Anger at two BBC Presenters that's big news

[stuart.uk]

I don't if anyone in America would be interested at the Scandel at the BBC that's pushed the Credit Crunch of the front pages in the UK.

Russell Brand, who recently present a show in America, has his own radio show at the BBC and on this occassion had as a guest on his show the companies highest paid presenter Johnathon Ross.

In a pre-recorded show, Brand as a gag phoned 78-year-old actor Andrew Sachs (Andrew might be known to many in the U.S for his potrayal of waiter Manuel in John Cleese's global hit sit-com Fawlty Towers). Andrew wasn't in, but they got his answering machine. Somewhere along the line Brand boasted somewhat crudely that he'd rightly slept with his granddaugther Georgina, to which Ross joined in with stupid comments. Instead of stopping they behaved like a couple of silly school-boys, phoning the answering machine on several occassions.

If that wasn't bad enough someone at the Beeb gave the go-ahead for the show to be broadcast on air. There wasn't many complaints to begin with, but as more members of the public heard about what had happened the complaints went through the roof with calls for both men to be sacked.

Both men have since apologised and Brand has resigned from the BBC. However, I don't think that'll hurt him to much as he's about to star in a Hollywood film.

Like Brand, Ross was suspended, but he's raking in £16-000s for doing nothing as he's on an 18 million pound contract. He has his own chat show, presents Film 2008 and hosts countless award shows. However, he may avoid the sack, because it wasn't him who decided to air the broadcast, but some executive instead.

Andrew Sachs has a reputation for decency and most feel it was unexeptable he was targeted in this way, but has he pointed out while he was angry it was nothing compared to the way his grandaughter was feeling.

[movieman1957]

Hadn't heard of this one. (No surprise though) People do the dumbest things when they think they are trying to be funny.

We have had a wide array of radio announcers suspended or fired in the US for either doing dumb things themselves or encouraging others to things for prizes. The trouble is there is always someone else to hire them. I guess there will always be a segment of the audience who considers that entertainment.

[stuart.uk]

Brand, in particular and Ross are known for their near the knuckle humour.

One of the reasons it's it the headlines is because their a bit bigger than radio annoucers with tv shows of their own. I remember on one occassion a football pundit and ex-manager, who thought he was off-air made a racist comment and never worked again in the media.

The feeling is that Brand's behaviour was expected, but that the older Ross should have known better. Though he's not my cup of tea, at 18 million over a three-year period Ross had a glittering career in front of him, but now he's put that at risk.

I should also add Andrew Sachs has excepted the apologise from both men, but I think it could take a while, understandably, for his granddaughter to be so forgiving.

[stuart.uk]

Johnathon Ross has since been suspended for three months without pay.

Russell Brand is coming out to America to make some movies, but on his last visit he caused some controversy presenting an awards show. I wonder if anyone in the U.S on the forum saw it.

The one person at the BBC I feel sorry for his the head controller of Radio 2, who resigned as a result of the broadcast. I know that folk will say The Buck Stops Here, but it was one of her employees that was responsible for the blunder of letting the show go out on air. She wouldn't have know about the broadcast until it was to late to do anything about it

[movieman1957]

Unless he cut loose with a four-letter word laced speech we probably would not have heard it. His name is not familiar and I don't watch awards shows but it all depends on how bad he was.

[stuart.uk]

Movieman

I checked it out. Russell Brand presented the MTV Awards. What he apparently caused offence was by saying George W Bush was a retard.

[movieman1957]

I do remember hearing that. It did get some play. Why celebrities feel there opinion is so important to share on an awards show is baffling to me.

BTW CNN finally has an article on the item you mentioned to start the thread. They even seemed to joke that Sachs might kill himself on hearing the news you mentioned.

Dumb.

[charliechaplinfan]

I've been watching this on the news. I'm one of the people that just doesn't get their near to the knuckle humour when it's aimed at others which it frequently is. I've never been in support of the BBC paying such high salaries for stars like Johnathon Ross. All this news does make me feel like I'm not in the minority anymore regarding my sense of humour.

I do think it's got so much press coverage because it's a change from the Credit Crunch.