FFS leave the BBC alone

OK so I’ve avoided the Sachs-venetian blind bollocks on the grounds that I don’t really care and think the whole thing has been blown completely out of all proportion.

So two comedians, known for sailing close to the wind were left in a studio together to record a show they KNEW wasn’t going out live.

They got themselves a little bit (ok a hell of a lot) over excited and over stepped the taste and decency mark – even I accept that fact.

What I don’t accept is the horrific disproportionate response to it – first the show should NOT have been aired – the fact that it was should have led to the SUSPENSION of the senior producer responsible for approving it.

Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross should have been made to give a public apology and that should have been the end of the matter.

But it wasn’t, it became the TOP SODDING STORY across all media for about a week! And to a certain extent is still a major story now – and I can just imagine what the Daily Mail will do the week Jonathan Ross comes back.

Lets take a look at a few numbers – originally two people complained about the broadcast – after the broadcast had gone out. This is about right and proportionate – you’ll get at least one or two people complain about every show that goes out.

Then when the Mail on Sunday complained about it in print another 10 thousand people complained – about the fact that it had happened even thought they weren’t ‘directly’ offended by it.

The Daily Mail and every other media followed the Mail on Sundays lead and in the end about 30 thousand people complained.

So far there are over 50 thousand people on a Facebook group called ‘SUPPORT RUSSELL BRAND & JONATHAN ROSS’ and more in other related groups.

My biggest concern about this whole sorry episode is that, instead of making sure producers are told to follow the current (and very strict) procedures for ALL SHOWS – there will be a sanatising, a Mary Whitehouse-esq watering down of the BBC.

My fear is that the corporation will be forced into a corner that leaves it too scared to take risks or to do anything different – fortunately I don’t think that fear will be realised.

I think there are enough intelligent people to see through the Daily Mail’s thinly veiled bitter little attack on the corporation – but who knows.

I’ve restricted myself from posting what I really wanted to post – on the grounds of taste and decency and I’ve resisted posting the YouTube video of the whole Sachs-pogoda segment.

What I will say though is that the Daily Mail’s latest target – Jeremy Clarkson and Top Gear seems to be back firing.

There are a LOT of very fierce Top Gear supporters and fans out there – covering a seriously wide range of people (young, old, socialist, conservative, male, female…).

The DM wrote an article the other day complaining about Jeremy Clarkson apparently giving the finger to a police officer in the most recent Top Gear (the American Roadtrip).

First this is bollocks and taken out of context (it was just a funny segment in a scripted show that was having a laugh and taking the piss) and secondly – who gives a flying one – sometimes people just need to lighten up and learn to laugh.

If you don’t like it (and they clearly don’t like Top Gear as they complain about it so much – although they do watch it every week for some reason) don’t watch it – Strictly Come Prancing about in sequins is on BBC One at the same time after all.

Interestingly – this article seems to have disappeared from the Daily Mail website – interesting given the volume of anti-Daily Mail comments I read on the article before the story was pulled.

I think the Mail may well be pushing people more in favour of the BBC and the licence fee with their constant whinging and complaining – instead of making people against it (which seems to be their goal).

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