I'm really starting to think the only person who comes out of this well is Andrew Sachs. He seems remarkably sane. And I do think Russell was sincere in his apology and resignation. I miss my fave radio shows, I'm pissed off by the ridiculous media reaction and the stupid public bandwagon-jumping. It can't be nice to be vilified to that extent when you were just intending to have a bit of a laugh. On the other hand, I've always preferred my Russ and J-Ro when they're not being idiots. (Also, I can't help thinking they're probably going to be ok).
I have really mixed feelings about the Georgina person. She's obviously not the sharpest knife in the drawer. I think she's attention seeking and opportunistic. Selling your celebrity sex story to the Sun is so fucking cheap and tawdry it makes me gag, frankly.
On the other hand, you really shouldn't go around sexually humiliating people on public radio even if they are silly attention-seeing burlesque dancers. It ain't nice. Especially when you are a rich celebrity and they are not (even if they so wish they were). I'm sure Russell gets that by now, but I've seen a lot of 'the slapper deserved it' remarks and it leaves a bad taste.
It's really tempting to say, 'what did she expect, it's Russell Brand...' but that doesn't reflect too well on Russell, either, if you think about it.
Argh! I'm tying myself up in knots now! It's all quite silly really. Er, let's think about something else.
I didn't see anything as sexually humiliating in the broadcast. Ross brought up the incident and Brand then turned it into a "God I bet you hate the fact that your granddaughter has been with someone like me".
Georgina also leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. I would never go as far to say "the slut deserved it", she didn't actually get any bad press out of this anyway. I think that Russell actually (and this may sound strange) has the utmost respect for most people. And his comedy is a way of showing affection. This is merely a theory. We'll ask him about it in January.
Both of them will be fine, Ross will be back in the new year with his tail between his legs and Russell always has Channel 4 (did you see Ponderland, it was great?).
I'm still halfway through listening to the podcast (my book is competing for my attention!). Oh poo, you know, this whole thing is so bloody annoying! My criticism of R and J is just that they were rude. I mean, I would have been pissed off! It's a bit like that thing we were talking about the other day, you know - road rage occurs because people don't think of the people in the cars as real people, internet kerfuffles happen because the people behind the typing aren't real... when you talk to an answerphone you might say things you wouldn't if the actual person was in front of you, or even at the end of the phone. I can't help wondering how that interview would have gone if Sachs had answered his phone! I can't imagine Ross would have shouted 'He fucked your grandaughter' at him in person. Pity he didn't answer, all things considered...
But argh, this whole thing should have blown over by now, and I'm really tired of hearing them described as 'perverted sickos' and people hissing 'Smut! Malicious, lascivious filth!' out of my radio (cheers for that, John Humphreys). Because it so obviously isn't that! It wasn't even technically a prank call. It was just a bit of stupidity. I totally agree with you about Russell's respect for people -- at heart I think he's generous and kind and always on the side of the underdog -- which is why I get frustrated when he allows the Glorious Genius of Russell and His Amazing Comedy Brain to get in the way of that. I think he'd probably be the first to admit that he's capable of this.
Oh, and I see they're going after other stuff now, like Mock the Week. Nobody must ever say anything controversial ever again! Radio 2 has reverted to utter boredom. Seriously there was some bloke this morning going "To take our mind off that nasty real news, tell us your most mundane stories. Where are you going today? What will you do when you get there? And now, KT Tunstall."
Anyway. It's all David Baddiel's fault.
Ponderland was brilliant -- omg the woman with the parrot! The screaming horse! The lion in the garage! :D
Oh all right, just one more... Anyway, I can't look at Facebook without seeing 'Blank Blank has joined the group Burn Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand Alive, Jump on Their Lifeless Corpses and Boot Them Into the Thames', so avoiding the whole thing seems a vain hope...
Ok, read it and I think it's pretty much damn on the money. I'd be hard pushed to find anything I disagree with there. I particularly like the bit about the infantilisation of Andrew Sachs.
I have really mixed feelings about the Georgina person. She's obviously not the sharpest knife in the drawer. I think she's attention seeking and opportunistic. Selling your celebrity sex story to the Sun is so fucking cheap and tawdry it makes me gag, frankly.
On the other hand, you really shouldn't go around sexually humiliating people on public radio even if they are silly attention-seeing burlesque dancers. It ain't nice. Especially when you are a rich celebrity and they are not (even if they so wish they were). I'm sure Russell gets that by now, but I've seen a lot of 'the slapper deserved it' remarks and it leaves a bad taste.
It's really tempting to say, 'what did she expect, it's Russell Brand...' but that doesn't reflect too well on Russell, either, if you think about it.
Argh! I'm tying myself up in knots now! It's all quite silly really. Er, let's think about something else.
Obama 2008! :)
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Georgina also leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. I would never go as far to say "the slut deserved it", she didn't actually get any bad press out of this anyway. I think that Russell actually (and this may sound strange) has the utmost respect for most people. And his comedy is a way of showing affection. This is merely a theory. We'll ask him about it in January.
Both of them will be fine, Ross will be back in the new year with his tail between his legs and Russell always has Channel 4 (did you see Ponderland, it was great?).
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But argh, this whole thing should have blown over by now, and I'm really tired of hearing them described as 'perverted sickos' and people hissing 'Smut! Malicious, lascivious filth!' out of my radio (cheers for that, John Humphreys). Because it so obviously isn't that! It wasn't even technically a prank call. It was just a bit of stupidity. I totally agree with you about Russell's respect for people -- at heart I think he's generous and kind and always on the side of the underdog -- which is why I get frustrated when he allows the Glorious Genius of Russell and His Amazing Comedy Brain to get in the way of that. I think he'd probably be the first to admit that he's capable of this.
Oh, and I see they're going after other stuff now, like Mock the Week. Nobody must ever say anything controversial ever again! Radio 2 has reverted to utter boredom. Seriously there was some bloke this morning going "To take our mind off that nasty real news, tell us your most mundane stories. Where are you going today? What will you do when you get there? And now, KT Tunstall."
Anyway. It's all David Baddiel's fault.
Ponderland was brilliant -- omg the woman with the parrot! The screaming horse! The lion in the garage! :D
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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/india_knight/article5062837.ece
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Oh all right, just one more... Anyway, I can't look at Facebook without seeing 'Blank Blank has joined the group Burn Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand Alive, Jump on Their Lifeless Corpses and Boot Them Into the Thames', so avoiding the whole thing seems a vain hope...
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You probably have, but it cheered me up this morning!
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