Jonathan Ross

[Benbow]

Does anyone listen to Jonathan Ross's Saturday morning show? The music is usually pretty dire for my tastes, but - in my opinion, in common with a lot of Radio 2- the bits between are really entertaining*. The man is a born comedian, in a self-satisfied sort of way.
I've never quite worked out what Andy Davies's function is, other than to devise convoluted quizzes and laugh at Jonathan's jokes. I wonder how much he gets paid?

*Mark Lamaar's show being the exception.

[Captain Nudnick]

I have done. The 'music' content is tiresome, but JR's rants are sometimes amusing He once spent considerable time talking about having seen his behind in a mirror, and how wonderful and loveable it seemed!

Andy does the 'real work' of setting up and cueing in tracks... JR is just the voice on a stick.

[Billy O Hare]

benbow said:

Does anyone listen to Jonathan Ross's Saturday morning show?

Mixed views about this issue, I listen to Mr. Ross’s programme on Saturday, primarily because the producer often selects some interesting and talented new bands. Also, though, the quality of R4 isn’t too good on a Saturday – never a Home Truths fan and I dislike ‘The News Quiz’ and also ‘The Now Show’. Both of these programmes are inherently southern which is unfair when there’s a national audience.

History certainly won’t detail Mr Ross as a talented broadcaster who, in the main, gains his laughs at the expense of other people’s misfortunes. Two examples: on one programme he suggested that male listeners should ask their girl friends/partners if they’d ever suffered from transient incontinence and he giggled about this issue. I’m sure many women have suffered serious embarrassment and stress over this experience and it certainly isn’t a laughing matter. The second instance was when he laughed after one of his children’s friends became frightened as he (Mr. Ross) played the game of ‘Monster’ with them all. One surprising incident was when he reported how a motor scooter repairer accidentally sold his wife’s scooter and Mr. Ross did see the funny side to this story!

I, too, have always been puzzled as to what Mr Davies’s role actually is, but I assume that he’s bankrolled via Mr Ross, rather than the BBC, since he vanishes when Mr Ross takes one of his regular holidays – very common amongst quite a few R2 presenters. Mr Davies’s placid character does introduce a calming influence over Mr Ross’s excesses. I’ve been shocked on several occasions at the ignorance of both these individuals in respect of general knowledge issues and current affairs.

Mr Lamarr’s shows contain some of the highest quality music on British radio, but his programmes are often spoilt by the almost hysterical approach that he adopts when interviewing guests. I must admit that it’s often so bad that I just want to switch off – this almost happened on Saturday whilst he was sitting in for Mr. Ross. His voice also sounds as though he has a permanent sore throat. Not sure why he also has to have a sidekick – Mark Steel – who also possesses a very unmusical and unpleasant radio voice and adds little to the programme.

One of the pleasures of listening to Mr. Marr is his catholic musical tastes. He played Kate and Anna McGarrigle’s ‘Swing Song’ last week and this week played The Dead 60’s’ ‘Riot Radio’ which encompasses quite a broad musical bandwidth. His Saturday Alternative 60’s show also rarely disappoints. I recall he played ‘Vehicle’ by The Ides of March some months back (love the powerful trumpets in this track) and I haven’t heard that for many years.

[moonbeam]

Lamarr is a comedian who became a presenter while Ross is a presenter who is a natural comedian. It's Lamarr's fortune that his interest and knowledge of certain musical genres has given him some creedence at the BBC because he's not that convincing as a comedian.

I expect he subs for Ross because R2 think he's the closest they've got to Ross but it isn't the same show at all. When Ross is having a dig it sounds playful, with Lammarr it sounds a bit too spiteful. He should stick to his specialist music shows where he shines brighter.

As for Ross's dodgy subjects; he didn't write the rules on that one. Lots of humour comes from ''serious'' subjects. They can be the best sources.

[Billy O Hare]

moonbeam said:

When Ross is having a dig it sounds playful, with Lammarr it sounds a bit too spiteful. He should stick to his specialist music shows where he shines brighter.

Well it didn’t sound ‘playful’ when he likened someone’s face to a person who’d suffered a stroke. In fact Mr. Ross holds the record in respect of upheld complaints by the broadcasting standards commission. Very depressing that this kind of broadcasting holds mass appeal. His message board vanished ages ago (no interest), which makes it clear that the programme isn’t regarded as cult listening. I understand your comment about Mr. Lamarr giving the impression of spitefulness.

I must say that I’m finding Chris Evans far more interesting these days and really do see him developing into an exceptionally talented broadcaster. Someone wrote to Feedback recently, complimenting him on his Live 8 commentary on R2. I couldn’t agree more and stayed in my study listening to him, rather than watch the TV. In fact I didn’t even realise it was Mr. Evans for about 10mins! I wish him well with his forthcoming afternoon show and will certainly make a radio visit when it starts.

[Captain Nudnick]

"I dislike ‘The News Quiz’ and also ‘The Now Show’. Both of these programmes are inherently southern" -- what is that suppose to mean? What has geography got to do with anything? Would The Clitheroe Kid be less 'inherently southern' than the News Quiz? (There was a scot in it - you can't get much more 'northern' than that!)

[moonbeam]

Billy said:

moonbeam said:

When Ross is having a dig it sounds playful, with Lammarr it sounds a bit too spiteful. He should stick to his specialist music shows where he shines brighter.

Well it didn’t sound ‘playful’ when he likened someone’s face to a person who’d suffered a stroke. In fact Mr. Ross holds the record in respect of upheld complaints by the broadcasting standards commission. Very depressing that this kind of broadcasting holds mass appeal. His message board vanished ages ago (no interest), which makes it clear that the programme isn’t regarded as cult listening. I understand your comment about Mr. Lamarr giving the impression of spitefulness.

I must say that I’m finding Chris Evans far more interesting these days and really do see him developing into an exceptionally talented broadcaster. Someone wrote to Feedback recently, complimenting him on his Live 8 commentary on R2. I couldn’t agree more and stayed in my study listening to him, rather than watch the TV. In fact I didn’t even realise it was Mr. Evans for about 10mins! I wish him well with his forthcoming afternoon show and will certainly make a radio visit when it starts.

I don't think I heard that episode but I can imagine him doing it. Did the person in question complain - or just 'outraged from Tunbridge Wells'? It is my belief that recreational outrage is becoming a popular pastime in the UK of late.

Humour has always tested the boundaries of good taste/taboo and I think comedians like Ross are only expressing what we think - that's why we find it funny. Or not as the case may be.

The thing is we all know what Ross does by now and there is always the other channel if it isn't what you like to hear. You don't have to suffer him - personally, I welcome people like him on the radio and I enjoy a good wince occasionally as well as a good laugh, it's all part of the package.

I first heard Chris Evans on GLR when he got fed up with being Danny Baker's ''Andy Davies'' and asked for his own show. He wasn't bad at it but I think success eventually spoiled it for him. He's starting from scratch again, so I'm told. I haven't heard him in a long while...

[radiohead]

Chris Evans will be taking an afternoon radio slot on BBC Radio2 some time in the Autumn.

[moonbeam]

Can't help thinking that getting a spot on Radio2 is a bit like receiving a one way ticket to where elephants go to die. Not too bad if you're a broadcaster/presenter by trade, but for these yoof culture geezers; here's your corporation pipe and slippers and your coat peg's the one between Wright's and Bruce's...

Awful.

When the rest of radioland catches up with digital, I expect 6music (R6) will be the destination of choice for the CD buying generation of ex-geezers. Meanwhile....

Radio 2 - The Elephant's Graveyard.

[radiohead]

Not really. Not for a man who hasn't worked in years but now will be taking the afternoon slot. What will happen to Steve Wright?It's time he moved on to the graveyard of whatever kind. Elephant or no.

[Crusoe]

moonbeam said:

It is my belief that recreational outrage is becoming a popular pastime in the UK of late.

How dare you!

I’m writing to my MP about this.

[Billy O Day]

moonbeam said:

Radio 2 - The Elephant's Graveyard.

Oh yes and the elephant seems to end up wearing a blazer with a scruffy R2 badge and pockets full of records by Camel.

Come to think of it, Jeremy Clarkson is a big fan of Camel and often hums 'Snow Goose' on his way to work. Surely he won't end up in The Elephants Graveyard?

[Billy O Hare]

captainnudnick said:

"I dislike ‘The News Quiz’ and also ‘The Now Show’. Both of these programmes are inherently southern" -- what is that suppose to mean?

By inherently southern, I mean the presenters, actors or actresses taking part in these comedy shows are invariably southern (1) or the plot/characters portray southern middle-class angst (e.g. Clare In The Community). There’s also a significant Oxbridge contingent within R4 and so a lot of the comedy is deliberately skewed so that it appeals to their upper-class tastes – e.g. Hudson and Pepperdine and Ed Reardon. Ed Reardon sounds as though he belongs (as does Giles Wemmbley Hogg) to the category of failed upper-class Oxbridge graduate which ‘successful’ Oxbridge graduates love to laugh at. Again this is typified by the character of Nigel Pargetter portrayed in The Archers. I suspect that some of the upper-class southern males who listen to R4 actually call their mothers ‘mummy’. If not, then why is the character so successful? Similarly, the utterly self-obsessed ‘Alistair’ is probably representative of many male R4 employees (more selfish middle-class angst) and they’re probably married/partnered to women like Shula who regard poshness and intelligence as one and the same. At a guess I’d say Alistair is in his mid to late 30’s, yet he’s a complete tweed jacket (single malt included!) and not remotely representative of most R4 listeners. I think someone should give him a good kick up the arse to snap him out of all this self-pity!

I’m puzzled as to why all comedy has become centralised in London and why, on R4, we don’t hear Plymouth, Darlington or Cardiff humour. No, of course I don’t want to return to the days of Jimmy Clitheroe, but why should it be that in the 50/60’s there were exceptionally talented radio comedians such as Al Reid, Ken Platt, Derek Guyler (O.K. comic actor), yet all we hear on R4 these days is what I’d call southern corporate humour. This is either ‘Nigel Pargetterism’ or ‘Geezarism’ (Mark Steel, David Baddiel, Andy Hamilton). I’ve often wondered how drama and comedy would change at R4 if Ms. Jude Kelly held the position of senior commissioning editor. Ms. Raphael and Ms. Smith really did alienate large numbers of listeners when they gave that smug interview on Feedback all those months ago.

Notes

(1) The News Quiz is presented by Simon Hoggart who’s an Oxford Graduate and most of the accents within The Now Show are southern. Frdiay’s show made me smile because someone was attempting to Spoof Oasis and they came up with the strangest South Manchester/pseudo Liverpudlain accent that I’d ever heard in my life!!!

[moonbeam]

radiohead said:

Not really. Not for a man who hasn't worked in years but now will be taking the afternoon slot. What will happen to Steve Wright?It's time he moved on to the graveyard of whatever kind. Elephant or no.

Oh, I see! He's ousted Steve Wright In The Afternoon? Well, put me down for a .

Poor old SWITA - he took it bad when they sent him packing from Radio One.

[moonbeam]

Billy said:

Oh yes and the elephant seems to end up wearing a blazer with a scruffy R2 badge and pockets full of records by Camel.

Come to think of it, Jeremy Clarkson is a big fan of Camel and often hums 'Snow Goose' on his way to work. Surely he won't end up in The Elephants Graveyard?

JC is unashamedly un-hip. I'm halfway through his collection of essays ''The World According To Clarkson.'' Yes, he loves 70s prog rock - say ''Yes, I'm proud and I play it loud'', but only when Mrs. Clarkson is out of the house.

No, he's so untrendy, he's cult status! No chance of the EG yet, I think.