Ross and Brand: bloggers' verdict
Updated on 29 October 2008
Never mind the 18,000 complaints to Ofcom, the Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross controversy appears to have an upside.
It's only story in the last few weeks to dominate the headlines over the global economic crisis.
It also seems to be a ratings winner with more than half a million hits on YouTube and 6,000 text comments which increase by the second.
The blogs have been overflowing with comments, for the most part disapproving of the antics of both presenters but more so the BBC and the fact that the show was allowed to air.
Bloggers, angry listeners and everyone else with an opinion have made more than 7,000 comments. Read some of the best below.
Smoking keyboards
- Guardian: 408 comments (second lead story has just 18 comments)
- Telegraph: over 100 comments
- Daily Mail: 220 comments
- Times: 45 comments
- Independent: 79 comments
- Forever Delayed: over 100 comments
- YouTube: broadcast over 500,000 views in two days and nearly 6,000 text comments.
Funny characters
"I don't think they should be fired. It was the show that allowed the jokes to happen. Both of the stars are funny characters that have their own shows that a lot of people like myself love.
"They are told what they can and can't do on every show, so why should they been penalised for jokes they were allowed to do."
It's what the BBC pay him for
"Am I alone in thinking the calls were actually quite funny?
"Brand hasn't exactly built a career on showing respect to others, impeccable decorum, and shying away inappropriate comments. It's not what the BBC pay him for, and it's not why people listen to his show.
"I felt sorry for Sachs, but why, why, why did his agent agree for him go on the show? Esp when Brand had mentioned sleeping with Sach's granddaughter on previous shows.
"It was never going to end well. As I was listening to the show, I was surprised (but pleased, cos it made me laugh) that the calls had been broadcast and even popped online as a podcast.
"I feel a little sorry for the granddaughter, but honestly, if you sleep with Russell Brand, then say 'whatever you do, don't tell my grandfather when you interview him on your radio show', what do you expect?!"
Heads should roll
"Many heads should roll right from the top of the BBC. The present gang in charge seem to think that the BBC is an institution in its own right.
"It is charged and allowed to provide us with good quality TV. By that I mean programmes that are good for those for which it was made."
Pathetic apologies
"If you or I had done this, we would have been arrested and prosecuted, perhaps even convicted. Doing so on air for the BBC should not exempt these two. Not funny, not even slightly funny.
"The 'apologies', if you can call them that were pathetic and merely aggravated the offence."
A bit far
"What Russell and Jonathan did was stupid. Doing it once was bad enough but doing it a few times just made it worse. Having listened last week - I don't think they did it maliciously; they just got carried away with themselves and the joke, without fully thinking what they were doing.
"He's right to complain to the BBC, and probably to Ofcom - especially as the show was pre-recorded and TPTB saw fit to leave it in - but in all honesty, I think making it a police matter is taking it a bit far."
What would Angus Deayton think?
"It's unbelievable that they can so happily cause so much distress to other people. Angus Deayton was nearly drummed out of town & his behaviour hurt no-one else except himself.
"I hope the BBC are going to address this in some way.
"The phone calls themselves were actually hilarious, especially the song that Russell made up (all on the mic) But, with hindsight, I would agree that they went a bit far (especially JR blurting that out)!
"The discussion actually started the previous week, with David Baddiel bringing up the fact that Andrew Sach's granddaughter is a Satanic Slut and that she didn't want her Granddad to know she was with Russell."
Brand deserves a bonus
"Let me get this right. You employ the most irreverent, spontaneous, unpredictable person you can find and then when he turns out to be irreverant, spontaneous and unpredictable, you sack him? hmmm.
"Methinks the beeb needs to think its HR strategy.
"In terms of 'does-what-it-says on-the-can' Russ boy should be getting a performance related bonus for this! I reckon it was one of the funniest, original pieces of ear candy in a long time."
