Has everyone forgotten Jonathan Ross and Sachsgate?

I never much liked JR anyway, but after the Sachs affair, I can’t stand him. Why Classic FM have given him a prime time prog. I don’t understand. His voice really grates on me, too.

I’ve been thinking about this and I think my strong feelings on the subject are because I see that phone call as being what bullies do. I hate bullying and this was made so much worse by the very public humiliation of Sachs and his granddaughter. Pps have criticised his reaction but how many grandparents of his generation and background would be cool with their beloved granddaughter working as a burlesque artist and mixing with low-life like Russell Brand? Not many!

I detest bullying but the people who stand by, enjoy the fun and minimise these things are almost more culpable in my eyes. I read that the man who oversaw the fallout from the scandal actually remarked that both men showed little remorse for what they’d done other than for the damage to their own careers.

As I said upthread, I would imagine Ross has changed and has had time to reflect on his attitude to women since both his daughters have suffered ill health physically and mentally and have been subjected to cruelty themselves on social media. He must have learned some lessons.

Just explaining why this has triggered me - to use a rather dramatic over-used term!

A phone call on public radio, not just a stupid phone call.

I agree he shouldn't be banned forever from working.

That’s good to know. It doesn’t take much imagination to understand how much upset must have been caused by what happened.

(i can’t think of that creep Russell Brand without shuddering. The fact that he got to be where he was shows how bad things were at the BBC. I really hope they’ve finally learned something.)

I think there's a difference between stupid and downright cruel and crass

Yea, a stupid phine call means he should never work again.

Perfectly well adjusted society will come from that.

No, this thread most definitely is NOT what is wrong with the world right now. What IS wrong with the world is hateful bullies in power with no moral compass and no compassion, throwing their weight around for shits n giggles. Wossy, Brand, Epstein, Trump - all cast from similar mould. That 'only having a larf' relentless power-gaming and putting others - especially women - down, and raising themselves up revolts me far more than ordinary women expressing disgust online at the endless promotion of these shits in the media.

They did reconcile before Sachs' passing

uk.news.yahoo.com/georgina-baillie-made-peace-with-granddad-over-sachsgate-133550776.html

Baillie said in interviews that they found out post-interview that she'd acted in porn films and worked as a dominatrix, and that these things were particularly upsetting for them. It wasn't just that she was a burlesque dancer or had slept with Brand.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/nov/27/georgina-baillie-russell-brand&ved=2ahUKEwiDwvyL77OQAxVBT0EAHY3QDy8QFnoECGYQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0RrA-XXzx0EtFZdre6Bgex

I'm not excusing their estrangement. From their perspective though - it must have been a big shock.. the phone call etc etc My grandmother brought me up, she's about the Sachs' age. I don't think she'd disown me if I were acting in porn & working as a dominatrix, but she'd definitely be devastated. They did reconcile I think?

I feel most sorry for Baillie. It sounds like an initially happy childhood gave way to trauma and addiction according to the interviews she's given. She in a better place now, it seems.

Sure, but their words are reported. We don’t hear them speaking directly and journalists often twist things. Who knows whether those were her words, or what larger context they were in when she said them, or what question she was actually asked?

It’s all very regrettable.

Agreed. Never could stand him, always seemed creepy.

Well it was at least 4 years, and it was an interview, not just a speculation article. It came directly from them.

I was just checking this and I think the estrangement was temporary - but clearly a result of the behaviour of those 2 idiots. You have to take the newspaper report with a pinch of salt, but to me it speaks of how deeply the Sachses were affected as a family and I find it very sad. A thoughtless, moronic act which hurt innocent people badly.

I used to like him but not since that. How would he feel if that had been one one of his daughters. What a wanker. Dunno wtf Jane Goldman sees in him!

I mean they hadn’t even noticed any of it before someone told them. I do feel that disowning a close family member because they’re in a burlesque group, take drugs recreationally and have casual sex is wrong, and the bit about spending lots of money on her seems very toxic.

It seemed like a fair response tbh

You sound an absolute delight, I must say!

Oh do fuck off

Yes - I can well believe it.

Yuk.

I wouldn’t like to be you.

You are tolerant of appalling behaviour which hurt real people - not fictional characters. Haven’t the succession of sexual scandals at the BBC made any impact on you? Where would you draw the line as to a code of behaviour for people paid telephone numbers and entrusted with the privilege of broadcasting to us?

I don’t know anyone IRL who shares your attitude. And I’m glad!

"...we spent a lot of money on her, educating her."

Yeah, I remember several interviews in a similar vein. If the Daily Mail hadn't made such a massive deal of it the chances of it being noticed at all were pretty much zero.

Apologies if this has been posted before. I seemed to remember at the time the pre-recorded content was allowed to be broadcast on BBC Radio 2 that it was a woman at the head of the station - and it shocked me. How many others in the chain of management gave the go-ahead before it was finally aired? Anyway, the Wikipedia entry is worth a read. The Russell Brand Show prank calls - Wikipedia Russell Brand went some way to redeeming himself by paying for Georgina's rehab programme. Would she have needed it had the incident ever happened however?

I haven't forgotten the Andrew Sachs business. It was calculated spite that caused great distress to the Sachs family and how JR ever got back into TV is beyond me. What he did wasn't acceptable then and isn't acceptable now.

I am in my 70's and DH is in his 60's and we both like him. Lots of my friends and family like him and they are all at least 60.

"Family tragedy"!!! Quite the drama queen aren't you? Ok it was not a nice thing to say about his granddaughter but Andrew Sachs and presumably his wife made the decision to cut her out of their lives. They didn't have to make a mountain out of a molehill