Hello World!
Well I do believe my title does sound like the name of a rubbish crime fighting duo, but oh no it is the names of those two harmful, hurtful, horrid presenters - Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross. Oh wait, did I say harmful, hurtful and horrid, because I meant the hilariously, hilarious, hot property of the BBC!
Well I do believe my title does sound like the name of a rubbish crime fighting duo, but oh no it is the names of those two harmful, hurtful, horrid presenters - Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross. Oh wait, did I say harmful, hurtful and horrid, because I meant the hilariously, hilarious, hot property of the BBC!
Now if your reading this not really having a clue why Brand and Ross
are in the blog you must have just come out of hibernation, as their
names have been all over the world's news - literally I saw a broadcast
on an American news channel about the 'sickening' thing these men did.
Now if you're still thinking 'what is going on?', here is the story so
far (in brief)!
Brand and Ross were presenting their radio show and had booked in some man who the world only knows as 'Manuel' (Fawlty Towers) in for an interview. 'Manuel' didn't turn up for the interview (first mistake - if you are an actor who is known by your character name for a show you did over 20 years ago and are booked onto one of the best shows on radio... TURN UP! Les Battersby would have been there 10 minutes early). So Brand and Ross decided to call him, it went to his answer phone, the topic of his granddaughter (Georgina) came up, followed by the topic of Brand doing the old sex on Georgina, and then various other answer machine messages making this funny little scenario a little bit worse!
Now everyone knows the story, and everyone has their fingers on lips and legs crossed, we can begin! After the initial incident which I shall call 'Manuelgate', the BBC received a handful of complaints (I don't know how many complaints you can fit in one hand but it was about 20), then the press found out about it and this figure turned into over 30,000. Now I understand that this is just turning into a factual rant...so I shall move onto my point.
WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE WORLD!?
Quite a large point to make but I just think in this industry we are in the world has gone overly PC about anything, whether it be television, film, radio or theatre, and 'Manuel Gate' is just a prime example! Yes, OK if I was a grandpa I wouldn't appreciate the fact that I have just received answer phone messages saying that Russell Brand (The Sun's 'Shagger of the Year' 2006) had been near my granddaughter, but he is old enough to understand that sex is a part of life, and the fact Georgina is in a group called the 'Satanic Sluts' somehow makes me think he is not pondering on what Barbie doll to buy lovely Georgina this Christmas!
It just seems the overly politically correct mentality everyone seems to have effects our business majorly. It imposes a barrier on the creativity of everything involved. People are scared to take risks because they don't want to upset people, they don't want to lose their jobs, they don't want to be made into a media villain. But if we look back at some of the greatest, memorable and successful creations in the industry they are so great because they have pushed people to think by not conforming and not being safe and politically correct; A Clockwork Orange, Jerry Springer The Opera, Lulu - just to name a few.
So I think as an industry we shouldn't conform to being politically correct, it is a creative industry and if creativity is what you feel and want to create, who is to say you can't. So I salute you Brand and Ross because you created a show you wanted to create and you are more than willing to pay the price of what you did, and it was hilarious. And the people who are on this politically correct crusade should really think about my weekly quote before filling in your job application for Mary Whitehouse's job.
"If you make a point of pointing out the unpolitically correct things in the world, you are only making it less of a taboo subject by talking about it. So you're the person responsible for the celebration of racists, pedophiles and Hitler" - Richard Dewsbury
P.S: I didn't mean this to sound like a presidential campaign, it was a bit forceful and longwinded, I guess it's just something which frustrates me!!
Brand and Ross were presenting their radio show and had booked in some man who the world only knows as 'Manuel' (Fawlty Towers) in for an interview. 'Manuel' didn't turn up for the interview (first mistake - if you are an actor who is known by your character name for a show you did over 20 years ago and are booked onto one of the best shows on radio... TURN UP! Les Battersby would have been there 10 minutes early). So Brand and Ross decided to call him, it went to his answer phone, the topic of his granddaughter (Georgina) came up, followed by the topic of Brand doing the old sex on Georgina, and then various other answer machine messages making this funny little scenario a little bit worse!
Now everyone knows the story, and everyone has their fingers on lips and legs crossed, we can begin! After the initial incident which I shall call 'Manuelgate', the BBC received a handful of complaints (I don't know how many complaints you can fit in one hand but it was about 20), then the press found out about it and this figure turned into over 30,000. Now I understand that this is just turning into a factual rant...so I shall move onto my point.
WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE WORLD!?
Quite a large point to make but I just think in this industry we are in the world has gone overly PC about anything, whether it be television, film, radio or theatre, and 'Manuel Gate' is just a prime example! Yes, OK if I was a grandpa I wouldn't appreciate the fact that I have just received answer phone messages saying that Russell Brand (The Sun's 'Shagger of the Year' 2006) had been near my granddaughter, but he is old enough to understand that sex is a part of life, and the fact Georgina is in a group called the 'Satanic Sluts' somehow makes me think he is not pondering on what Barbie doll to buy lovely Georgina this Christmas!
It just seems the overly politically correct mentality everyone seems to have effects our business majorly. It imposes a barrier on the creativity of everything involved. People are scared to take risks because they don't want to upset people, they don't want to lose their jobs, they don't want to be made into a media villain. But if we look back at some of the greatest, memorable and successful creations in the industry they are so great because they have pushed people to think by not conforming and not being safe and politically correct; A Clockwork Orange, Jerry Springer The Opera, Lulu - just to name a few.
So I think as an industry we shouldn't conform to being politically correct, it is a creative industry and if creativity is what you feel and want to create, who is to say you can't. So I salute you Brand and Ross because you created a show you wanted to create and you are more than willing to pay the price of what you did, and it was hilarious. And the people who are on this politically correct crusade should really think about my weekly quote before filling in your job application for Mary Whitehouse's job.
"If you make a point of pointing out the unpolitically correct things in the world, you are only making it less of a taboo subject by talking about it. So you're the person responsible for the celebration of racists, pedophiles and Hitler" - Richard Dewsbury
P.S: I didn't mean this to sound like a presidential campaign, it was a bit forceful and longwinded, I guess it's just something which frustrates me!!
P.S: I didn't mean this to sound like a presidential campaign, it was a bit forceful and longwinded, I guess it's just something which frustrates me!!
... BUT YOU'RE RIGHT!!
I totally agree with you.
For those who have a deep appreciation of comedy, Fawlty Towers must be held up as one of the best examples of clever witty well written comedy in British broadcasting history. To therefore insult and offend one of the fondly remembered stars of this show with another brand of humour (no pun intended) which is crass and most certainly not lovingly crafted, is actually a slap in the face to British comedy. Andrew Sachs was informed by the producer they would rearrange the interview for another time. It's not a stretch to understand why Sachs thought this meant the "interview" that was recorded, and which he had said he was not happy with, would not be shared. Imagine the hurt caused when something he'd already discussed as not being appropriate, and is then told will be replaced, then turns up on air.
I think freedom of expression and the argument against overt PC behaviour is highlighted better in relation to, for example, the play regarding the Muslim faith which was picketed and the stars threatened.
The prank calls to Sachs were just that - puerile pranks. Entirely beneath the quality of the show their target is actually best known for.
Both points are very valid. Emmy I totally understand that it was a slap in the face for Andrew Sachs, but I think Brennan was just picking something that was current and putting his view on political correctness along side it.
I agree 100% that it was unfair of the producers to air the interview after saying they wouldn't, but Brennan's blog seems to be more about how people are overly PC than the actual Russell Brand and Jonathon Ross incident.
Either way it has got people talking (as did the Muslim play) and that is what essentially this industry should be doing. It should be getting everyday people excited about what people are creating whether it be a juvenile prank or riots over a topical muslim play.
I just don't think that the prank calls quite elevate the debate over being PC, or get people talking about freedom of expression in the creative arts. Given this was on the hoof playing about, it doesn't really relate to the issue of writing that is edgy or taking risks.
I don't get the feeling, just from the local area, the general feeling on the subject, that people are concerned with what performers or artists are creating. I've just been mostly hearing anger or exasperation towards well paid "stars" crossing the line. What is there to get excited about over immature phone calls? This whole episode is like a fly I want to swat away. It should never have got this far.
The freedom of creativity comes with responsibility. Brand and Ross were far from responsible.