Russell Brand was 'suspended' after the remarks made in the previous audio snippet I had posted a while back. In Light of that he chose to resign from the BBC altogether and issued this most accurate statement:
"I have apologised to Andrew Sachs for the rude messages I left on October 18 and he has graciously accepted.
As I only do the radio show to make people laugh I've decided that given the subsequent coverage I will stop doing the show.
I've loved working for the BBC and am very proud of the shows myself, Matt Morgan, Nic Philps, Mr Gee and Noel Gallagher have made and I apologise to all of them for damaging their careers - except Noel, whose band are doing quite well.
I got a bit caught up in the moment and forgot that at the core of the rude comments and silly songs were the real feelings of a beloved and brilliant comic actor and a very sweet and big-hearted young woman.
Apologies are also owed to the loyal listeners of the show who enjoyed its shambolic spirit and anarchy and will be upset that it cannot continue.
I take complete responsibility and offer nothing but love and contrition and I hope that now Jonathan and the BBC will endure less forensic wrath.
Hare Krishna."
I love that his apology isn't really, well, an apology. At least not directed to the people that are demanding it. He apologises to his co-workers and contributers as well as his loyal audience. He does apologise to Andres Sachs and his Grand daughter, but to none of the daftly outraged, bandwagon jumpers that publicly complained. Kudos, Russell, you needn't pander to them.
It seems to me, having spent some time in Britain and knowing a bit about how the people think/react there that his humour should migrate to America. I truly believe his own country does not appreciate his true genious. Howard Stern has nary had to apologise for paddling the asses of retarded-midgets, so why can you not make such seemingly harmless jokes in a 'free country'? ........Unforgivable.
And, who agrees with me? Well, if it isn't Mr. Noel 'dreamboat' Gallagher hisself!:
"At worst it was a juvenile prank that wasn't unfunny - but it's hardly offensive," Gallagher said.
He appeared almost weekly on the show, which Brand has quit after making lewd phone calls to actor Andrew Sachs.
"I feel bad for Russ, 'cause he really loved doing the show," Gallagher told BBC Radio Ulster's Across the Line.
"I loved being on it as well."
Gallagher said he was "outraged" that columnists in the press had "dictated the tone and are telling people how to behave".
"It's so typical of the English in general - 10,000 people get outraged, but only five days after it has happened."
"You know what? There's now a massive divide. Them and us," he added.
People like Conservative leader David Cameron, who waded into the row, were on one side and should not get "involved in something that doesn't concern him", Gallagher said.
"Then there's us."
I think Noel's comment was exactly right: a juvenile prank that wasn't unfunny.
ReplyDeleteI can see why some people would freak out - they messed with an actor from what's been called the best sitcom of all time - but not why they'd freak out to the point of taking action. I've never phoned or written anyone to complain about anything ever. I don't think. Maybe I have and I'm selectively misremembering right now so I can take the side I'd prefer to be on, but I'm pretty sure I haven't.
Bajillions of things happen all the time that go without complaint. From the demographic you told me was responsible for all these requests that Russell be burned alive (they're all very old - I think that's what you said), I can pick out a few things that were worse (some wars and other assorted crap including, but not limited to, the 70s).
I do wonder how it all happened. Did they break a law? Or violate some BBC rule? Be interesting to find out. Mainly because, had nobody complained, nothing would've happened. Maybe you can break the law and get away with it as long as nobody notices. But, maybe you can also act in total accordance with the law and get suspended because some people didn't like it.
So bizarre.
Basically, whatever you do, you'll get in trouble if people want you in trouble.
Something I did really enjoy about the segment you posted was the escalation of the situation. I loved the hall-of-mirrors effect - they had to call him again to apologize for having called him again to apologize for having called him again... and, by the end, they were scheming to solve a problem that didn't ever need to exist in the first place.
*That* I loved.
Ok. Trash Day. I still have to take out the trash. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go read the other book I posted under your David-Tennant-Is-a-Selfish-Bastard-Quitter-Who-Couldn't-Handle-Being-Awesome-for-One-Second-More post.