Not only but also…
Did you read about Wossy and Russell Brands latest on-air prank? These stars in the BBC firmament thought it would be hilarious to make obscene phone calls to 78-year-old Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs. They left a series of lewd messages on Mr Sachs’s answer phone claiming, in shockingly explicit language, that Brand had had sex with his granddaughter, Georgina. Sachs was left deeply upset by the crude calls – which were also broadcast to about two million listeners to Brand’s Radio 2 show.
In a way, such crudity is all we can expect from the likes of Ross and Brand so quelle surprise but the real killer for me is that senior BBC executives cleared the offensive messages for broadcast, even though making abusive phone calls is a criminal offence. The dysfunctionality of the BBC lies not ONLY in sustained left-wing bias but ALSO in unfettered vulgarity – which they make US pay for. The National Broadcaster is a National disgrace and the fact that parasites like Ross and Brand leach of the huge amounts of cash it can provide care of you and me is an outrage that can only be addressed the day the License tax is axed for good.
I note also how that BBC article in its description of Brand mentions his appearance at the MTV awards in America without saying a word about the fact that he used the opportunity to make offensives statements about America and Bush and “retards.” I guess that doesn’t count as controversy at the Beeb because it’s no different to the average conversation in the BBC canteen every lunchtime.
“Under s43 of the Telecommunications Act 1984 and Section 92 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 A person who makes indecent, offensive or threatening calls to another via the telephone system network is guilty of an offence.
The conviction penalty varies from imprisonment to a maximum fine of up to £5,000. ”
http://www.nhwonline.co.uk/personal%20safety/malicious_or_nuisance_telephone_.htm
I suppose £5,000 is chicken feed to these two BBC prols. I doubt very much that the pair will be sacked from the BBC – after all they like to employ failed “celebrates” – such as Piers Morgan – who actually tried to cause the deaths of many soldiers through his publication of a “hoax” British Army abuse allegation.
The BBC is like New labour they employ the seedy people who would not otherwise be employed.
It’s all too much:
Don’t forget Viz have their own strip on Jonathon Ross called “Jonathon Ross and His Quest for a Toss” in which an upper class Wossy is constantly in need of some white knuckle refreshment, regardless of his location.
Clearly Viz’s strip is non-fiction.
You need to add Marcus Brigstocke to that list of unfunny left-wing infestation.
I seem to recall a slightly more staid Russell Brand doing ‘Big Brother’s Big Mouth’ a few years back (post-drugs) wearing nerdy t-shirts and not looking like Kenny Everett’s ‘Cupid Stunt’.
Surely his current persona and demeanour isn’t just a pretence to get him attention?
“The conviction penalty varies from imprisonment to a maximum fine of up to £5,000. ”
Oh well,if they won’t be fired and fines are meaningless,prison bitch it is. Ooops sorry,you want them punishing.
Disgusting bastards, the pair of them!
Shame on the BBC but what do you expect!
Perhaps someone could phone up Brand and brag they had just shagged his grandmother. Or maybe his grand-daughter. “They were just gaggin’ for it, Russell, Couldn’t help themselves, they just wanted it, so I gave it to em, you know, up the a….”
Haa haaa? Hilarious…Funny, no?
Despicable twats. I’ve concluded its a youth audience thing. Being vulgar and embarassing or both replaced humour some years ago. Unfortunately not all of us tellytax payers are in the covetted 18-35 age bracket. Still, maybe they could broadcast above jolly jape on Antiques Roadshow or Songs of Praise.
“Broadcasting is now the subject of many different laws ranging from defamation and contempt to obscenity, incitement and health and safety. Legal problems may therefore arise not just with what we publish but with how we create our content. The BBC has its own programme lawyers, the Programme Legal Advice department (PLA) and further details are available from their internal BBC gateway site. PLA should be consulted as early as possible about content which may run legal risks.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/editorialguidelines/edguide/aboutguidelines/thelaw.shtml
I wonder if they were consulted on this.
john snow is currently doing a left wing tour of west coast of america.
on c4 now.
still, its interesting – as an example of the bubble that John Snow exists in.
(Hugh Hewitt and Praeger by the way , both operate out of California… neither are interviewed..)
john snow again.. interviewing Gary Locke, former governor of Washington state. he is labelled as “former governor”.
no indication that he is a Democrat.
I for one, was laughing my ass off. Enjoy your Daily Mail.
I’m quite fascinated – why does an iPod FM transmitter output US talk radio? Would it pick up other foreign stations?
Why can’t I get US talk radio by tuning my ordinary radio to 106.5MHz?
Cheers.
Miv Tucker | 26.10.08 – 7:09 pm
because the ipod fm transmitter is just transmitting what you have already downloaded via the internet onto your ipod.
in other words – rather than listening to american talk radio podcasts via ipod headphones , you can use the fm transmitter – which then broadcasts to every radio in your house.
its got a very limited range, but your neighbours might pick it up.
here’s some podcasts to get you started:
hugh hewitt
http://www.townhall.com/talkradio/podcast.aspx?RadioShowId=5
denis praeger:
http://www.townhall.com/talkradio/podcast.aspx?RadioShowId=3
someone should send clips of that audio over to Denis Praeger.
its a perfect example of how leftist media types never grow up and remain devoid of any wisdom or compassion.
as someone else above has said – you wouldnt catch them calling up a Muslim with this sort of thing. but a Jew? ahh – he’s just fair game.
I for one, was laughing my ass off. Enjoy your Daily Mail.
Skittles | 26.10.08 – 9:20 pm
oh look – somebody from CBBC…
Oh, and I especially enjoyed how all the Islamaphobes above me dragged religion into this.
I see the Beeb’s astroturfers are about.
“I for one, was laughing my ass off.”
Well you pay for it – why should people who are not as sick as you be expected to.?
i’d extracted the andrew sachs bit from the mp3 i linked to above , for easier download.
here are the two clips.
[audio src="http://johntrenchardcato.googlepages.com/brand-snip1.mp3" /]
[audio src="http://johntrenchardcato.googlepages.com/brand-snip2.mp3" /]
also note that they manage to roll in disgusting mockery of the christian religion into the “joke” in the second part.
i will certainly be passing this onto american talk radio – as an example of what happens when the “fairness doctrine” is implemented , and when state controlled media take over the airwaves.
Oh, and I especially enjoyed how all the Islamaphobes above me dragged religion into this.
Skittles | 26.10.08 – 9:37 pm
see clip 2 above.
i think you’ll find that it was the BBC that dragged religion into it…
The phones calls are shameful and a disgrace. To be honest though, many of the replies on this blog are also shameful and a disgrace.
Two wrongs and all that – some of the things being mentioned above have the same level of ‘hilarity’ and hatred in them.
I follow this blog due to what I consider real, and serious, problems of bias inside the BBC. I am not party to the disgraceful rubbish posted in this thread, and frankly think many of those who have taken part in it should be ashamed of themselves.
As said Brand tried this crap on Rod the Mod and nearly ended up on the wrong end of a kicking.
Clearly he feels on safer ground with Sachs.
Absolutely vile behaviour from this totally untalented individual who as said will likelu end up dieing of an overdose.
I think the only thing Woss will overdose on is doughnuts.
It seems many a wanker has been killed by Autoerotic Asphyxia: Tories, Nazis, Effeminate Artistes
Stage and screen actor Albert Dekker was found in 1968 with his body graffitized and a noose around his neck in his bathroom.
The artist Vaughn Bodé died from this cause in 1975.
Progressive rock musician Kevin Gilbert died from this in 1996, as did drummer Robin Hanssen.
The death in 1994 of Stephen Milligan, the British Conservative MP for Eastleigh, was a case of autoerotic asphyxiation combined with self-bondage.[21]
Michael Hutchence, lead singer of INXS is rumored to have died from auto-erotic asphyxiation in 1997, although suicide was the official cause of death.[22]
A more recent case is the death in 2004 of the extreme right-wing National Front party member Kristian Etchells
Skittle: I hope you get a really sore paper cut from your copy of Zoophile Monthly.
Formal complaint? I’d go straight to my lawyer and ask him to take the BBC, Ross and Brand to the cleaners for this.
I rather like the idea of Ross and Brand, or maybe their producer getting a caution or prosecution from the police. See how long their careers last.
Ross is incompetent as a chat show host. His interview with Daniel Craig was awful (I turned over after that).
“I for one, was laughing my ass off. Enjoy your Daily Mail.
Skittles | 26.10.08 – 9:20 pm | # ”
Not going to be popular at the Beeb without it Skittles.
Kenny Everett was sacked for less.
“The music finally stopped for Everett in 1970, when he made his gaffe about the then Transport Minister’s wife, who had just passed her driving test – “probably slipping the examiner a fiver”, as he put it.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_/ai_n13975474
How times have changed.
Oh, and I especially enjoyed how all the Islamaphobes above me dragged religion into this.
Skittles | 26.10.08 – 9:37 pm |
What is islamophobia?
Just heard that fat bastard Stephen Nolan defending Woss and Brand on Radio 5.
“Millions of people watch them” spouted the fat one.
Well if you put a testcard on BBC 1 at prime time I bet it would get 5 million viewers.
I thought the BBC didn’t chase ratings anyway?
Interesting argument from from Nolan. I wonder how big an audience he would get for a public execution?
GCooper,
LOL -must ask Stephen next time I am on the show, good one!
STILL no formal apology from BBC top brass, 24 hours after their Press Office saw the front-page Mail headline.
Here is the editorial yesterday in the Mail on Sunday
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1080642/MAIL-ON-SUNDAY-COMMENT-Ross-Brand-BBCs-gutter-culture.html
And here is Melanie Phillips in Monday’s Mail :
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1080823/Gloating-cruelty-foul-vulgarity-BBC-lost-sense-shame.html
Here for example is today’s Times :
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article5018123.ece
The Telegraph datelined yesterday
:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/3263700/Jonathan-Ross-and-Russell-Brand-made-sexually-offensive-on-air-phonecalls-to-Fawlty-Towers-actor-Andrew-Sachs.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/3263328/Russell-Brand-and-Jonathan-Ross-joke-radio-phone-calls-just-werent-funny.html
It has surely gone beyond the point of just Brand and Ross.
If top brass in the BBC cannot see the seriousness of this – isn’t it time for the Director-General to resign ? And the Chairman of the BBC Trust ?
Where the hell is OFCOM ?
Where the hell is the Minister for Culture who has oversight of the licence fee ?
Probably 50 million Brits regard Sachs with fondness from the Fawlty days – the classic underdog. “…he’s from Barcleona”… “Que ?”
I have heard Sachs on many programmes since then.
The BBC is picking a fight with all of us.
He’s a Holocaust survivor too. Maybe they were in Reithian state of mind when they dreamed up this cheap little stunt. – Robert S. McNamara
The Mail article points out that Sachs left Germany in 1938. Therefore he cannot be a holocaust survivor, not being in German controlled territory at the time the holocaust is deemed to have taken place ie sometime after 1942.
Ross is also Jewish of course, his mother Martha (born in 1939 if you believe wikipedia) whow was also outside German held territory during WW2. Is she therefore a holocaust survivor as well? Is Ross therefore the son of a holocaust survivor?
Obviously not.
Not that Im defending that pair of tossers Ross & Brand btw. They should both be thoroughly horsewhipped for this incident.
Remember when Brand made some comment about Rod Stewart’s daughter. Later Rod was on stage at the same event and called Brand on it, who looked distinctly uncomfortable. One got the feeling that had they been face to face Brand would have been wetting himself. Rod may be a bit of an old geezer these days but looks like he would be more than capable of landing one on the weedy Brand. Shame he didnt get the chance.
Tm Almond
see how long their careers last..
At the BBC for a long time as long as people keep watching them,oboy important at th bbc will ever admit thatthey were wrong to pay those two so much money for so little.
The beeb loves Brand since he can be guaranteed to generate lots of plastic controversy for the proles without upsetting anyone they see as important. They won’t however employ anyone like Chris Morris who is likely to generate real controversy with any of their favoured groups or political masters.
As for OFCOM forget them. I have dealings with them from time to time and it appears staff turn over is high that one part of the organisation doesn’t know what the other is up to. Sadly Mr Sach’s best course of action would have been to report the incident straight to the Police and let them handle things since the law has clearly been broken.
Seems the call was pre-booked, so my hope that a bit of data protection fun & games may ensure is a non-starter.
Anyway, I now learn some more…
Brand apologises for Sachs slur
Slur? Isn’t that ‘illegal obscene phone call’?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/brand-apologises-for-sachs-slur-974466.html
Plus a few choice bits…
“That’s his answer machine, even if we cut it out of the show, it’s still on his answer machine.”
“After discussing how Sachs might hang himself as a result..”
“Sach’s agent Meg Poole said that she had emailed and written to the BBC to complain about the calls but the BBC insisted it had not received a complaint about the incident.”
Another day, another insight into the cosy, publicly-funded world of the BBC and its immune -from-anything employees in front of the mic… and behind.
“The BBC said last night it was standing by Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross”
Sorry to say this but this thread does the credibility of this site no favours. And before the sneers come out, no, I don’t work for the BBC and am appalled by the genuine political bias that Biased BBC needs to point out.
So, Kuffar, are we to take it that you fully endorse the filth perpetrated by Woss and Brand? If so, how do you justify such a position – assuming you purport to subscribe to even the lowest standards of privacy and decency?
As ever the Daily Mash is worth a read ..
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1355&Itemid=59
Kuffar | 27.10.08 – 9:38 am
Sorry to say this but this thread does the credibility of this site no favours.
Why? There are plenty of threads that might undermine this site’s credibility in the eyes of all sorts of people, but this is not one of them. Perhaps you think it’s prudish to say so.
Russell Brand’s high-pitched giggling over the only subject he appears to be interested in, his own winkie, may appeal to people who get vicarious kicks out of cheeking authority or sniggering at the antics of a bully, or people with a morbid fascination for the repulsive. Because he is.
Suffering from arrested development is not a crime. Acting this way, publicly ridiculing, humiliating and bullying ‘your elders and betters’ just to gain admiration from your infantilised audience is absolutely indefensible when coming from any BBC employee. The BBC should deal with it.
Where is the big difference between admiring Russell Brand’s proudly self-publicised sexually incontinent predation, and intolerance and criminalisation of anyone looking at peodo or porno images?
Well said Sue.
Mark Thompson should be at his desk by now. Here’s how he should spend his morning:
1. Write letter of apology to Sachs family.
2. Fire producer of the show.
3. Fire the ‘senior editorial figure’ who signed-off on it.
4. Call Grade at ITV and Johnson at C4 and do a deal whereby they agree not to hire Ross or Brand for at least 12 months after they get fired by the BBC.
5. Call Ross and Brand and terminate their contracts.
6. Issue a press release apologizing to the licence payer too.
Anything short of the above is a dereliction of the Director General’s duty.
Kuffar | 27.10.08 – 9:38 am
Sorry to say this but this thread does the credibility of this site no favours.
I do find these ‘You lot…’ template, pretend sad head shakes intriguing. Surprise, no actual substance follows.
Which aspect of the BBC and its employees’ behaviour by being shared here ‘lacks credibility’?
Ignoring the Daily Mail ‘faux shock’ (though I reckon Mr. Sachs’ concerns were legitimate) aspect, I am simply concerned that, so far, two highly paid employees of an entity I co-fund have broken the law, and in a manner I would get done for in a heartbeat, and another bunch of enforced parasites are ‘standing behind them’.
As the government and police authorities who would be down on me for any minor indiscretion in a heartbeat seem… slow off the mark… I rather appreciate sites such as this and credit them fully fro bringing it to my attention.
The Mail article points out that Sachs left Germany in 1938. Therefore he cannot be a holocaust survivor, not being in German controlled territory at the time the holocaust is deemed to have taken place ie sometime after 1942.
Yeah, but if he hadn’t’ve left he would’ve, most likely, been a victim of it. Let’s call him a Holocaust Avoider then.
Ahhh diddums.. is wittle kuffar all upswet because a few of us gave the creeps Woss and Bwand the scurrilous kicking they themselves reserve for others.
Guess what. Could care less.
As anonymous…
Two wrongs and all that – some of the things being mentioned above have the same level of ‘hilarity’ and hatred in them.
Yeah Einstein, we do actually UNDERSTAND that.
I guess we are just trying the equivalent shock tactics to make a political point.
One minor difference, that hardly seems worth mentioning but.. we are not pretending to be a “comedy sketch,” sucking on the public tit, so a pair of overpaid creeps can get their jollies by mocking and offending others.
But I am truly sorry if you are offended, GOODBYE, don’t comeback.
Kuffar wrote:
”Sorry to say this but this thread does the credibility of this site no favours. And before the sneers come out, no, I don’t work for the BBC and am appalled by the genuine political bias that Biased BBC needs to point out”
The thing is kuffy me old cock sparrow, can you please explain why it’s oK for you to stand tall and berate this blog for its so called political bias while using an ID which is not only biased against Non Muslims but very offensive as well.
Yeah, but if he hadn’t’ve left he would’ve, most likely, been a victim of it. Let’s call him a Holocaust Avoider then.
Robert S. McNamara | 27.10.08 – 12:13 pm | #
Nice catch. You mean he survived the holocaust by being one of the lucky ones whose immediate family escaped?
Talk about a distinction without a meaningful difference.
Sadly both Ross and Brand are popular. Their success is symptom of a deep malaise in the UK, which maybe the flash-trash capital of the world. Chav Britannia. (e.g.’s Lager louts, litter in the streets, Victoria Beckham and Kate Moss are icons, people wear clothes with the labels on the wrong side and think it makes them look special–all signs of the malaise.).
RobSlack,
Ross and Brand are popular? OK, there are some people that like them, but Ross’ show doesn’t even register in the top 30 terrestrial shows. Why so much money is being spent on him, I don’t know.
I watched it the other night and it’s lame. Ross used to present a really good chat show, The Last Resort, which had an interesting mix of guests and Ross was witty and did a great job. But the current show is all about Ross, and nothing to do with his guests. He’s far more interested in looking smart than letting guests talk.
BBC apologises over Brand prank
The BBC has apologised to actor Andrew Sachs for the “unacceptable and offensive” content of calls made to him by Russell Brand during a radio show. The Fawlty Towers star was called four times during a prank on Brand’s BBC Radio 2 show on 18 October. The actor’s agent said Sachs was “very upset” after Brand and guest Jonathan Ross left lewd messages about the actor’s granddaughter on his voicemail. Brand himself apologised for the offence on his latest show. He said “you musn’t swear on someone’s answer phone”, but added it was “funny”.……
A BBC spokeswoman said the programme received two complaints related to Ross’ swearing, rather than the content of the phone calls, but further complaints have arrived since the details of the incident were publicised.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7692911.stm
I see the bBC has published an apology of sort. But as Bland and Ross has shown with their petty schoolyard antics and behaviour. The apology from the bBC apes their style.
“Well it was funny” and only 2 people complained. (Remind me again how long it took for the ROP to bitch about a few cartoons?) Well lunchtime time saw me ironing in front of the telly, and I had CH4 news on and this is what they have to say on the subject;
BBC apologises for Brand’s antics
The BBC backtracks and apologises to actor Andrew Sachs for the offensive behaviour of Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross.
The BBC has said sorry to the Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs over the behaviour of Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross on a Radio 2 show.
The pair left a series of messages on the actor’s phone around the supposedly funny theme of Brand claiming to have had a sexual relationship with his granddaughter.The pair were heard joking and singing a song about the granddaughter after the programme, which was broadcast last Saturday, had been pre-recorded and cleared by BBC lawyers and producers.
Amid outrage in the press, Andrew Sachs, who played Manuel in the comedy series Fawlty Towers, has said he was upset by what happened.The BBC has confirmed to Channel Four News it has received 546 complaints and released a statement saying: “We have received a letter of a complaint from Mr Sachs’ agent and would like to sincerely apologise to Mr Sachs for the offence caused.
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/arts_entertainment/media/bbc+apologises+for+brands+antics/2664862
On that note anybody here have Ross or Blands phone number I’m sure there are plenty of people who would like to leave a few messages of encouragement on the Wankers mobiles.
Tom
Exactly.
The DG himself should be apologising profusely and publicly to the Sachs family.
Indeed he should have apologised 24 hours ago – the story broke 36 hours ago.
Instead we finally have a weaselly apology by some anonymous BBC spokeswoman – for what their headline describes as a “prank”.
Prank !!!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7692911.stm
The proper course would be to fire both Brand and Ross – and whichever BBC executive approved the broadcasting of the calls.
Weak-kneed lawyers at the BBC will probably say that they cannot fire the tossers because their contracts prevent this. But I bet a resolute lawyer could drive a coach and horses through that defence. They have brought the BBC into disrepute – a quick Google check shows there are already hundreds of stories across UK and overseas media.
And of course the best outcome would be for the 2 tossers to be prosecuted. The type of lewd calls they made can attract up to 6 months’ imprisonment.
pounce,
I have wondered how Ross would feel if people called his saturday morning quiz and said that they’d f**ked his mother.
Not that I want to give anyone any ideas, oh no…
Not much credibility being accorded by either of these from that pillar of conservative, Aunty-hating, middle-of-the-roadness, The Guardian:
Andrew Sachs was not the only victim of Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/tvandradioblog/2008/oct/27/russell-brand-jonathan-ross-andrew-sachs
‘Unacceptable and offensive’: Russell Brand on BBC Radio 2
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/organgrinder/2008/oct/27/bbc-radio
They’d better take care: the hissy-fit prone senior ‘talent’ might take our money else where and advertise… er… suggestions?
Might not be a bad thing. The paper may actually benefit from not being too closely associated the way things are going.