Monday, November 03, 2008

Bullying is not the same as comedy

There have been millions of column inches written about the Jonathan Ross / Russell Brand affair and there isn't really much else to add except to say that I have never liked Ross or his brand of comedy (no pun intended). His behaviour is no different to that of a school bully who delights in kicking the weak when they are down.

No one should be surprised by his recent antics. The writing was on the wall 17 years ago at the 1991 British Comedy Awards, when he humiliated Rod Hull about his waning popularity. Maybe Charles Moore is right about Ross and the BBC being gerontophobes.

There are many who have defended the BBC arguing that it must have the freedom to "take risks" with comedy, but there is a world of difference between comedy and sadism.