david_carnell

Drive. You know you want to really.

I don't think anyone (or least hardly anyone) is condoning the actions of Brand and Ross. Their actions were unfunny and to some people, offensive. But this raises the following issues: 1)Andrew Sachs - the direct recipient - doesn't seem that bothered. He expressed his displeasure intially, asked for an apology, got one and has since said not a lot. He doesn't want revenge. He was on the news last night saying that as a fellow comedien he didn't want the careers of two fellow comediens ruined by a single lapse in editorial judgement. The best comedy always sails close to the wind and in this instance overstepped the mark. End of story. 2)The granddaughter - the direct target - doesn't seem to be doing to badly out of this either. She appeared on Ch4 News last night caslling for an OfCom inquiry whilst sitting in front of a Sun logo. It didn't exactly enhance her argument. Aside from this, her career as a goth/vampire/S&M artiste is likely to flourish as a result and her use of the services of Max Clifford do little to ellicit any sympathy. 3)When the show was first aired only two complaints were received. One of those was for swearing. Now this shows one of two things. Either no-one really cared or the subsequent 27000 people who did complain never heard the show in the first place. And even these 27000 are a mere 0.1% of the 25 million license fee payers - and yet through their mob mentality they have managed to cost a man his career and possibly affected the way in which the BBC will now approach comedy. Will it now be a safety first attitude where Russ Abbott is considered risque? This is little more than a media witchunt of two controverisal comediens, the doyens of the "liberal media elite", who the tabloid press have decided to make an example of. It is a shameless example of mob mentality that has already cost one man his job and possibly another. As has been already noted by other forumites, far worse behaviour (a la Chris Moyles) goes unpunished and the tabloid press (not just the Daily Mail - although they are a prime offender) publish hate-filled bigotry and unfounded accusations on a near daily basis and yet remain unaccountable. It is a sorry reflection on society when so much fuss is made of such a pathetic incident. And it is, IMO, a sorry inditement of those who can think of little more to vent their anger at.

Oooh another good one CitizenEd. Bit more manly this time - I like it. And you can't get more manly than Al Pacino. Another scenery chewing speech, this time from his Oscar-winning performance: Scent of a Women

I think "vile" is perhaps a little strong. Purile perhaps. Rather stupid, definitely. And certainly not funny, which is probably the gravest insult. I'm intrigued that there appears to be a connection between Ross's wife (Jane) and the granddaughter due to the gothic modelling and clothing link but a PR conspiracy seems a little far-fetched. I think the fact that she has hired or accepted help from Max Clifford shows that few feelings have been hurt there though. I feel sympathy towards Andrew Sachs and he seems to have dealt with the whole thing rather well and with little fuss. Good show. The grandstanding by the press is nothing new. Anything controversial from a publicly funded media source is jumped upon as evidence of "liberal bias" or "the liberal elite" smashing morality into the ground and reeks of jealousy at ability of the BBC to produce without editorial guidelines and dictats from media oligarchs like Murdoch, Desmond et al. One has to only look at the Brass Eye debacle to see what happens when the tabloid attack dogs get hold of a shitty stick. They publish fact-free, offensive and worryingly influential toss on daily basis and yet remain beyond the pale for the most part. Stones and glass houses spring to mind. Finally, the Prime Minister shouldn't really be stooping to this level. The government could comment, given the tax-funded nature of the BBC, but even then it should be a junior minister from the DCMS, not the great clunking fist sticking his oar in where it's not needed or wanted.

Hmmm yes it appears I was a tad slow off the mark on this one. The "best" seats available in the circle are row T with row Y being the back! Would you still go for it? Or am I going to be taking binoculars with me?

Oh great choice Citizen - I LOVE that film.

Bon Iver are playing a one-off London gig on the 7th December at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. Never seen a gig there. Anyone? Very keen to see them though. Anyone else fancy it? Tickets are ?18.50 through TicketMaster

I'm equally sad - BBC3 - godblessit! I quite like the new brooding fella - bit more dark than the one-dimension Penry-Jones. Alas I'm neither.

Not liking the new fella then? North is it?

Errr....

Talking of great soundtracks, Tarantino never did it better than the first attempt: The opening scene of Reservoir Dogs (needless to say, NSFW, or for those who like Madonna)

If you're feeling a bit down, you know what the Monty Python boys say..... ...."Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition"

Nice one Mike. Good work. See you there.

Superb choice of eulogy giggirl. I might have to have Sabbath though..... Paranoid or (less appropriately) War Pigs! Actually, I've changed my mind since beginning this. Right, THIS is what I want as I'm lowered into the sodden, cold ground: No Sleep Till Brooklyn

Wow. Cultural admission time - I've never seen that. Just read the wiki entry though and can't believe it's not appeared on my radar. Powerful stuff. War films are always a bugger for making me cry. But this, from a popular tv show had the same effect: ER Season 8 Episode 21 God, I'm such a woman!

Never has a man in a grubby grey tracksuit being surrounded by kids and getting very sweaty seemed less creepy than it sounds!

Blimey Jah. On the assumption you didn't look that up like I just had to, that's some encyclopedic knowledge. Mr Devorzon did most of the instrumental tracks by the looks of things. I suppose I should post this as well, given it's one of the few songs I can recite off by heart from one of my favourite movies: The Big Lebowski - Just Dropped In... Although, tbh, I could just post every scene from the film.

Wikipedia is a cruel mistress... Portsmouth 1987/8: P 40 W 7 D 14 L 19 F 36 A 66 Pts 35 Brutal.

It's a 70s film called The Warriors about a gang from Coney Island forced to make their way home across the 5 Boroughs and fight loads of other gangs on their way. It's marvellous. And yeah, I think they did do a game of it. No idea if it's any good though.

Cool idea. May I offer some men in leather vests being chased by men with painted faces dressed as baseball players. The awesome Warriors vs Baseball Furies. The whole film is a cult classic.

I've got to say I'm with Sean on this one. It seems daft to cancel one venue due to music related noise (i.e. we can't have a decent chat over a pint) and then move to somewhere, that although I enjoy, on a Friday night is not only seethingly busy but incredibly loud thus negating the move in the first place. Last time around turn-out was a little lower than normal but we were at the Mag then, hardly "off the beaten track" so I'm not sure that really makes the difference. If you're not going to go, the fact you have to walk an extra ten minutes away from Lordship Lane seems a pretty flimsy excuse. And those in the mood for noiz[sic] can always pop along to the EDT as per normal after we get chucked out of the Wherever Arms at 11pm. Only my "I am in fact 50 years old" opinion, like.

The Montpellier? Have we been there before? Or maybe one of the pubs on Bellenden Rd?

It appears Hoopers have a folk jazz concert on that Friday. Is it worth either reconsidering the venue or at least notifying the landlord as it might be a bit awkward to have a good chin wag with live music going on.

Bellenden Belle Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I'm shopping in Oxford Street so I think I will > pop into John Lewis for lunch... terribly middle > aged of me but it reminds me somehow of regular > lunches with my mother as a child many years ago. "Forum comes before shopping" says woman in shock news. Devotion indeed. When making tuna mayo, is it greedy to use and eat the whole tin plus two jacket potatoes?

I see the amnesia of this thread is only temporary though. Well done old folks.