[Georgina Baillie, grandaughter of Andrew Sachs said] “Russell Brand has embarrassed me by making a private relationship very public in the cruellest way imaginable.
“We were lovers but I trusted him as a friend as well. He has betrayed me for a few cheap laughs and left my grandfather distraught.
The Sun, of course, would never dream of embarrassing people by making private relationships public.
From the Daily Mail:
In a breathtakingly vulgar sequence [which was not broadcast], [Ross] then goes on to say that they could make Mr Sachs 'feel better' by kissing him to say sorry - and drenching him in gin.
Doubtless Daily Mail reporters never say anything vulgar to members of the public that's then not printed in the paper.
Anyone who's listened to late night local radio will be familiar with prank calls. I've never liked them (my embarrassment threshold is far too low) but they've been around for decades and they can get pretty nasty.
All the tabloids carry adverts for services similar to Prank!Mania! where you pay for someone, anyone, you nominate to receive a prank call like "Pregnant Daughter".
All gather round for the vendetta
Tabloid hypocricy is not exactly news, unless you're someone who expresses daily amazement at the sun rising in the east yet again.
It's worth asking, though, why every newspaper in the land, along with Gordon Brown and David Cameron, seems to feel the urge to give Brand, Ross and the BBC such a huge kicking over something that's been going on all over the place for decades.
There's certainly a debate to be had (and it's being had in Lib Dem circles at the moment) over the funding of the BBC. There's also a debate to be had over how far the media is justified in upsetting, embarrassing and humiliating members of the public to win extra listeners, viewers and readers.
Doubtless the BBC needs an investigation over whether this sort of thing is appropriate for Ross' Radio 2 show and, if not, who's responsible and what should be done.
But this has all the hallmarks of a witch hunt, with tabloids attacking the BBC for daring to trespass onto their territory and political leaders who should know better jumping at the chance of a quick soundbite.
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4 comments:
Interesting take on all this. Yes its probably been blown out of all proportion, and what the hell is our busy PM doing, getting his soundbite in.... BUT, you don't actually say if you think that 2overpaid stupid macho men on the BBC payroll should ring up a 78 year old and tell him how he's had sex with his granddaughter - in lurid details, while the older bloke, suggests he goes round his house and 'masturbates him while he's asleep' - is okay.
I happen to think its not okay, and the useless editors at the BBC need to get their act together for thinking it was okay to be broadcast. Witch hunt? well, I think Ross and Brand are big enough and wealthy enough to look after themsleves.
Hi Meral,
I'd say it probably isn't OK (I haven't head everything that was left on the answer machine) and I won't be losing too much sleep over the fate of Brand and Ross.
But compare this offence to the effects of tabloid journalists' activities day-in,day-out. I'm prepared to bet that, if the journalists who are attacking the BBC were held up to similar scrutiny, the tabloid newsrooms would be very empty indeed.
I agree the tabloids' hypocrisy is sickening, but then again Brand and Ross have enjoyed tabloid coverage to hype up their respective careers...
True. I'm not excusing their actions, just asking for some consistency. If we're going to judge that behaviour as unacceptable, it should be so for everyone. There shouldn't be one rule for some and a different rule for others.
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