being closely watched by Ofcom. They are making sure not to set one foot out of line. A good thing, yes? No. It's taking all the freedom out of broadcasting. They have recently cancelled a popular bbcTHREE show, called 'Coming of Age', due to its adult content. This, a show broadcast at half past 10 at night, a whole hour and a half past the watershed. It's been taken away with no explaination whatsoever, but it's clearly in fear of more complaints.
And now, to top it all off, Jeremy Clarksons 'There's so much to think about while driving a truck, change gear, change gear, change gear, check mirrors, change gear, kill a prostitute' comment has sparked more rows, and he is facing suspension.
Shouldn't the BBC sort out their own programming!? And take some responsibility? And is this Extremely PC world gone crazy?! Your opinions, please
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For those that aren't aware, The two were on Brand's radio show a couple of weeks ago, and were scheduled to have Andrew Sachs, of 'Faulty Towers' fame on the show for an interview. When he didn't arrive, they phoned him on air, to find out where he was. They got his answer machine, and what started as an inquiry to his location, ended with Ross shouting 'Russell Fucked your daughter' down the phone.
From then on they carried on saying some SLIGHTLY out of line things to the 70+ year old via answer machine messages. I say SLIGHTLY out of line, because the comment about Brand having sex with Sachs' daughter was true.
Initially, there were only a few complaints. They were off people listening to the show. When the story reached the papers, the next day, in the Mail on Sunday, all hell broke loose, and thousands of complaints flooded in. The Sunday paper didn't specify too much on what the two comedians said, only exaggerating the offence it caused. The people who complained didn't even know what was said in the first place.
In the end, Russell quit the BBC, and Ross has been suspended for 5 weeks. Surely an explaination and a heart-felt apology would have done, and what about the network that broadcast the show? It was pre-recorded, so the BBC should've edited it out.
Now, the BBC are being closely watched by Ofcom. They are making sure not to set one foot out of line. A good thing, yes? No. It's taking all the freedom out of broadcasting. They have recently cancelled a popular bbcTHREE show, called 'Coming of Age', due to its adult content. This, a show broadcast at half past 10 at night, a whole hour and a half past the watershed. It's been taken away with no explaination whatsoever, but it's clearly in fear of more complaints.
And now, to top it all off, Jeremy Clarksons 'There's so much to think about while driving a truck, change gear, change gear, change gear, check mirrors, change gear, kill a prostitute' comment has sparked more rows, and he is facing suspension.
Shouldn't the BBC sort out their own programming!? And take some responsibility? And is this Extremely PC world gone crazy?! Your opinions, please
x
