to be sick of tv full of middle aged white men travelling round the world for our "entertainment"

[BadgerQueen]

Griff Rhys Jones on Cities of the World
Stephen Fry in America
Paul Merton in India

and if Dan Cruickshank or Michaeil Palin make another series I will throw the telly out the window.

Why does anyone care what these old farts think - especially when their "insights" are so boring/patronising/really about themselves.

And when do any women get to go?
Rant over.

[MorrisZapp]

I love Stephen Fry but his USA show is a total nonevent. It just looks like an amiable guy getting to potter about and have fun for no other reason than his own enjoyment. It is totally unclear how it is meant to engage the audience.

I'm not opposed to white middle aged rich types having their own shows per se, if the shows are any good. But I totally agree that Griff RJ is just an over exposed self-regarding luvvie.

I actually read his autobiog, and he is a total smug git. He loves himself. He is also unfeasibly wealthy due to telly production company deals etc, the git.

'Posh people with no genuine worries try to act stupid and pretend that there is some peril to overcome when in fact they are just on a total jolly' would sum up much of today's telly output.

The ones that bug me the most are those where some posho goes deliberately seeking out danger and then goes 'oh no! this is so dangerous!', or the ones where they gamble their livelihoods on a new lifestyle and then it's all 'oh my god it could all go tits up at any moment'.

Well, yes, but then again you could just have stayed safely at home, or not packed in your high paying career to become a Tibetan caterpillar farmer etc etc....

[Tidey]

I'm very fond of Stephen Fry too, but I have to agree that his USA programme was rather pointless. He skipped through each state so quickly he might as well not have bothered.

I've never noticed Michael Palin being rude though, he always seems like such a nice chap.

[Witchka]

Totally agree about the travel progs. I thought loved Stephen Fry, will watch QI repeats on Dave until I almost know them by heart. Sadly the America show was a bit pants. Even worse, I downloaded a podcast or 'podgram' of his about his America show and had to delete it. He sounded like a wittering ar*ehole. Kept wanting to shout 'get on with it you Twinings Twat'. Am gutted about this as I don't really want to think of Stephen as anything other than a national treasure.

[WorzselMummage]

I usually think Stephen fry's great but that America program was a load of shit, a complete waste of an hour of my life.

Michael Palin on the other hand is always amazing

( Bruce Parrys a bit fit too )

[Eniddo]

I met Charley Boorman's wife and dds once a very long time ago and they were very very lovely.

[totalmisfit]

i couldn't agree more - why send smug middle class middle age blokes who don't know much more about India or Siberia than we do? Why not send someone who has actually studied the country in depth and has some insight to share with viewers? Surely we watch TV to learn something we didn't know when before we switched it on?

Did anyone see the 'in search of northerness' two parter documentary? (not the one with Joanna Lumley) I forget who presented it but he really knew his onions and it was fascinating. Not just Charlie and Ewan going 'there's a tree! oh look i just lit my own fart'

And Stephen Fry - why not spend a bit longer in each state instead of zipping through going 'oh, there's Pennsylvania!' ?? You've no excuse, you're supposed to be a national treasure.

[BadgerQueen]

Aha, Michael Palin wants you to think he is lovely and kind and interested, but if you actually listen to what he says,rather than looking at his twinkly face, he is pretty self satisfied and mean spirited. Its probably not his fault, I think the "talent" gets treated as if the sun shines out of their bottoms and they forget how to be normal and genuine.

Its actually sad about the Stephen Fry programme -it could have been great as he usually so well informed and funny - I always end up worrying for him though if he gets a lot of flack, may be he was just editied into oblivion or the budget was tight (due to shipping over that ridiculous black cab -
the "funny twist" to the usual format, har har, not).

[BloodshotEyeballsintheScarySky]

I won't hear a word against Michael Palin, and yes I do listen to what he says (although I like his twinkly face!).

Would it be better if these programmes were starring middle aged black men, or middle aged white women? Or Chinese men in their 20's? There are plenty of other 'travel' programmes if you look around.

[WorzselMummage]

I have been sat here thinking ' i hope he doesnt read this' as it'll be a bit upsetting for him.

Not sure how likely that actually is

[BadgerQueen]

Worzel me too! and I started it! I feel really guilty. Do you think he googles himself or has a clippings service for the internet (is there such a thing?)
Disclaimer:
Stephen Fry you are lovely and clever and good, I'm sure the programme was not what you intended it to be.

[WorzselMummage]

Yes.. WE LOVE YOU STEPHEN !

[rebelmum1]

I bet you've sent him into a depression and he wont be on the TV for years

[suzywong]

Please God let no one on here be having a pop at my boyfriend Anthony Bourdain

[BadgerQueen]

Noooooooooooooooooooo, that's so cruel rebel. I think you can tell a bit when he is feeling wobbly or insecure or a bit manic on QI and then I worry about him and whether the other are being nice to him, but maybe I read to much into it. I should get out more. I am ashamed too that were he to read this I have used too many "" and my grammar and spelling has been poor. Oh dear.

[BadgerQueen]

Lol Suzy, but I would like to point out that I do not love Stephen in that way. I love him the way I love John Sargeant on Strictly.

[PuppyMonkey]

Totally agree about this - but I did find the Paul Merton prog with the men and the willies v funny.

As for Griff Rhys Jones - has he got a new agent or something? He is on every farking programme on the telly at the moment... presenting It'll be All Right on the Night, doing that doc about Anger, then this... I wish he'd stick to his Restoration thingy.

[WorzselMummage]

I enjoyed the Mountains one, That was Griff aswell wasn't it ?

[WideWebWitch]

I haven't seen any of the programmes but I thought the same when I looked at the tv listings for tonight.

[phantasmagoria]

Ah, Eniddo, you are wrong about Bruce, he is in fact ENTIRELY MINE. I heart him the most.

[BadgerQueen]

Three Men in a Boat. They did it again too - another series with Grif being a git and the others being dull and beardy.

I'd like to see Julie Burchill go somewhere and do something too, but I'm not sure we mean the same thing. How about Germaine Greer traveling round looking at something to do with women's rights across the world? Or is that just too worthy and earnest?

Dandy - i must have missed the bit about his cab it has "Fry" scratched onto the light in a rather half arsed way.

[2shoesdrippingwithblood]

why does the title say "white men"?

[Orinoco]

Message withdrawn

[expatinscotland]

that's why i watch The Restaurant.

Raymond has a beautiful accent.