James,
I disagree that their humour was edgy. If you aren’t sacked and
are kept on your amazingly lucrative contract when you go over the ‘edge’ then
that just reveals that there is no edge. Just a feather bed to cushion your
fall. Anyone else in any other workplace would be lucky if they weren’t at
least put on probation. Upon return to work Mr Ross was nominated for a BAFTA!
Shows how seriously the BBC took this. There were no meaningful consequences. Three
years later the Savile scandal erupts.
“I don't believe in showing more outrage or making more out of
this than the people involved with the incident have chosen to do.”
Well then by your own judgment read Andrew Sach’s interviews (below).
I myself would wish to live in a society that looks out for the weak and elderly and young.
The cosseted, pampered bureaucrats who wield power are out of touch with public
opinion (I believe. Maybe I’m wrong). Andrew Sachs paid a huge price but he was
innocent. He was and is a victim of bullying and harassment which went to an
extreme. Allowing Mr Ross onto Just A Minute forgives him and says it was OK
and it was a long time ago and everyone has moved on (horrible phrase). As you’ll
read below the psychological ramifications belie the childhood rhyme of sticks
and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.
Quotes from Andrew
Sachs.
‘I suspect that almost
all previous directors-general of the BBC — and not just Lord Reith — would
have responded by immediately banning Brand and Ross from ever working for
‘Auntie’ again.’
‘Melody and I both blame Ross more
than Brand — Ross, after all, is a father with two daughters of his own.’’
Re-reading the transcripts convinces me that Mr Ross
should be banned from BBC radio for life. The fact that sexual taunts to Andrew
Sachs involved images of his granddaughter as a child were not treated with the
shock they should have been shows a deep malaise within the corporation. They
would like to say that Jimmy Savile was a one-off but he didn’t survive for
over 40 years by his own cunning alone.
The transcript of what was said shows a sadism on Mr Ross’ part.
He imagines Andrew Sachs is crying. He imagines him looking at a
picture of a child on a swing and linking that innocent picture (note Mr Ross’ use
of the word innocent) to his revelation that ‘He f****d your granddaughter!’ over
the phone. He is deliberately aware of what he is doing. They both imagine
Andrew Sachs killing himself as a result of what he has learned. Brand sings
that he would like to apologise for the terrible attacks.
This
was made all the worse with the fact that Andrew Sach’s wife had broken her hip
in the middle of the night of the day they sent these messages. He’s in shock
and he’s 78. Give the guy a break. Then
he has the press camping outside his house asking him for his thoughts. I
wouldn’t be surprised if he’s suffering some sort of Post-traumatic shock
syndrome.
Andrew Sachs: Ross and Brand have ripped my family apart
By Rebecca Hardy UPDATED: 23:59, 9 May 2009
Cruelty that will haunt me forever: Andrew Sachs reveals the
full story of how Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross humiliated his family in
obscene calls
By Andrew Sachs PUBLISHED: 00:42, 8 February 2014
Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross's 'offensive' calls:
transcript
This
next bit is truly depraved. I can just imagine Jimmy Savile saying ‘Now then,
now then’.
Ross: If he is like most people of a certain age he
has probably got a picture of his grandchildren when they were young and
innocent right by the phone. So while he is listening to the message he is
looking at a picture of her when she was about nine on a swing …
Brand: She was on a swing when I met her … let's ring
back Andrew Sachs.
Brand: [singing…] I'd like to apologise for the
terrible attacks, Andrew Sachs