With the world in turmoil, war in Iraq, Helmond, the Congo on Fire, special forces in Libya, BP making billions in profit, markets in free fall, disease, famine and lack of water,

Brown and Cameron denounce this:

Part 1 &

I think both should be sacked, but statements in the House, come on?

Moss

What's happening in the world?

Sorry, you've lost me.

Are you saying that questions were raised in the House about these two pathetic 'personalities' making stupid jokes on YouTube?

But this is the standard of British politics snce Tony Blair went running after all the glitterati for his soirees in Number Ten. (And his earlier Islington pad)

The media now make and break politicians - look at the way the press lionise Barak Obama and dismiss McCain. Maybe they are right to do so, but really they should try to present a balanced view.

Brown is so lacking in 'presence' that he is probably willing to try anything to see his name in lights. But without an effective opposition we're probably stuck with him for some time to come.

Sorry, you've lost me.

Well, I was trying to make the point that it is beyond my comprehension, with everything that is going on in the world today, how two wannabe anti-hero's insult a young girl and horrify an elderly gentleman for laughs. If that is not good enough, the senior statesmen!?? of the UK hold questions in Parliament.

Just sack them and be done with it, chance the tribunal as they have no leg to stand on, for those not entirely sure who I am talking about, I mean Ross and Brand, not Brown & Cameron, although there is not a lot to choose between the lot.

Good Luck

Moss

I understood what you were on about Moss.

Is that supposed to be comedy..... I stopped listening to the second one before I got halfway through.

I think they found out where the limits lie:

BBC suspends top stars

October 30, 2008

The BBC suspended two top presenters today over foul-mouthed comments aired about a veteran actor and his granddaughter, in the latest row to rock the British broadcaster.

Within hours of the BBC action one of the two broadcasters, Russell Brand, tendered his resignation, while the other, Jonathan Ross - the BBC's highest-paid presenter - issued a fulsome apology for the ``juvenile'' comments.

The row over the sexually-explicit remarks on a radio show has escalated into a media and political storm, eclipsing the global financial crisis, the US election and conflict in Africa from front pages and news bulletins.

The controversy centres on messages left by Ross and Brand on the answer phone of 78-year-old Andrew Sachs, famed for his role as bumbling Spanish waiter Manuel in the hit 1970s TV comedy series Fawlty Towers.

Listeners heard a series of explicit exchanges including a claim by Ross that Brand had had sex with Sachs's 23-year-old granddaughter.

The pair then discussed how Sachs might hang himself as a result, and how they could break into his house and perform a sex act on him by way of apology.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has branded the pair's behaviour ``inappropriate and unacceptable'' and backed an investigation as the number of public complaints topped 18,000.

Presenter Ross, 47, is the publicly-funded BBC's highest-paid star, with an £18 million ($44.5 million) three-year deal.

Brand, 33, is a top British entertainment figure and the comedian earns a reported £400,000 ($990,000) a year for his radio program.

The calls were recorded two days earlier for his October 18 show. BBC producers called Sachs to check if he was happy to have them broadcast - but aired the calls anyway despite the veteran saying no.

The BBC apologised on Monday, and the corporation's director general Mark Thompson said today that the broadcast was a ``completely unacceptable... gross lapse of taste'' which caused ``severe offence''.

An investigation is underway and Thompson said he would review the findings before announcing what action the BBC would take.

``In the meantime, I have decided that it is not appropriate for either Russell Brand or Jonathan Ross to continue broadcasting on the BBC until I have seen the full report of the actions of all concerned,'' he said.

In a statement late today Brand said he was resigning from his Radio 2 show, saying he took ``complete responsibility'' for the incident and that he got ``caught up in the moment''.

Ross also issued a statement, saying he ``deeply sorry and greatly regret the upset and distress that my juvenile and thoughtless remarks ... have caused.''

Sachs later said the episode had been ``very upsetting'' for himself and his wife who is ill in hospital, but was ``not out for revenge'' and would not be making a complaint to the police.

His granddaughter Georgina Baillie, a burlesque dancer and member of a group called the Satanic Sluts, said she felt ``utterly horrified and disgusted'' and called for the pair to be sacked.

``What's funny about humiliating a lovely old man who has never harmed anyone in his life?'', she told The Sun newspaper, adding that Brand and Ross ``should at least pay for what they've done with their jobs.''

The row is the latest in a string of embarrassments for the BBC. In July it was fined £400,000 ($990,000) after a string of shows faked winners of their competitions.

In another case senior BBC staff were suspended after a trailer for a BBC1 documentary wrongly implied that Queen Elizabeth II had stormed out of a sitting with top US photographer Annie Leibovitz.

Speaking after Brand's resignation, Baillie welcomed how the BBC and the two broadcasters had responded.

``I'm thrilled because justice has been done. Let's see what Ofcom choose to do about it. I don't know how it's going to go from here,'' she said in an interview on The Sun's website.

Sachs said he respected Brand's decision. ``I can understand him doing it, I hope he finds a better direction ... It might be a big turning point in his life,'' he said.

AFP

OK - I appreciate that this is from Agence France Presse and they're not remowned for getting things about the UK right, but I would at least have had a pocket calculator to hand ...

Presenter Ross, 47, is the publicly-funded BBC's highest-paid star, with an £18 million ($44.5 million) three-year deal.

Brand, 33, is a top British entertainment figure and the comedian earns a reported £400,000 ($990,000) a year for his radio program.

AFP[/i]

18 mill in sterling - at say 1.80 dollars to the thingy - works out at 32.4 mill - not 44.5

400k similarly comes to 720k dollars

His granddaughter Georgina Baillie, a burlesque dancer and member of a group called the Satanic Sluts, said she felt "utterly horrified and disgusted'' and called for the pair to be sacked.

AFP[/i]

I would have thought that with a CV like that she would keep her mouth tightly shut

By the way OC - many thanks for posting the article - not living in UK I do not get all the hot gossip from 'The Sun'.

The row over the sexually-explicit remarks on a radio show has escalated into a media and political storm, eclipsing the global financial crisis, the US election and conflict in Africa from front pages and news bulletins.

I still find this quite astonishing.

Listeners heard a series of explicit exchanges including a claim by Ross that Brand had had sex with Sachs's 23-year-old granddaughter.

The pair then discussed how Sachs might hang himself as a result, and how they could break into his house and perform a sex act on him by way of apology.

Can any one tell me they would find this remotely funny?

I know it is aimed at a young audience, but...................

I am not entirely sure of the authenticity of all the article, however there is no doubting the storm

Moss

Think the main reason this whole debacle reached the house was due to the session being pre-recorded, then somehow passing the (clearly non-existent) standards check before going on air.

The primary school level voicemail was bad enough - going on air is some unbelievably poor decision making that is being paid for by the taxpayer etc.

Personally I thought Russel Brand's stand up was pretty good, but have never really been able to tolerate his Radio 2 show for some reason. Think it's the level of random (imho unfunny) zaniness. I've never really understood what's so likable about Johnathon Ross.

OK - I appreciate that this is from Agence France Presse and they're not remowned for getting things about the UK right, but I would at least have had a pocket calculator to hand ...

Presenter Ross, 47, is the publicly-funded BBC's highest-paid star, with an £18 million ($44.5 million) three-year deal.

Brand, 33, is a top British entertainment figure and the comedian earns a reported £400,000 ($990,000) a year for his radio program.

AFP[/i]

18 mill in sterling - at say 1.80 dollars to the thingy - works out at 32.4 mill - not 44.5

400k similarly comes to 720k dollars

The article was posted in Australia. That would be close to the current $aus rate. Unfortunately.

Bummer.....

One Resignation, one sacking, one three month suspension without pay,

44/12 X 9 shame

Desperate times in DRC and the BBC leads with this,

Now that is a bummer

Moss

Que?

Moss