Should Ross and Brand get sacked?

[spindrift]

The BBC could face prosecution over obscene phone calls that Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand made to 78-year-old Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs.

The controversial presenters left a series of lewd messages on Mr Sachs’s answerphone claiming, in shockingly explicit language, that Brand had had sex with his granddaughter, Georgina.




Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross could face prosecution after obscene on air phone calls to Fawlty Towers actor, 78  | Mail Online




It's not funny, it's tactless, crude and juvenile.

This is how to do it:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/ae_a6H3lOvk&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/ae_a6H3lOvk&rel=1</a>

[Polar Bear]

Numerous recent broadcasts even including Radio 4 has convinced me that the BBC is now the red top of the public broadcasters.   

It's nasty, vile, spiteful, insensitive, abuse of position (live or recorded public broadcasting should be seen a a very privileged and responsible position) and completely lacking in respect as well as being potentially a crime.

As per Brand and Ross:  Surely they can have their contracts terminated and aunty beeb can be prosecuted.   If I was Mr Sachs I'd pop along to my local police station and make a formal complaint in the hope that Brand and Ross can be prosecuted too.

[Flying_Monkey]

Numerous recent broadcasts even including Radio 4 has convinced me that the BBC is now the red top of the public broadcasters.   

This incident was nasty and stupid, but your statement here is ridiculous. Standards might have slipped, but are you seriously trying to tell us that the BBC is more tabloidish than ITV and Sky and commercial broadcasters? You ask anyone outside Britain and they have a lot more respect and appreciation for the BBC than we do. There's a kind of generalised Daily Mailish misery in this country which means that too often we don't think we know just how good we have it.

[Polar Bear]

It's my opinion.  I'm entitled to it. 

[Regulator]

Certainly Ross and Brand should be sacked. This was tasteless, offensive drivel - something they seem to specialise in and which has no place on the BBC.  The producer of the show should also go, as s/he should not have let them do it.  

I do believe that some parts of the BBC have been 'dumbed down', in part in response to the conditions imposed on the BBC by government in the renewal of its Charter and the license fee.  However, I believe that the BBC is still head and shoulders above any other broadcasters and has output that it can justifiably be proud of.  After all, the World Service is still the most listened to broadcaster in the world.

[spindrift]

Ross had the woman from Gardenerr's World on, Rachel Tame (SP?).

He was going on about her husband mounting her as she dug beds, it was cringe-worthy.

[tonycollinet]

This habit which has sprung up - particularly on Radio - but also on TV, of calling people unrelated to the show, live, and trying to make them look stupid is tasteless and unpleasant. It smacks of playground bullying. There should be no place for it in the BBC.

Certainly if what is reported of Brand/Ross is true, they should be sacked, and hopefully prosecuted.

[Jaded]

I'd prefer to see a prosecution than a sacking. The latter would follow a successful prosecution.

[Chris S]

Well, I didn't need any excuse to avoid Mr Brand's... ahem... "humour" as I'd already come to the conclusion that he's a w@nker.

Mr Ross has been going downhill for a long time. This process seems to have entered a critical phase - I used to watch his Friday evening show, but just find it embarrassing to watch now, so don't. Still listen to his radio show occasionally, which as yet, hasn't descended too far into the abyss, but I don't hold out much hope TBH.

Actually - I watch very little TV now, and listen to radio less and less. The TV/Radio stations deserve all they get as they fight each other over fewer and fewer subscribers.

[Polar Bear]

Aunty beeb is being humble on radio 5.

Rather overdue I'd say.

Linky

In the interview broadcast live she also acknowledged that a criminal offence may have been committed.

[little miss mac]

Interesting. The line on the Toady prog this morning was that no complaint had been received by the BBC. They were clearly playing for time - picture the scene of lots of senior producers and management etc having "tense" conversations with each other behind the scenes, asking WTF had gone on and WTF should they do about it.

Morons, all involved.

[Flying_Monkey]

It's my opinion.  I'm entitled to it. 

There is no need to be so defensive. I know you are entitled to your opinion as am I to mine. I was however, hoping for a little more than simply the assertion of opinions (which is pretty much worthless in itself) - you know, a little analysis, depth, give and take, discussion, witty repartee... 

[Charlotte]

Although I may once have thought he was tolerably amusing, I've now come round to Mr Larrington's way of thinking on this one. 

For the good of the nation and our noble way of life, Russell Brand ought to be dropped into a very deep, dark oubliette and have the minced remains of Destiny's Child, Atomic Kitten and the Lighthouse Family poured down after him.

[clarion]

I've liked a lot of Brand's humour, but this just isn't funny, and should have been obviously not funny to both overpaid presenters and the producer.  Not acceptable.

I hear on the radio that the BBC have apologised.  great.

[Polar Bear]

It's my opinion.  I'm entitled to it. 

There is no need to be so defensive. I know you are entitled to your opinion as am I to mine. I was however, hoping for a little more than simply the assertion of opinions (which is pretty much worthless in itself) - you know, a little analysis, depth, give and take, discussion, witty repartee... 

With respect, to suggest that my opinion is ridiculous doesn't encourage me to bother to engage.

I've heard some complete tripe from BBC radio recently, more than ever in fact.  This includes Alan Green branding England supporters as 'morons' for daring to boo at a footballer.   What a total buffoon.   The BBC justify this because the England captain at that match, the notably intellectual and erudite Rio Ferdinand subsequently called the fans morons too.  Well, that makes it acceptable then, eh?

Many people might wonder why I find this so bad?  Well, it's not just using the word 'moron' which in itself rates pretty low in insults, but it is the attitude adopted by a public broadcaster that he can say and do as he wishes without consequence.  To openly challenge said fans to call him on the air is also playing games.  How many callers will he talk to during the program? 20?  30?  And the producer isn't going to allow every caller through because they need to have a wide range of discussion.   He knows he has the security of producer-protection.   Pretty brave then, eh?

I expect a lack of standards and eloquence from some, but I expect much much better from the BBC.

Surely we want to keep the BBC the envy of the world rather than watch it slide to the level of the rest?

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

There was a fuss earlier in the year about Sarah "pure dead boring" Kennedy using a large chunk of her R2 show to complain about the people who were buying her house. It was a complete abuse of her position - the people concerned had no right of reply. I think Brand and Ross should be prosecuted for what they've done - Andrew Sachs is an elderly man and he must have been very distressed.

[Chris S]

That Kennedy woman must be made of Teflon - if I took that much sick leave and holiday, I know I'd get fired.

I keep hoping that one of these days, one of these sickies will be the one that frees the morning airwaves of her presence; which is sad, because I don't usually wish ill on people like that.

There's very little left that interests me on the TV/Radio now. I used to watch News 24 occasionally, but that's become more and more like a tabloid - they insist on talking up every single story into some major world ending crisis in the vain attempt to make everyday life seem somehow sensational and interesting in a soap-opera kind of way.

Must be getting old - these days I like to settle down with a book, or ride me bike  .

[Pneumant]

I agree, if we all turn our backs on these celebs, maybe, just maybe,  they will go away. I get my news now from anologue teletext which is quick to load and absorb and quite  enough for me.  Used to know an elderly man who was firmly of the view that all this grimness was not good at all for the spirit, when he got fed up with his TV and radio (which was quite often) they were unplugged and bunged under his stairs for a few weeks I wish I had the guts to do that!

[nicknack]

I get my news from here. 

[LEE]

I enjoy the work of both Ross and Brand so I hope they are warned, that they learn from it and that they carry on broadcasting.

They were stupid (actually Brand seems to be carrying the can for Jonathon Ross) and insensitive. 

The same newspapers so terribly shocked by this behaviour commit similar and worse offenses every day.

[Chris S]

If I left abusive (and illegal) messages on a celebs answerphone on my employers time, and a complaint was made to my employer that made them look like employers-of-halfwits, would I be fired? Abso-f*cking-lutely.

One rule for them - another for us mortals  .

[diapsaon0]

I broadcast on our local community radio station with a potential listener base of about 55K. The Ofcom broadcasting code is very strict, and, we are incredibly careful about defamation, especially since a certain MP successfully prosecuted a London internet station (after a very stupid broadcast by an unsupervised child) and put them off the air permanently.

Ross and Brand have abused their position and have brought the BBC into disrepute.  In addition, they have caused a great deal of public offence and caused huge distress to a highly respected actor.  

They should face prosecution and then, if (when) found guilty, should be dismissed and banned from broadcasting on the BBC for life.  The BBC executive who approved the programme is equally culpable.

N

[ChrisO]

The same newspapers so terribly shocked by this behaviour commit similar and worse offenses every day.

Could you quote an example from today's newspaper ?

Even if you could, you have a choice about buying the newspaper whereas you are compelled to pay for the BBC whether you like it or not.

Which is why I also have very little time for any defence that rests on how supposedly wonderful the BBC is compared to everyone else. How surprising is that when they have a publicly funded budget that allows them to throw money at everything they want and blow any competition out of the water.

As for Brand and Ross I have never found either of them even remotely amusing, and I turn off or over whenever they come on, nor do I read Brand's columns. But this is what they are paid to do - if the BBC wants to sup with the devil they should have taken a longer spoon.

[JT]

While it was a stupid thing to do, it was a pre-recorded show that was broadcast, so I reckon the producer is most likely to get the chop.

[Hummers]

I have not heard exactly what has been said but am not sure what 'sacking' Brand and Ross would achieve.

They are entertainers and someone out there will have found it hillarious, no doubt. Plus, I wonder if they would have done what they did had they known the deep offence it has allegedly caused.

The outcry to sack them just sounds like a knee-jerk reaction to a media feeding frenzy.

A slap on the wrists and the Beeb taking a deep look into why highly paid radio and TV presenters see fit to behave like 13 year olds to get larfs at the license payers expense would get my vote.

H