I have been on this planet 31 years and I would like to think I recognise when someone is stating an spurious fact or generalisation for comedy purposes, it is generally said not with the intention to offend, but to amuse an audience. Whilst it is often at the expense of someone or a perceived idea of someone, it is usually just something done for fun. Obviously, racism is not an accepted part of this anymore and anyone doing such should be deeply ashamed of themselves, cough Spain, cough.
When Jeremy Clarkson said on Top Gear that lorry driving was hard work and then made a joke("Change gear, change gear, check mirror, murder a prostitute, change gear, change gear, murder. That's a lot of effort in a day") He was clearly joking. Yet, the BBC has received 517 complaints.
Have the general public (Or at least the general public who feel insulted enough to bother to complain) gone raving mad??
I can only assume that none of the complaints were from lorry drivers. They were probably digging shallow graves at that time of the night and unrolling their carpets.
It seems complaining is the new craze sweeping the nation. I don't think there has ever been a single occasion where I was watching TV and something offended me so much that I felt the compunction to actually bother complaining to the BBC. Maybe that time that Wogan had those mega tight trousers on, but that was only because he was so unbelievably sexy, I couldn't cope. Do we really want to live in a society where someone can't go on tele and make a joke about anything?
Even other countries are getting involved. The Philippine government felt the need to complain about a Harry Enfield sketch. I can only assume they thought it was a documentary. I know there is a limit to, "It was only a joke" But, surely common sense must be a factor here, where will it end?
I don't remember there being too many complaints when Little Britain was on.
I only pick them out as I can't remember seeing a show Friday night on BBC1 with such a wealth of base and offensive characters (Except Catherine Tate's tired and dated show which was only really offensive to the ghost of Dick Emery) from gay people only thinking about cock to mocking fat people, single mothers and the disabled. These did not offend me, but I could see how it could be construed as offensive and therefore worthy of complaint.
The only complaint that I could find about Little Britain was from the WI for being typecast as racists and homophobes. Funny that, Lucas and Walliams portray the WI as bigots in 2004 and no one complains. Clarkson (And I am not defending Clarkson the man, just the joke which made me laugh) makes a reference to the old joke (Which was a regular joke in Viz for a while) about lorry drivers and you get 517 complaints. The world is tits up.
Not to mention the ridiculous hysteria attached with Jonathon Ross and Russell Brand. It would seem that whilst Andrew Sachs was satisfied with their apology(For what was a terrible thing to do) and in my eyes the only one to come out of this with his credibility intact, the press and dicky tabloid reporters and readers were not satisfied and therefore became judge and jury on their careers. I object to this, whilst I may not be Brand or Ross's greatest fans, at least they are contributors to our culture, where as people like Jade Goody or Danielle Lloyd can go about their careers after their antics and offer nothing in the name of entertainment.
I did note that Russell Brand also made a pretty dignified apology in the end, complete with a picture of Stalin in the background, subtle?
I had a quick check to see if George Lamb has been hauled over the coals yet for his shitty reaction to Ray Davies doing what any normal person with an actual brain would do and fucking off mid-interview. Yes, I did compose some of the greatest songs ever and have a long and varied career, but I would much rather be asked what my favourite vowell is. George Lamb is a complete and utter cock, but that kind of cock that really wants to be a cockney by over using rhyming slang. He also seems to be labouring under the misapprehension that he is interesting and amusing and should be outraged when someone with intelligence rumbles him and does a runner, or a "page 3 stunner" as George "Apples and pears" Lamb might well say in his posh mockney made up way. His dad should be ashamed of his mockney, smarmy, gimp of a son. I respect his dad though as he was in Superman The Movie as a non speaking extra, Superman 3 as a coal miner and in the BBC soap on a boat, Triangle, now, that is cool. Anyway, George Lamb's little incident is still being investigated by Offcom. I hope they give him the sack, or the "lamb of rack" as he might say, cock.
Whilst I am on the subject of nobodies earning a crust, why is Amy Lamé on TV all the fucking time? She is everywhere and from what I can see, has no purpose or talent. Mind you, I don't know what the talking head shows (most annoying this or that) would do without her.
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| Comments about This Article |
| I fkin hate the way the press want to become judge & jury in this country & seem to have there own agenda, looking at some of The Daily Mail's message boards last week in regards to the whole Sachs/Ross/Brand affair was both laughable & shameful.
Then The Sun jumped on the band wagon & started attacking the BBC..I wonder why...oh yeah Murdoch not only owns the Sun, he owns Sky TV...
Comment By: Smokey Earl, 07 Nov 2008, Rating: 3/5  |
| I'd never heard of George Lamb before. He is indeed an appalling cunt.
Comment By: Chris Totty, 06 Nov 2008, Rating: 5/5  |
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