Brand, Ross, Brown, Sachs, Fawlty, Baillie, Cameron, Hitler
October 28, 2008 4:10 PM Subscribe
This is Georgina Baillie [slightly NSFW], aka Voluptua of Satanic Sluts Extreme, aka the granddaughter of Andrew Sachs, aka Manuel off of Fawlty Towers; This is Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister of Great Britain; This is David Cameron, the leader of the opposition; This is Ofcom, the British media regulator; This is The Mail On Sunday, the pro-Hitler anti-BBC newspaper beloved of the British middle class; These are 10,000 concerned Britons. Collectively, they're calling for the heads of Russell "Bush is a retarded cowboy" Brand and Jonathan "£18m of TV licence fee payers' money" Ross after the pair apparently left lewd messages about Ms Baillie on Mr Sachs' answerphone during Brand's BBC radio show. Here's the timeline.
This is the 2008 version of "Jade Goody in Big Brother race row". People love this shit. It takes their mind off real news.
That said, Brand and Ross were way out of line on this one.
posted by afx237vi at 4:26 PM on October 28, 2008
That said, Brand and Ross were way out of line on this one.
posted by afx237vi at 4:26 PM on October 28, 2008
I read this five times, including the last link, and I'm still confused.
What the hell is an answer phone? Voicemail?
posted by desjardins at 4:29 PM on October 28, 2008 [3 favorites]
What the hell is an answer phone? Voicemail?
posted by desjardins at 4:29 PM on October 28, 2008 [3 favorites]
Man, it's like the good old days of Mary Whitehouse. 1 week after the broadcast, 67 people had complained about it. I'm guessing that these are the actual people who listened to the broadcast, but thought it objectionable. The other 9933 people who complained are more than likely people who would not normally listen to Russell Brand because they know they're not going to like it. Yet, prompted by the Mail, they have gone out of their way to find something to be offended about. I can see that the lady in question is devasted, as evinced by the fact that she wishes to speak with her agent before commenting. And FFS, the involvement of Brown and Cameron is just a joke. I guess another BBC witch hunt is just the job to distract folks from the economic meltdown.
posted by Jakey at 4:32 PM on October 28, 2008
posted by Jakey at 4:32 PM on October 28, 2008
That said, Brand and Ross were way out of line on this one.
The reaction is zooming across the line into disproportionately dickish in fine style though.
posted by Artw at 4:33 PM on October 28, 2008
The reaction is zooming across the line into disproportionately dickish in fine style though.
posted by Artw at 4:33 PM on October 28, 2008
David Cameron is obviously looking for anything to get George Osborne off the front pages.
Leading, of course, to Gordon Brown having to make a statement to get David Cameron off the front pages.
posted by tapeguy at 4:35 PM on October 28, 2008
Leading, of course, to Gordon Brown having to make a statement to get David Cameron off the front pages.
posted by tapeguy at 4:35 PM on October 28, 2008
Jeez, Russell Brand versus The Mail on Sunday. Am I allowed to take neither side please?
I suppose if I had to choose I'd go with the utterly talentless tosser over the fascists, though.
posted by game warden to the events rhino at 4:35 PM on October 28, 2008 [1 favorite]
I suppose if I had to choose I'd go with the utterly talentless tosser over the fascists, though.
posted by game warden to the events rhino at 4:35 PM on October 28, 2008 [1 favorite]
And at the risk of eponysomethingness please can I point you to a properly fantastically funny set of prank calls.
posted by game warden to the events rhino at 4:38 PM on October 28, 2008
posted by game warden to the events rhino at 4:38 PM on October 28, 2008
Artw: The reaction is zooming across the line into disproportionately dickish in fine style though.
Oh, I definitely agree with that. It was top story on all the news programmes tonight, which is just ridiculous. But that doesn't make their antics any less odious.
posted by afx237vi at 4:40 PM on October 28, 2008
Oh, I definitely agree with that. It was top story on all the news programmes tonight, which is just ridiculous. But that doesn't make their antics any less odious.
posted by afx237vi at 4:40 PM on October 28, 2008
The Mail On Sunday: Boo to the Frillyshirts.
The problem with all the complaints is that very few will be actually about the prank calls - which in my opinion seemed to be objectionable but not to the extent of sacking them, or anyone. The complaints will be because They Get Paid Too Much, or I Don't Like That Man Or That Man Either, or Stop Taking My License Fee, or the most likely one of all, I Like Being Offended And Outraged.
posted by liquidindian at 4:59 PM on October 28, 2008 [4 favorites]
The problem with all the complaints is that very few will be actually about the prank calls - which in my opinion seemed to be objectionable but not to the extent of sacking them, or anyone. The complaints will be because They Get Paid Too Much, or I Don't Like That Man Or That Man Either, or Stop Taking My License Fee, or the most likely one of all, I Like Being Offended And Outraged.
posted by liquidindian at 4:59 PM on October 28, 2008 [4 favorites]
Why is it that so many people online link to the Daily Mail? *Cory Doctrow* links to the mail from BB. It horrifies me. The Mail is an surprisingly right wing, racist, anti-immigrant and anti-progressive. It is our Fox News.
Though I suppose a celebrity story is about their level. I'm just trying not to believe that the hysterical spin and lavacious pictures that the Mail like to add to stories is merely to the taste of the internet.
posted by jaduncan at 5:03 PM on October 28, 2008 [1 favorite]
Though I suppose a celebrity story is about their level. I'm just trying not to believe that the hysterical spin and lavacious pictures that the Mail like to add to stories is merely to the taste of the internet.
posted by jaduncan at 5:03 PM on October 28, 2008 [1 favorite]
IIRC someone mentioned they've SEOed themselves to the hilt lately, and so show up in google news and the like a lot. Also they have a bunch of web-only non-nutso content.
posted by Artw at 5:04 PM on October 28, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 5:04 PM on October 28, 2008 [1 favorite]
Ross after the pair apparently left lewd messages about Ms Baillie on Mr Sachs' answerphone during Brand's BBC radio show.
I think a cultural exchange is in order, Brand & Ross for Opie & Anthony.
posted by MikeMc at 5:12 PM on October 28, 2008
I think a cultural exchange is in order, Brand & Ross for Opie & Anthony.
posted by MikeMc at 5:12 PM on October 28, 2008
Without an empire to run, Brits apparently get bored easily.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 5:41 PM on October 28, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 5:41 PM on October 28, 2008 [1 favorite]
The Mail Online is always an amazement or spectacle of some sort, esp. the sidebar. The sidebar off the Russell Brand article yielded this gem: the £100,000 wedding for a 16 year old.
posted by msjen at 5:45 PM on October 28, 2008
posted by msjen at 5:45 PM on October 28, 2008
A man who purports to be an adult and entitles his writing "My Booky Wook" deserves to be shat upon by elephants and consumed by dung beetles, anyway.
Sadly, it is likely Brand's name will be remembered in future generations - as the fuckwit who gave Murdoch and his friends in politics the tool they needed to dispatch the Beeb.
posted by rodgerd at 5:52 PM on October 28, 2008 [2 favorites]
Sadly, it is likely Brand's name will be remembered in future generations - as the fuckwit who gave Murdoch and his friends in politics the tool they needed to dispatch the Beeb.
posted by rodgerd at 5:52 PM on October 28, 2008 [2 favorites]
Jeez, Russell Brand versus The Mail on Sunday. Am I allowed to take neither side please?
That pretty much sums up my feelings too...
posted by ob at 6:18 PM on October 28, 2008
That pretty much sums up my feelings too...
posted by ob at 6:18 PM on October 28, 2008
I could see Russell Brand pulling a stunt like this, dickish and immature though it may have been. Isn't he 33 or summat? That's bad enough. But Jonathan Ross? This guy was a grown man when I somehow saw bits of his show as a Midwestern teenager.
Twenty years ago.
For a second, I thought, "Him? You'd think at his age...," but no, apparently not.
posted by droplet at 6:55 PM on October 28, 2008
Twenty years ago.
For a second, I thought, "Him? You'd think at his age...," but no, apparently not.
posted by droplet at 6:55 PM on October 28, 2008
Qué?
posted by tellurian at 8:00 PM on October 28, 2008 [7 favorites]
posted by tellurian at 8:00 PM on October 28, 2008 [7 favorites]
William Blake, Alan Moore, and this.
Tut tut, on with the hilarity, cousins! Is there any way y'all can rope Mrs. Palin into this kerfluffle?
posted by mwhybark at 8:06 PM on October 28, 2008
Tut tut, on with the hilarity, cousins! Is there any way y'all can rope Mrs. Palin into this kerfluffle?
posted by mwhybark at 8:06 PM on October 28, 2008
I like Russell Brand. Yes, his humour is childish, puerile and immature, but that's precisely what I like about it.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 8:07 PM on October 28, 2008
posted by PeterMcDermott at 8:07 PM on October 28, 2008
He did a hilarious take-down of "Nazi-boy" Mark Collett which was about all I'd ever seen of the man and I liked him for that.
posted by Abiezer at 8:34 PM on October 28, 2008
posted by Abiezer at 8:34 PM on October 28, 2008
Wait, Manuel has a grand-daughter?
I feel so very old.
posted by zippy at 9:43 PM on October 28, 2008
I feel so very old.
posted by zippy at 9:43 PM on October 28, 2008
I SPEAK ENGLISH VERY WELL. I LEARN IT . . . FROM A BOOOOOK.
posted by Saxon Kane at 10:20 PM on October 28, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Saxon Kane at 10:20 PM on October 28, 2008 [1 favorite]
FROM A BOOKY WOOK
posted by atrazine at 10:57 PM on October 28, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by atrazine at 10:57 PM on October 28, 2008 [2 favorites]
Part of the outcry is because these two are employed by what is effectively a government authority. It's one of the tremendously weird things about the UK that the majority of popular media is run by the BBC, a publicly funded organisation. The BBC gets a ludicrous amount of money, some of which goes on credible, worthy programming ... and 18 million pounds of which goes to Jonathan Ross.
The BBC said this was because certain radio personalities could expect to find work for a higher salary in television, film or music if they were not contracted by the BBC.
Which begs the question why the BBC need employ those people if they can get work elsewhere. There's nothing in the BBC's charter that says they have to employ the most-in-demand, and one could argue that (as per the Australian ABC and SBS) they would be better off serving the market that isn't catered to by commercial media.
The report also suggests that some news journalists may be paid above the market rate, although it acknowledges that there is no direct competition as Sky or ITN "might have very little interest in those covering less popular areas of the news agenda".
Ah. In other words, they wouldn't get higher salaries elsewhere. Nimble reasoning there.
posted by outlier at 1:46 AM on October 29, 2008
The BBC said this was because certain radio personalities could expect to find work for a higher salary in television, film or music if they were not contracted by the BBC.
Which begs the question why the BBC need employ those people if they can get work elsewhere. There's nothing in the BBC's charter that says they have to employ the most-in-demand, and one could argue that (as per the Australian ABC and SBS) they would be better off serving the market that isn't catered to by commercial media.
The report also suggests that some news journalists may be paid above the market rate, although it acknowledges that there is no direct competition as Sky or ITN "might have very little interest in those covering less popular areas of the news agenda".
Ah. In other words, they wouldn't get higher salaries elsewhere. Nimble reasoning there.
posted by outlier at 1:46 AM on October 29, 2008
Thursday 16th October : Brand and Ross act like a couple of kids while recording their radio show, leaving a stupid ansaphone message
Wednesday 22nd October : (6 days after the message was left) Sachs' agent Meg Pool is alerted to the contents of the broadcast when a journalist for the Mail on Sunday phones her for a comment. She and Sachs listen to an online recording of the show which leaves the actor "offended very much indeed".
I wish the response form the BBC would simply state "I wouldn't leave any urgent messages for Andrew Sachs on his voice mail if I was you".
posted by fullerine at 1:49 AM on October 29, 2008 [1 favorite]
Wednesday 22nd October : (6 days after the message was left) Sachs' agent Meg Pool is alerted to the contents of the broadcast when a journalist for the Mail on Sunday phones her for a comment. She and Sachs listen to an online recording of the show which leaves the actor "offended very much indeed".
I wish the response form the BBC would simply state "I wouldn't leave any urgent messages for Andrew Sachs on his voice mail if I was you".
posted by fullerine at 1:49 AM on October 29, 2008 [1 favorite]
These young BBC upstarts have been playing sick pranks on established comedians for too long.
posted by tapeguy at 2:20 AM on October 29, 2008
posted by tapeguy at 2:20 AM on October 29, 2008
This is such a ridiculous story. First things first, if anyone has actually listened to the call the trouble comes after Russell alludes to liking his past work and 'progeny' - now that is classic Brand. Alluding to but not stating anything as crude as I have f**ded your granddaughter. If that was all that was said then the more astute listener would have read between the line but it was Ross who blurts in 'He f**ded your granddaughter.'
Ross is talented in certain respects. He is an avid film fan and has a lot of respect for his Film review programme. His radio show is funny but his tv chat show is vapid and the wrong side of crude (more like a carry on film in my opinion).
Cant help feeling the result of this will be, Brands listening figures will sky rocket. He'll be deemed a bit cooler on the street (helped by the daily mails ranting lunancy). In a week it'll all be forgotten.
The fact the PM and Cameron have got involved just makes the mind boggle.
posted by numberstation at 2:59 AM on October 29, 2008
Ross is talented in certain respects. He is an avid film fan and has a lot of respect for his Film review programme. His radio show is funny but his tv chat show is vapid and the wrong side of crude (more like a carry on film in my opinion).
Cant help feeling the result of this will be, Brands listening figures will sky rocket. He'll be deemed a bit cooler on the street (helped by the daily mails ranting lunancy). In a week it'll all be forgotten.
The fact the PM and Cameron have got involved just makes the mind boggle.
posted by numberstation at 2:59 AM on October 29, 2008
The ghost of Mary Whitehouse looks on and grins.
Oh dear Woss were did it all go wrong. You used to be cool, man. The Last Resort. Those documentaries on cult movies... now it's all sucking up to celebrities and bland-o film reviews, and utterly puerile non-humour.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:21 AM on October 29, 2008
Oh dear Woss were did it all go wrong. You used to be cool, man. The Last Resort. Those documentaries on cult movies... now it's all sucking up to celebrities and bland-o film reviews, and utterly puerile non-humour.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:21 AM on October 29, 2008
'Is Mr Freely there? First initials IP?'
Lewis-Smith used his own radio shows to make calls to various unwitting marks. Some of them were touched with genius: merely reading about the time he - exorcising, or possibly just exercising, a lifelong animus towards Esther Rantzen - called the always fodder-seeking This Life office posing as a wheelchair-bound trombonist who then collapsed while trying to play the Sailor's Hornpipe down the phone for them still causes me to choke on my own lungs with laughter.
... oh god, me too.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:32 AM on October 29, 2008
Lewis-Smith used his own radio shows to make calls to various unwitting marks. Some of them were touched with genius: merely reading about the time he - exorcising, or possibly just exercising, a lifelong animus towards Esther Rantzen - called the always fodder-seeking This Life office posing as a wheelchair-bound trombonist who then collapsed while trying to play the Sailor's Hornpipe down the phone for them still causes me to choke on my own lungs with laughter.
... oh god, me too.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 3:32 AM on October 29, 2008
A man who purports to be an adult and entitles his writing "My Booky Wook"
Someone bought this for me, and it's actually pretty funny and self-mocking. I think they went too far with the phone call, but I feel that Sachs is being a bit silly saying they shouldn't have left a message like that for a pensioner. As a professional actor, I'm sure he's heard worse jokes. Feels like this being played for publicity by all of them.
posted by Not Supplied at 4:38 AM on October 29, 2008
Someone bought this for me, and it's actually pretty funny and self-mocking. I think they went too far with the phone call, but I feel that Sachs is being a bit silly saying they shouldn't have left a message like that for a pensioner. As a professional actor, I'm sure he's heard worse jokes. Feels like this being played for publicity by all of them.
posted by Not Supplied at 4:38 AM on October 29, 2008
I know sexings. I learn it from a book.
I'm disappointed. I was hoping she would be voluptuous, but I guess she is just a voluptuary. I guess it's not false advertising, but it's still a let-down.
posted by Eideteker at 5:28 AM on October 29, 2008
I'm disappointed. I was hoping she would be voluptuous, but I guess she is just a voluptuary. I guess it's not false advertising, but it's still a let-down.
posted by Eideteker at 5:28 AM on October 29, 2008
I feel that Sachs is being a bit silly saying they shouldn't have left a message like that for a pensioner. As a professional actor, I'm sure he's heard worse jokes.
More to the point, it sounds like he didn't even get the messages, or at least ignored them, until the Mail reporter called. That's why I put "apparently" in the OP, because the segment might have been fake.
posted by cillit bang at 6:09 AM on October 29, 2008
More to the point, it sounds like he didn't even get the messages, or at least ignored them, until the Mail reporter called. That's why I put "apparently" in the OP, because the segment might have been fake.
posted by cillit bang at 6:09 AM on October 29, 2008
They are in the wrong, but boy have they picked the wrong time too: the Mail is *always* looking to run articles that *prove* the BBC is run by gay liberal champagne swillers only just out of short trousers as part of its quest to dissolve the BBC.
Sachs, or rather Sachs' most famous character - Manuel from Fawlty Towers - is "a national treasure". His granddaughter has hired infamous PR Max Clifford to milk this for all it is worth. The publicity has ignited the legions of miserable old buggers whose idea of a fun day is to bore a perfect stranger on the evils of the youth of today. And to cap it all off, both Gordon Brown and David Cameron have been praying for a story to unite them with the people and push the economy and George Osborne off the front pages.
I also wonder whether a fairly major part of Sachs' embarassment is that it's now gone public that his granddaughter is a dubiously talented stripper/burlesque artist who is now chiefly famous for sleeping with Russell Brand.
posted by MuffinMan at 6:11 AM on October 29, 2008
Sachs, or rather Sachs' most famous character - Manuel from Fawlty Towers - is "a national treasure". His granddaughter has hired infamous PR Max Clifford to milk this for all it is worth. The publicity has ignited the legions of miserable old buggers whose idea of a fun day is to bore a perfect stranger on the evils of the youth of today. And to cap it all off, both Gordon Brown and David Cameron have been praying for a story to unite them with the people and push the economy and George Osborne off the front pages.
I also wonder whether a fairly major part of Sachs' embarassment is that it's now gone public that his granddaughter is a dubiously talented stripper/burlesque artist who is now chiefly famous for sleeping with Russell Brand.
posted by MuffinMan at 6:11 AM on October 29, 2008
I heard this story on NPR last night on my way home and I couldn't believe it was important enough to report on freakin' NPR.
posted by desjardins at 6:59 AM on October 29, 2008
posted by desjardins at 6:59 AM on October 29, 2008
The granddaughter was on the news at lunchtime expressing her outrage... with slightly subdued clothing from those pix, but with a huge The Sun logo in the corner of the screen. So it looks like they've got her side of the 'story'. Nice work, Max.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 7:56 AM on October 29, 2008
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 7:56 AM on October 29, 2008
This could of course just be one huge publicity stunt that went wrong. I mean how long was it going to be before Max Clifford got involved?
posted by ob at 9:08 AM on October 29, 2008
posted by ob at 9:08 AM on October 29, 2008
Ah beaten to it... the BBC news seemed to be stressing this 'emergeny meeting' I hope there's going to be some pressure on the execs that let this through rather than just Brand (and possibly Woss) just coping all the blame.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 11:35 AM on October 29, 2008
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 11:35 AM on October 29, 2008
Shit. I quite liked his radio show.
posted by chuckdarwin at 3:12 PM on October 29, 2008
posted by chuckdarwin at 3:12 PM on October 29, 2008
Brand's resignation/apology.
I think this whole thing is a bit stupid. The BBC should spend my license fee on a sense of humour.
posted by chuckdarwin at 3:17 PM on October 29, 2008 [1 favorite]
I think this whole thing is a bit stupid. The BBC should spend my license fee on a sense of humour.
posted by chuckdarwin at 3:17 PM on October 29, 2008 [1 favorite]
His granddaughter has hired infamous PR Max Clifford to milk this for all it is worth.
Expect a six page story in Sunday's News of the World in which the granddaughter explains at great length what Brand is like in bed, and lists all of his various sexual pecadilloes.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 12:54 AM on October 30, 2008
Expect a six page story in Sunday's News of the World in which the granddaughter explains at great length what Brand is like in bed, and lists all of his various sexual pecadilloes.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 12:54 AM on October 30, 2008
what Brand is like in bed,
If he agrees to tell his side of the story in the paper he'll be a six-times-a-night sex god, if not then a total flop.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:13 AM on October 30, 2008
If he agrees to tell his side of the story in the paper he'll be a six-times-a-night sex god, if not then a total flop.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:13 AM on October 30, 2008
Why are people taking the Mail seriously again, like the 80s never fucking happened?.
With Brand resigning I assume Ross will follow suit. He's been phoning it in for a couple of years anyway. What a complete and utter farce the whole thing has been.
posted by fullerine at 2:21 AM on October 30, 2008
With Brand resigning I assume Ross will follow suit. He's been phoning it in for a couple of years anyway. What a complete and utter farce the whole thing has been.
posted by fullerine at 2:21 AM on October 30, 2008
If he agrees to tell his side of the story in the paper he'll be a six-times-a-night sex god, if not then a total flop.
What do you think his book is about?
posted by chuckdarwin at 3:17 AM on October 30, 2008
What do you think his book is about?
posted by chuckdarwin at 3:17 AM on October 30, 2008
Expect a six page story in Sunday's News of the World in which the granddaughter explains at great length what Brand is like in bed, and lists all of his various sexual pecadilloes.
I suspect the She's A Whore backlash is pretty imminent.
posted by liquidindian at 6:32 AM on October 30, 2008
I suspect the She's A Whore backlash is pretty imminent.
posted by liquidindian at 6:32 AM on October 30, 2008
Tried to avoid this as far as possible but a bit unseemly to see a "she was asking for it" vibe from a fair few of Brand and Ross's liberal defenders.
posted by Abiezer at 6:44 AM on October 30, 2008
posted by Abiezer at 6:44 AM on October 30, 2008
It is pathetic to see the BBC capitulating to this artificially fomented outrage. It is like seeing an abuse victim defending their abuser, except in that case they actually have something to fear whereas the BBC has nothing to worry about. The BBC seems to be run by people who see the end of the licence fee as a given and are busy driving the quality of the BBC down to a level equivalent with their lowest common denominator competition.
Just because the government has been exercising rule by tabloid for the past 10+ years is no reason to copy them.
The fevered egos of Ross and Brand are probably interesting to listen to. Had the BBC kept them on there would no doubt be an increase in listener numbers for the radio programme.
I don't particularly enjoy anything Ross does other than his film reviews, and ambivalent about Brand, but I don't think either one should feel the need to resign over this non-event.
posted by asok at 7:09 AM on October 30, 2008
Just because the government has been exercising rule by tabloid for the past 10+ years is no reason to copy them.
The fevered egos of Ross and Brand are probably interesting to listen to. Had the BBC kept them on there would no doubt be an increase in listener numbers for the radio programme.
I don't particularly enjoy anything Ross does other than his film reviews, and ambivalent about Brand, but I don't think either one should feel the need to resign over this non-event.
posted by asok at 7:09 AM on October 30, 2008
Radio 2 controller resigns, Woss suspended for 12 weeks.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 11:43 AM on October 30, 2008
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 11:43 AM on October 30, 2008
SUCKAGE. FILM 2008 is a favourite of ours.
Here's some good news, though: Ponderland is back!
posted by chuckdarwin at 4:59 AM on October 31, 2008
Here's some good news, though: Ponderland is back!
posted by chuckdarwin at 4:59 AM on October 31, 2008
Want a rush of empowerment? Join the angry idiots registering their disgust with Ofcom
posted by Artw at 9:16 PM on November 2, 2008
posted by Artw at 9:16 PM on November 2, 2008
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