Well, I’m currently sat at my parents’ house talking money when I should really be at home cleaning, washing and the likes. My finances are screwed. So I’m selling my guitar. It’s a Gibson SH Standard if you’re interested in making me an offer 
Trying out Wordpress for mobile here. Seems ok so far! Stay good.
Does anybody know where I put my theme? And before you ask, I can’t remember where I last had it. I’m rubbish at upgrading things.
Guys, really. Because I’ve felt a bit shitty this week, I ache a little and I’ve got a headache, it does not mean I’ve got fucking swine flu. Okay, so I’ve got 10 of the 12 symptoms… but I can’t afford the time off work, so leave it be.
A few days ago BBC Radio 2 broadcast Russell Brand’s scheduled radio show for the last time for the foreseeable future. Jonathan Ross was a guest co-presenter, and they had scheduled to run a telephone interview with Andrew Sachs, most famous for playing Manuel in Fawlty Towers. Ross called Sachs, and the phone rang a few times before his answering machine kicked in (who uses them still?) Brand is hardly the withdrawn type, and launched into four consecutive less-than-polite (but funny nonetheless) answerphone messages. I’ll refrain from the details – you can Google for the transcript or listen to it on Youtube. In short there were references to Brand’s sexual relationship with Sachs’ granddaughter, and some fun was poked.
There’s no question about whether they should or shouldn’t have done so – it was clearly wrong. However, the BBC, at last count, reported that over 30,000 people have lodged complaints about the show. This has caused a huge ruction in the press too, and the public called for the resignation of both Brand, and also Ross (who is probably one of the highest paid BBC entertainers).
Now, I’m all for sensibility and standards, but this is getting quite stupid now. The media, in particular the BBC who seem to enjoy wallowing in their own downfalls, have blown this entirely out of proportion. The show was aired on the 18th of October 2008. After the show, the BBC received ONE complaint from a Ms Pool about the content of the show, voicing concern for Sachs. At this stage I’ll point out that this was a pre-recorded show from two days previous, and I understand that the BBC and Sachs had been in contact, and the decision was made, by Sachs, to go ahead with the show pending an edit. He actually authorised the BBC to broadcast the calls, but even if he hadn’t, he had time to stick his oar in. If the BBC really were making such a huge mistake surely it would have been pulled immediately. Following these complaints Brand apologised for the offense caused, but added “it was funny though.”
It seems that when the press reported that there had been an undisclosed amount of complaints about the show, and broadcast snippets of the calls made, more and more people wrote to complain. I mentioned earlier that 30,000 complaints had already been received, but I’ll bet that this number is fast approaching, or maybe already exceeding, the number of listeners who actually heard the show. Complaints aside, if you are scheduled to perform a telephone interview on the UK’s most popular radio station then you have the consideration to actually be present at home to take the call. If you’re not there to take the call you’re leaving two quick-witted comedians with a quarter hour to fill with ad-lib… and yes, they will take the piss.
What really riles me is that following the number of complaints that the show eventually received the show was mentioned in the House of Commons. Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but given the current climate we have far better things to be discussing in Parliament than a couple of jokers leaving some naughty voicemails. Subsequently the BBC took Brand and Ross off air indefinitely pending invetigation, Brand has since resigned from his radio show, Ross has been suspended without pay for twelve weeks and has also stepped down from presenting the British Comedy Awards – the first he will have not presented in seventeen years. Oh yeah, and then BBC Radio 2’s controller, Leslie Douglas, has resigned.
I think the whole point of this is that good comedy is irreverent, is off-beat, is offensive. Good comedy is having a laugh at somebody else’s expense. The way we are going comedy is going to be so toned down that it will almost be a bad drama. Actually, looking at which comedies are being commissioned at the moment, most already are. There are only two people who have a right to be upset, and that’s Sachs and his granddaughter. Sachs has been quite reserved and put it down to a learning curve on Brand’s expense. That given, I’m not entirely sure what all the fuss is about.
I found out from a group on Facebook that an old schoolfriend of mine, Sarah Richardson, has died. I haven’t spoken to her since we were at school, but it’s still a shock to find out. I don’t really know any details about it either, and I don’t really know anybody who would know. Hey well. I hear that she has a daughter as well. It’s really quite sad. My thoughts are with her family and friends.
Okay, I’m updating this post just to add that my mum confirmed my suspicion that she committed suicide last Saturday. My mum is apparently friends with Sarah’s mum, which I didn’t know. Absolutely aweful. I can’t imagine what her family are going through right now.
Here’s the viaduct at Mann Dam just 5 minutes walk from here. I’m oddly attracted to ugly constructions. Hopefully I’ll get some slightly more interesting photos next week. I kind of like local heritage. It’s probably a sign of getting old. Speaking of which I found a grey beard bristle yesterday. That means it’s officially downhill from here. Oh yes. Ginger I could live with. Grey, God help me.
I owe them a couple of ton. My mate emailed them with his own payment plan and they said he had to pay within 4 months. Not the way it works as far as I’m aware. I’m going to call Consumer Direct tomorrow and see what the deal is. I’m sure they’re not allowed to treat us like this.
Well, called Legend, and also the debt collector. It seems that everything’s cancelled off now. Ordered my credit reports, and it’s all peachy. Just one problem – Orange still won’t touch me. Hey well, I’ll figure that one out.
PIPEX though… They wrote to me this week to let me know they’ll be cutting off my phone if I don’t pay outstanding invoices over the last six months. They never mentioned anything in writing before. Thanks! No idea what the issue is – they’ve had my card details all along and they just stopped taking payment it seems. Should be able to pay that off without any major issues. Still not sure how they can cut off my phone when they don’t provide my phone services though…
Called the debt collector. They had no word from Legend, so I called Legend and gave them an ear-full. They emailed debt collector to cancel debt and copied me. All good I thought. Then I got home and had a letter from Legend saying that due to the nature of my correspondence (?? ambiguous) the issue has been escalated to a member of the senior management. I might play it dumb and ask them to give me all the notes on my account… which I’m entitled to see by law. I might give my old colleague a call who now works for trading standards. I dunno… we’ll see.
I was reminded today of an incident a few years back. I can’t remember what reminded me of it now… but anyway.
A few years ago I used to spend a lot more time online than I do now (that’s some mean feat). The annoying thing was that in those days we didn’t have ADSL or cable, so the majority of us just used to pay for an 0800 freephone number to connect, which used to disconnect every two hours to free the lines during busy periods to let other people online.
I used to meet some regular people on AOL in chat rooms and such. One day I was talking to a guy I knew called Peter who lived fairly local, though neither of us knew exactly where the other lived – we never exchanged addresses. He asked how I was one day and I said I was okay, etc. I’d just accidentally cut myself and added something like “well, I’d be better if this bleeding would stop!” At that opportune moment my ISP disconnected me and I couldn’t get back online due to it being peak hours. I gave up in the end and switched on my TV.
I forgot all about speaking to Peter when about 10 mins later I had someone ferociously knocking on the door. I got up and answered the door to find two police officers, who checked my name and asking how I was. I told them I was fine, but they were persistently asking “are you sure??” etc, etc… Eventually they left and I couldn’t figure out why.
Turns out Peter had thought I was bleeding to death and called the police!! God knows how they found out where I lived and got there within 10 mins, but it was pretty damn good going. Anyway, I guess it half shows how people can mistake your context online, and also that people care even though you may not know them ‘that’ well.