fucking government by daily mail

[Heathcliffscathy]

is all i have to say about the ross brand thing.

i'm disgusted really.

This is the mock the week story from the DM -

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1081966/Even-Russell-Brand-row-raged-BBC-comedians-insulting-Queen. html

oh please don't let us end up with only DM approved humour. I'll have to move abroad.

I don't imagine there would have been such a fuss by the daily mail readers if they had not already been incensed by the amount JR makes. Every report on the news mentions it.

They should sack the tosser who agreed to that contract IMO.

GB getting involved is madness. I can see why David Cameron wanted to stick the knife in though.

Jimjams that IS what will happen. The DM will have a new campaign against comedy that it doesn't like. It's terrible.

Another story about Chris Evans, basically its what most people saw on newsnight last night. I think he comes across quite well, but I know him and JR don't get on though. It doesn't sound like he is slagging JR and RB off , he is just saying they deserve to be punished -

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1081939/Jonathan-Rosss-blunder-deserves-punishment-says-Radio-2-col league-Chris-Evans.html

Oh no! I love mock the week - by the very definition the programme 'mocks' (it is the blooming name!) so if you dont find that funny surely you dont watch!

Anyone hear Terry Wogan this morning? He is clearly disgusted at the sacking of the programme controller, all said very gently but obvious. Can only agree with him, appalled that shes had to carry the can.

I feel partly responsible; when this first blew up I thought, 'Well, this isn't really that offensive, they say much worse things on Mock The Week!'

Shouldn't have tempted fate.

Vile isn't it?
"Kate looked every inch her 34 yrs" what's that all about?

Oh god, if the Daily Mail says it's Friday I check my calendar. Do people really buy into all of the bullshit they print? JR and RB acted like a couple of prats on this occasion but do people really find them so offensive all of the time? I doubt it, but now we have a witch hunt on over any comedy deemed 'inappropriate'. BAH!

Personally I find the DM more misogynistic than JR or RB.

Even if I agreed with you, which you know I don't, it's not government by the DM. It's culture. No laws have been revoked, no legislation tabled. Two people have lost their jobs, and it's likely that broadcasters will tighten their privacy compliance and watch for sexism as closely as they do for racism - for a while. Nothing more.

Lots and lots and lots of people found this offensive. Many thought it was simply the latest in a string of offensivenesses (me, of JR). Some of these people read the DM, some, like me, quite definitely do not. It doesn't matter. You cannot discount those feelings, Sophable, because they do not match your own.

I don't think that this is about shutting down any and all 'edgy' humour - I think it is about privacy and respect for individuals, and giving equal value to the humanities of everyone. It should still be perfectly possible to sail close to the wind in comedy - just not to tell the world when and where, you fucked a specific private individual.

In an organization of the size and power of the BBC there must be a buck-stopping point. It's very unfortunate that this time it was Lesley. I think that if the BBC had responded earlier and more effectively, it needn't have happened.

i think it's easy to be as hysterical as the daily mail about the daily mail. However, the reason Lesley wotsername and RB had to resign, is because the way the BBC reacted to this story was shit.

I posted this on another thread, there seem to be about six going at the moment. But basically the gist of it was that if the BBC had effective ways of dealing with DM attacks, this story would not have spiralled out of control in the way it has. Don't blame the DM for being hysterical - that's what it's there for. Blame the BBC for not having effective mechanisms for dealing with a) its presenters and b) attacks from the DM and its ilk. Storming about the DM is easy, it will always be there. Dealing with it effectively is harder but it's something the BBC should be doing and obviously isn't.

Blame the BBC for not having effective mechanisms for dealing with a) its presenters and b) attacks from the DM and its ilk

But in this instance, those two things are in conflict. Both can't be totally wrong! Either they agree with the DM and apologise or they side with their employees. They can't make everyone happy.

I don't think that comedy should be censored. It can be commented on if found distasteful (I don't think that JR/RB were funny on this occassion)and it is also fair enough to demand an apology, but to get the sack or ban anyone is out of the question

But it's not just the DM, MP - you're setting up a false dichotomy. it's not presenter OR DM, it's presenters AND DM.

Just as it's not liberals OR dm-readers, in this instance.

I don't think that comedy should be censored.
MrsR - it wasn't the comedy that was censored, it was the (legally non-compliant) invasion of privacy.

totally agree with OP.

the daily mail were so worried that people might be offended by what they saw that when the BBC took it down they jolly well put it back up again on thier own website 'lest we forget' just how offensive it was.

I think they can apologise and stand by their presenters too

Jjou - yes they do. both of my pils do for starters

I think everyone can be wrong actually.

Just because the DM is a raging hysterical rag, doesn't mean JR and RB are wonderful brilliant talented non-sexist demi gods.

It's possible to despise both of them and not be inconsistent.

Problem is, LittleBella (from your earlier point), I don't think anyone has an effective strategy for dealing with the DM; even the government often gives in after a few foaming-at-the-mouth headlines.

And it's a bit like dealing with a tantrumming toddler; if you say 'No, no, no, no, well alright then since you shouted so loudly', as the BBC has effectively done here, you're just encouraging them to do exactly the same thing in future.

I honestly think that you are falling into the trap of believing that because one group that you dislike (the DM and its readers) holds a certain belief, that that belief must be wrong - or certainly illiberal.

It's a bit naive. I've pointed out on the other threads (not sure why you started this new one Sophable) that, eg, feminists and conservatives often find themselves opposed to similar things, esp in the arena of sexuality. That doesn't make feminism wrong, though, does it? They happen to get to the same position, but through vastly different arguments.

sophable - did Andrew Sachs approve the show?

"Just because the DM is a raging hysterical rag, doesn't mean JR and RB are wonderful brilliant talented non-sexist demi gods."

Absolutely. And since when did either of them become the receptacle of all our hopes for a glitteringly liberal cultural future? Ross, in particular (I like Brand in general, find him v funny at times) likes to present himself as a progressive, but his 'edgy' humour hides a general world-view which is pretty socially conservative, esp re women and their 'function'.