Jonathan Ross suspended without pay and Brand resigns

Both the subject of the call and the recipient (albeit his voicemail) have made their feelings clear. What some may see as a joke was technically a criminal offence under the Telecommunications Act and on that basis alone the BBC should have suspended everyone concerned with allowing the programme to be broadcast.

I notice that Ross's show on Friday night has been replaced with the film Speed. Perhaps that's rather ironic since the BBC's reaction to this whole affair has been far from swift!

Personally i think the beeb should have had a sense of humour about it and replaced Ross' show with a repeat of Fawlty Towers At least then Andrew Sachs would be compensated for his trouble.

Interesting interview on News Channel just now with DJ Tim Shaw (who played pranks on Balls of Steel) saying that he backs Ross and Brand and the complaints have been blown all out of proportion.

I think he also made a fair point about Sach's grandaughter getting her 15 minutes of fame.

A brief mention on the News Channel too that 'the future of Film 2008 is uncertain'. In this case, unlike Friday Night... , there would seem to be no difficulty in bringing in a substitute presenter, although some prerecorded interviews would have to be dropped.

Can I ask why this is so important?

Is the economic crisis now second to overpaid puerile morons?

How awfully GMTV.

How depressing it would be if all we heard about was the recession 24/7.

Stuart, you are aware of the point I am making. There are other, more serious, things happening in the world than what is wrong with two radio presenters and a former actor.

Compared to the Pakistani earthquake, the assisted suicide case and events in Congo, this story and those it comprises are deeply insignificant. What is more insulting than the calls is the media's apparent knowledge that everyone wants to know about it. I don't care - but there are more important, and worse, things going on in the world.

Given those points which I agree with, why has 20,000 people complained over this incident. Crazily sad.

It's Jade-Big Brother-bandwagon all over again. And sad sacks like those at Digital Spy are the ones who'll complain for the sake of it, not because they heard it, but because Mary Whitehouse would want them to.

Brand and Ross will be off the air for a few days until another story replaces them in the headlines.
Some lowly producer will take the hit and normal service will be resumed.
End of.
Yawn.

Although that I agree that the story has been blown out of proportion, it will do no harm for Ross to be taken off his pedestal a peg of two. His show does seem to be less a comedy chat show and more, ignore the guest, turn the subject to an adult theme and say the most crude thing possible. How many times do his jokes get a groan in the audience

With a chat show that gets good but not exceptional ratings, a radio show, a film show shown late at night and a few appearances at special events, I do wonder how they justify his salary. He isn't as important to BBC1 as say Ant and Dec are to ITV

The funniest thing about all this is the fact that that silly daft childish little song that Brand and Ross sung is getting played out on news bulletins many times day!

Yes I'm sure it is.

By the way I f*cked your grandmother.

Oh - not as nice to hear when its said to you, is it?

There are just as many people who will jump on a bandwagon to complain as there are people who will dismiss *anything* with a phrase like, "political correctness gone mad".

The fact is, if you really think about what was said to Mr Sachs, you might come to the conclusion it wasn't funny, rather it was quite shocking and offensive.

But then you might be cut from a different cloth and find that kind of thing funny.

Seems to me that instead of dismissing 20,000 people as "sad" you could say, "well I disagree" and leave it at that.