Matt Monro Forum

Morning all,

Without "naming names" here, we all know about the two Radio 2 presenters in the news at the moment!

I think it is VERY sad that a couple of radio presenters think that the only way to entertain an audience is to swear at them or make silly phone calls to celebrities and laugh at them because they feel that making fun of them is....entertaining!

Thank goodness there are a few decent radio presenters out there and they have the talent to entertain without swearing etc!

Maybe we could start our own radio station here.
Quality music would of course be the order of the day plus we could entertain everyone with our jokes/stories etc and no........swearing of course. Well, not too much just in case we attract the media and draw attention to ourselves and this would probably mean that more listeners would tune in to our station to hear the swear words! Now, we wouldn't want that to happen would we?!

I still haven't really read too much about what this pair of twits have been up to, but it seems like they've both pushed the boundaries just too far, even for their oversized egos.

As for swearing, its out of control. It used to be the reserve of C4 and programmes like 'The Word' on a Friday night. Then when that finished C4 realised that they were onto a good thing and got Graham Norton in on the act. And now before we know it, its reached BBC1 via BBC2 although ITV do seem to be a relative safe haven at present.

I actually emailed C4 recently about the content of the 'Charlotte Church' show - its just swearing, crass stunts and awful interviews. She should have stuck to singing classically! I must be in my 40s if I am sending outraged emails!

That said, what do people think of the 'Janet & John' stories that Sir Terry plays regularly - I have to admit that they have me howling most of the time, but they are INCREDIBLY rude sometimes - well all the time actually! But then in the same way that everyone used to like 'Julian and Sandy' during 'Around the Horne' (at least so I am told as I am far to young to have heard it on the Light Programme!), maybe the British sense of humour is just fixated on the 'double entendre'!

I have to admit that I was not sure what I was hearing this morning when Terry did a "John and Janet" sketch--I did not know if I was imagining that it was bit saucy, or not---but it looks like I was right !!

I quite agree with you Hilary, I think it is appalling the way the 2 "presenters" behaved, really quite surprised at one of them, I thought he would have had a bit more sense, although he can be outspoken. Absolutely no need for it at all.

Jonathan Woss is old enough to know better IDIOTS

Just want to say that we think there is a world of difference between saucy innuendo and offending someone directly just to gain cheap laughs. Some of the great British comedians have thrived on inneundo, for example Jimmy Tarbuck, Bruce Forsyth, Bob Monkhouse etc.

Good manners and the concern for the feelings of other people should not be a prerogative just for people getting older. Most of the young people we know would not condome this sort of behaviour to anyone.

Whoever approved their conduct is just as guilty as they are and all concerned should be dealt with most severely.


Maureen & Harry

At least the Janet and John monologues are of the saucy
postcard variety, Mariana. They were 'inspired' by announcer
John Marsh and his wife, Janet.
As for the despicable duo, they simply reflect the prevailing
dearth of talent, and are purveyors of dumbing down writ large.
Keith

couldnt agree more!! whats happening with the bbc??

Here, here from me also.
I am a big fan of the 'BBC institution', but am saddened at the direction it seems to be heading (as pointed out by Mike).
Regarding Mr Ross & Mr Brand - I would sack them.
I don't want anymore of my license money funding their (over the top) salaries.
I'd also sack the 'Senior' Exec who pass the show suitable for broadcast and make the three of them pay the 'Ofcom' fine, when it arrives.
Again, I do not want that coming out of my license fee contribution.

Hilary wrote:I think it is VERY sad that a couple of radio presenters think that the only way to entertain an audience is to swear at them or make silly phone calls to celebrities and laugh at them because they feel that making fun of them is....entertaining!

Absolutely.
The BBC has gone steadily downhill in the past 20 or 30 years, trying to compete for audiences instead of sticking to entertainment and education.
The rot really set in with "eastenders" IMHO - swearing, immorality etc etc. Thank goodness I hardly ever watch the TV these days; it's bad enough occasionally hearing the soap operas that my daughters listen to

I agree with all your comments and it is good to hear they have now both been suspended from their jobs.
I also think they have had far too much publicity from this sorry saga, and hope it can now rest where it belongs, in the gutter.

Marian.

I have long detested Jonathan Ross and his type of "humour", and I am so glad that at last, he does not seem to be getting away with it. I guess he thought he was invincible--well, now he knows--noone is!! That goes for Russell Brand too--whoever he may be !!!!!

I am glad that people are taking a stand over these two.

I was happy to learn that Russell Brand has resigned from the BBC tonight.

Being a Libran, I like to check out both sides of a situation, so tonight I listened to the now infamous phone calls on You tube, and to be quite honest, I can't really see what all the fuss is about.
I can see that Andrew Sachs would probably have been upset by what was originally said on his answerphone, but the two broadcasters concerned behaved like two naughty schoolboys, who had done and said something they shouldn't have, and then made it so much worse by calling several more times and carrying out their ridiculous attempts at making a so called apology.
At first I believed the allegations they made were completely untrue, but now it appears this isn't the case at all
I think the main blame must lie at the feet of the BBC, who allowed something like this to go ahead and be broadcast, when it was obvious it was going to cause distress and upset to Andrew Sachs.
Marian

The BBC are totally to blame. If some of the foul contents and swear words that these overpaid presenters have been allowed to get away with and revel in had been stopped from whence it first began, and this has been for far too long, then perhaps the so called bosses wouldn't have had to take the steps that they have been forced to take now, and it's only because they have received over 18,000 calls from the listeners.
Time will tell if these Two vile people still prove to be bigger than the corporation.