Harry's Place

Shall we take about plant photography whilst Les and Hardeep glare at each other?

I suspect that the worst radio interview of all time did or will involve Victoria Derbyshire.

This is a pretty good effort,given the cultural mix of the West Midlands.

even if I could listen to it from work I wouldn’t because I find Hardeep Singh Kohli intensely unfunny and irritating. Even on the radio you can hear his smug smile; he’d give Stephen Twigg and David Miliband a run for their money in a smugness steeplechase.

Les Ross sounds like he’s high on drugs. I sympathise with Hardeep Singh Kohli.

I agree with Martin with the exception that Kohli’s radio show about partition was fascinating. The only problem with it was his smug presentation. But who else would have done it? Mark Tully? He is even smugger and more infuriating that Kohli

As someone who was born and lived most of their life in the West Midlands, you may be saddened to hear that Les Ross is a bit of an institution (and probably should be in one.) He’s a bit like your average racist, bumbling old grandad, except mine and your grandads dont present BBC radio programmes to the whole county…..Ross’s raison d’être is as a champion of the poor, the voice of the weak….he can regularly be heard phoning the Customer service departments of utilities companies live on his show, and ripping some poor cow on the other end of the line a new arsehole, because his loyal listener Mrs Briggs has had a high gas bill, and tacky stunts of that ilk….the sooner the old fucker dies, preferably live on air, the better

The “sense of humour” ending is a classic.

Apparently Les Ross MBE has a 30 year career in broadcasting – although I have never heard of him. He sounds like Keith Chegwin on acid.

I don’t think Hardeep Singh Kohli sounded smug – just genuinely bemused that his host who hadn’t done any research.

he can regularly be heard phoning the Customer service departments of utilities companies live on his show, and ripping some poor cow on the other end of the line a new arsehole, because his loyal listener Mrs Briggs has had a high gas bill, and tacky stunts of that ilk….

Er, because powerful utilities companies should never have their bluffs called by radio presenters? Are you some sort of Tory perhaps?

Actually I totally agree with david Absalom in the comments to the clip: It’s not the first bad interview I’ve heard from Hardeep Singh Kohli – but the first where he’s the one being interviewed.

(and probably should be in one.)

The full stop should be outside the bracket. It’s only inside the bracket if there is a complete sentence in the brackets.

Apparently Les Ross MBE has a 30 year career in broadcasting

Me neither until today, but apparently his BRMB show in the 80s was a riot – “Les would make great audio sketches and mini-comedies including the unforgettable “Yesterday Never Comes”, a daily two minute serial set in the imaginary town of Little Wittel. He played all the comedic characters, such as Gravely Ill, the Little Wittle undertaker, and of course what listener could forget about Miss Take!”

Here’s Les with NEC Group pastry chef John Berry, who spent a month making a marzipan model of movie icon Indiana Jones.

I think Hardeep’s agent must have worked overtime to find him an interviewer so bad that he made hardeep sound neither smug nor particularly annoying.

I suspect that the worst radio interview of all time did or will involve Victoria Derbyshire.

She’s still on the scene? I remember her from when I lived in England. For some reason, whenever I heard her voice on the radio, I kept imagining her on a horse playing polo.

Graham, I can assure you that I am not a Tory….my point is, phoning up the Customer Service department and speaking to some poor sap (usually young and female) on the other end, and ripping them a new arsehole live on air is pointless and little more than bullying….if he really gave a shit he would get a representative from the company on his show and give it the bertie big bollocks to them, but he never has. You’ll have to trust me on this….unfortunately my old place of work never had WM off, so I heard this wretched man every day for years so I know what he is like. This thing with Kohli, with its thinly disguised racist is nothing new

Er, because powerful utilities companies should never have their bluffs called by radio presenters? Are you some sort of Tory perhaps?

Er, because “customer service operators” earning £6 per hour for non-stop calls, where standing up to hand a piece of paper to a manager counts as a break from monitor work and scheduled tea/dinner breaks interrupted by “team briefings” are not returned, might not deserve to have some tosser abusing them and broadcasting it to baying public?

Are you someone else called Graham?

And yes, Officer Benjamin from the online grammar police, I am fully aware that my last post contains both spelling and grammatical errors.

For some reason there is no Galloway thread around for me to append this to, so entirely OT (except for tenuous link that he is a duff radio presenter) did anyone hear his performance before the US Senate being lauded by Griff Rhys Jones on his TV programme on anger last night. Griff presented this as a positive, effective use of anger. Galloway recounted how he sat for 4 hours the previous night just meditating on the tactics he would use before the committee. He decided that as he himself had been a boxer, he would use boxing tactics of a relentless quick succession of hammer blows, and he said, glowing with pride, it worked. When Griff fawningly started playing the clip from the hearing I started retching and switched off. I will never be able to view Griff in a benign light again.

I understand now why Birmingham, the Second City of England, the UK, the Empire, the Commonwealth, the EU, the Western World, the World, the Solar System, the Milky Way, the Universe, Infinity has such a high profile is is internationally and perpetually esteemed as a great centre of culture, good taste and learning (although do note that Stephen Duffy was from Aston, not quite the same place, even if he needed to claim it was Birmingham he was from in one song so as to have a good semi-rhyme for “proletarian”) , as opposed to being an obscure place where people have funny accents and where no-one is too sure what goes on there beyond the vague notion of the Crossroads Motel.

If it were up North, I could say “eeh ba gum” as some “witty” sign-off phrase, but I don’t even think Brum has one of those.

I agree entirely about full-stops being outwith the parentheses. However, if there is only one parenthesis, how can it be outside or inside?

Bob, has one of these victims never got their unions onto him?

Er, because “customer service operators” earning £6 per hour for non-stop calls, where standing up to hand a piece of paper to a manager counts as a break from monitor work and scheduled tea/dinner breaks interrupted by “team briefings” are not returned, might not deserve to have some tosser abusing them and broadcasting it to baying public?

Well I would not imagine the management of said utilities companies would much like their records being discussed live on air by those being paid six quid an hour (and it may have much more of an effect on the bosses of said companies than sending on a talking head for a five minute bluffing session.) Sosounds to me like Ross is spot on.

And yes, Officer Benjamin from the online grammar police, I am fully aware that my last post contains both spelling and grammatical errors.

Ah, contrition. Good.

Put your full-stop wherever you like – it is only the online equivelents of mary Whitehouse who notice such things anyway.

I agree entirely about full-stops being outwith the parentheses. However, if there is only one parenthesis, how can it be outside or inside?

I was referring specifically to the last bracket, obviously there are two brackets. The full stop falls outside the last bracket (or closing bracket), except when an entire sentence falls within the brackets – in that case the full stop falls within the brackets.

Graham, are you taking the stupid pills today? The poor bints don’t *know* they’re being broadcast. They merely think they’ve got another arsehole caller.

Fine state of affairs when mill-worker would be roasted by call-centre managers who, if Bob is to be believed, have not acted against a known tormentor of their staff!

I quite like Mary Whitehouse.

I’m not sure if US usage is different from British English – with quotation marks and full-stops, the rules ARE different.

Graham said, “I told Benjamin to write something interesting.”, would, I think, be comme il faut stateside, but would be rudely deprecated here.

Benjamin

eat shit and leave.

Oh, fuck off, Benji.

Graham, are you taking the stupid pills today? The poor bints don’t *know* they’re being broadcast. They merely think they’ve got another arsehole caller.

In which case the company is being totally shown as a cowboy outfit. If I ring the council and the plumber answers and starts talking about traffic policy then I would want that broadcast too.

Honestly Alec you are like the armed police who, when confronted by a mass murderer holding a baby doll decide to give up and let him go.

Put your full-stop wherever you like – it is only the online equivelents of mary Whitehouse who notice such things anyway.

Being fussy about correct use of English (the bracket and full stop error just happens to be a pet hate of mine) does not mean I am concerned about violence on TV.

I quite like Mary Whitehouse.

Of course you do. I bet you fancied Joan Hickson.

Mary was convinced that violence on TV was a result of bad punctuation.

I quite like Mary Whitehouse.

She was like Oliver Cromwell with a perm.

Graham, what the fuck are you talking about? By all means rap the knuckles of those staff who go beyond their remits, but this is separate. This is his acting as an agent provocateur to goad the poor bint into messing up, or simply humiliate her, and not having the balls to take on a senior executive or, even, middle manager face to face.

I actually experienced this once from a manager who’d call up staff and behave as an even bigger dick than he did on the office floor.

And once again, fuck off, Benji.

I recall Cromwell did have a perm in that film.

This is his acting as an agent provocateur to goad the poor bint into messing up, or simply humiliate her

No it is not. It is someone slightly more powerful and articulate (i.e. a radio DJ) ringing a set of robots who spend their days telling pensioners who can’t pay their bills to fuck off in a set script and embarrasing the fuel company by doing so.

If you don’t want to be told to fuck off then don’t work in such a place (although as said the real sufferer is the company who, instead of getting someone trained in the PR performing arts on to a radio show is “represented” by someone who really could not give a toss (as, every listener knows, they couldn’t when rung by anyone other than a radio DJ.)

Shall we start on bailliffs next? I have little sympathy for them either.

Graham, what a tosser you are. Unfortunately, those who end up working in call centres aren’t usually the type of people blessed with multiple career opportunities. These people are doing a job and dont deserve to be bullied and abused by some arsehole swinging his dick round his head live on radio

Graham, what a tosser you are.

But at least I am not a pensioner-hating wanker like you. People who worked in Gulags and nazi concentration camps were not “blessed with multiple career opportunities” either but at least they would have had your sort of slime to defend their interests.

People who worked in Gulags and nazi concentration camps were not “blessed with multiple career opportunities” either but at least they would have had your sort of slime to defend their interests.

Ah, satire. We can relax. Now steady on, chaps.

I rather suspect that “I’m only doing my job” is one of Benji’s excuses for supporting the Chinese regime as well.

I do not support the Chinese regime, as you know, Graham.

Unfortunately, those who end up working in call centres aren’t usually the type of people blessed with multiple career opportunities. These people are doing a job and dont deserve to be bullied and abused by some arsehole swinging his dick round his head live on radio

This nonsense excuses every disgusting act on the basis that people are thick and only obeying orders.

Where is the sympathy for the pensioner who, having not enough money to pay the bill rings a call centre to be fobbed off by droids?

Quite disgusting.

I do not support the Chinese regime, as you know, Graham.

Indeed. You are just a thick droid doing a job Benji.

Unfortunately, those who end up working in call centres aren’t usually the type of people blessed with multiple career opportunities.

Well they should not have signed up for an arts degree in the first place should they?

Okay, Graham, this is satire, right? Mr Latchford was only pointing out to you that call operators getting a public tongue lashing from a radio host hardly constitutes justice for pensioners against the utility companies.

That point of view does necessarily mean a lack of sympathy for pensioners facing with rising bills. We all have a great deal of sympathy for them.

It seems quite right that a someone from the higher echelons of the company should get the tongue lashing, not a call operator.

t seems quite right that a someone from the higher echelons of the company should get the tongue lashing, not a call operator.

However (as pointed out repeatedly) if a company has a call-centre which is dedicated to fobbing off pensioners with fuel concerns (and others) with a set script delivered by what “Mr Latchford” seems to think are stupid people who are unable to get any other kind of job then it is as fair for a media representative to ring them and toast them (as the companies front line) as it would be for the Chelsea first team to demolish a Man U team of one-legged old ladies should Alex Ferguson send them out. This does not mean of course that Alex ferguson will not later be called to account for sending out a team of monopeds any more than the fuel company bosses won’t be for allowing call centre workers to depart from their set scripts which they usually use to fob off pensioners.

I must say it is quite odd that so many people seem to empathise more with those who earn money by getting insulted (that’s the job folks – everyone else knows it even if you don’t) than pensioners with fuel crises.

Very strange.

To an extent you are right, Graham. These scripts are annoying etc. However, its does not get at the root of the problem. Clearly the folk closer to the top of the company need to be hauled in. If the radio host simply continuously calls the operators without dealing with the higher ups, one may assume that this is just for effect, a bit of argy bargy on the phone, rather than proper scrutiny of the decision makers.

Mr Latchford was only pointing out to you that call operators getting a public tongue lashing from a radio host hardly constitutes justice for pensioners against the utility companies.

Actually I think you will find that he was more concerned with calling me a tosser and then suggesting that these people were “only doing their job”.

(We know a song about that don’t we children?)

Clearly the folk closer to the top of the company need to be hauled in.

There is nothing more likely to “haul in” a company executive who is reluctant to be interviewed than the idea that a six quid an hour workers who quite honestly (and who would blame them) doesn’t give a toss about his company is live on BBC radio answering questions.

people seem to empathise more with those who earn money by getting insulted (that’s the job folks – everyone else knows it even if you don’t)

Not necessarily. I am sure many of the calls are quite reasonable.

I think folk are sympathising with a powerless person getting a load of grief from a radio host on air, over issues that are not their ultimately their doing. As I say, the radio host should be talking to the higher ups.

If the radio host (or even those powerless pensioners who are daily fobbed off by call centres) could “talk to the higher ups” then they would not be calling the call centre (and the company would not use the call centre) in the first place.

Such places are there to stop anybody talking to someone who might have the power to change anything.

Graham

Well I certainly hope that the radio host’s humiliation of these workers does result in a proper interview with the higher ups, otherwise these are just ding dongs with low paid and generally powerless workers – and not much else.

Something even worse is the kind of pro-active call-centre which phones you. Each time one of these idiots rings me wanting to sell me a new mobile phone (in a very roundabout way, often trying to tell me I am due “a refund” or some such shit) I end up losing half an hours work as I have to (thanks to BT) go into another room to answer the phone. Often these callers are just as put upon and low-paid as the call-centre workers referred to above. For that I am very sad for them but it does not for one minute stop me from telling the cunts to fuck right off and stop disturbing me.

Graham,

I receive such unsolicited calls in Hong Kong too – it’s a particular problem here. However, they are all in Cantonese – a language I only know a few words of. I know it’s a commercial call because they launch into it straight away. I answer in English – whereupon they ask whether anyone speaks Chinese or just claim they have a wrong number. I am never rude to them though. I was very rarely rude to similar folk calling me back in Blighty. Perhaps just occasionally, when I had just had a rough day at work or whatever.

I am never rude to them though. I was very rarely rude to similar folk calling me back in Blighty.

Indeed. They are trained to rely on the sheep-like docile politeness of middle-class Brits.

Actually I think you will find that he was more concerned with calling me a tosser

Come, come Graham. One the interweb, it’s best to take all that with a pinch of salt. I’ve been called much worse – “worse than a Nazi”, I do recall. Obviously if someone said that to you in pub you would smash their face in, but this is a different gig.

Don’t be silly Benji I have been called “a paedophile” a “zionist” and an “anti-semite” amongst other things here. I care little for innefectual insults hurled by those who are losing arguments. All I was pointing out was the bald fact that Bob Latchford was not saying what you said he was but was merely more interested in calling me a tosser.

They are trained to rely on the sheep-like docile politeness of middle-class Brits.

Well, it was only a bit of double glazing once in while. It’s not too bad in England. In Hong Kong it occurs more often, but here I am even less inclined to be rude, not least because they might not even understand British swear words.

All I was pointing out was the bald fact that Bob Latchford was not saying what you said he was but was merely more interested in calling me a tosser.

No Graham, he was saying what I said but he was, but he was calling you a tosser too, admittedly. No need to worry about that though.

It’s not too bad in England.

I’m talking about at least three times a day (and yes I know you can ring somewhere and get them to stop it.)

The point is that these people too are low paid and put-upon and “only doing their job” but I see little reason why I should be polite to those who are causing me problems. To defend call centre workers (and by extension the company they work for) by suggesting they can never be called to account is just about the most bizzare right-wing nonsense I have heard here for a long time.

Ok Benji would you like to quote from the part where Bob Latchford says something along the lines of : Mr Latchford was only pointing out to you that call operators getting a public tongue lashing from a radio host hardly constitutes justice for pensioners against the utility companies.

I don’t think you can do that now can you?

Isn’t the truth Benji that you have found something that you would have LIKED Bob Latchford to say but which he did not say? I think it is isn’t it? Mr Latchford called me a tosser and suggested these people were “only doing their job” and that was the full comment.

In Hong Kong you even get folk stopping you in the street trying to sell you apartments, and all sorts. I went to market and some guy even tried, rather excitedly, to sell me a sex toy. It gets a bit in your face at times. England is pretty placid compared.

I think old Mr Latchford was saying more or less what I summarised yes, Graham.

can you quote this then Benji?

Here is the whole comment in order to help you prove that he was saying (and I quote:) “call operators getting a public tongue lashing from a radio host hardly constitutes justice for pensioners against the utility companies.”

Graham, what a tosser you are. Unfortunately, those who end up working in call centres aren’t usually the type of people blessed with multiple career opportunities. These people are doing a job and dont deserve to be bullied and abused by some arsehole swinging his dick round his head live on radio

Yeah, more or less, Graham, plus what he said earlier.

plus what he said earlier

Where Benji?

Well, he said some stuff earlier. I think he used a different name though. Anyway, the point is the same. Confronting low paid phone operators on air doesn’t really get to the root of the problem. That’s the main thing. Being rude or shouty at them is not really going to help necessarily.

Of course, if the radio host has also got the top nobs in, there may have been some purpose. But if not, then one can understand why it looks like a shallow exercise.

Well, he said some stuff earlier. I think he used a different name though.

!!!!!!!

Confronting low paid phone operators on air doesn’t really get to the root of the problem.

Call centres are there precisely so nobody gets to “the root of the problem” goading out mangers in this way is a perfectly legitimate tactic. The idea that if somebody rings my doorbell constantly all day that i should be nice to them just because they are a low-paid employee of ACME enterprises is quite frankly stupid, sentimental guff which could only come from someone who never needed to think about working in a call centre.

Anyway, got to hit the hay, and have a bit of leg over. Nice speaking to you Graham.

I am a bit sentimental sometimes too, Graham. Forgive me.

Neither the interviewer nor the interviewee come out of this particularly well.

Les Ross confused the book with the radio programme – but Kohli’s response was pretty snitty.

‘Yeah, that was about genocide, this is a comedy memoir’ – because you’re so stupid, Les, you can’t tell the difference between genocide and comedy.

Twat.

A bit rich of him to pretend he’s struggling with the mortgage as well – doesn’t his family have 25+ properties out to rent?

Graham, I reckon that although you protest at being cold called 3 times a day by people trying to flog you stuff, I reckon you actually enjoy it, telling these people they are the modern day concentration camp guards who should leave their jobs as a matter of social principle. If I am wrong, and you are actually weary of these cold calls, get you number put on the TPS, and all your woes will be cured (apart from tosspotitis) http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/

A bit rich of him to pretend he’s struggling with the mortgage as well – doesn’t his family have 25+ properties out to rent?

I think that was something commonly known as a joke. Look it up.

Graham, I reckon that although you protest at being cold called 3 times a day by people trying to flog you stuff, I reckon you actually enjoy it

Yeah but you probably think prisoners like being tortured too don’t you? If someone disagrees with you then you just assume the opposite of what they are saying because you are a tit.

Do shut up, you patronising waste of space.

Of course I am aware it was a joke.

Whether it was or not makes not the slightest bit of difference.

@Benji

I am a bit sentimental sometimes too, Graham. Forgive me.

me too but I am enjoying playing the Mr Angry radio host waving my dick around (TM B latchford) amongst the middle-class wallies at the moment.

Any minute I’m going to tell them the only job I was offered upon leaving school was the army and Northern Ireland. Perhaps I should have written to Gerry adams to inform him I was only doing my job. Whatcha think?

Mark T

Clearly he was aware that it was absurd, that’s why it was a joke.

Yes, because it’s such common knowledge that he’s actually a rather rich landlord.

Bollocks.

I would just like to say that I’m in agreement with the burly, bearded Brummie footballer of yore.

Singh Coaly is a smug git. Send em back to jockland I say.

Telephone preference service weeds some out, but not all. I tend to say: I have signed up with the TPS and therefore by calling me you are committing an offence in breach of the Data Protection Act. This is is gobbledygook but my revenge for the mindless lazy inappropriate citing of the DPA whenever I phone a company. Citing the DPA is their standard way of avoiding addressing my request properly.
It doesn’t work at all with cold callers from the USA who don’t know what you are on about and get quite aggressive.

Telephone preference service weeds some out, but not all.

you are quite right Ami. Taking up Mr latchford’s kind offer I entered my telephone number only to be told it was already registered (it’ll be the Mrs) – so despite that I have still been getting about 3 calls a day.

When I call a call centre I always make a point of saying that I’m not upset with them but with their employer. I don’t shout at them or have a go.

It is only fair to them. It also tends to get results.

However (as pointed out repeatedly) if a company has a call-centre which is dedicated to fobbing off pensioners with fuel concerns (and others)

I am going on what Bob says, but it is backed up by my personal experience. Why does Les Ross not call in so much as a middle-level manager to discuss it face-to-face? Answer, he’s a cunt who enjoys humiliating the inarticulate and utterly powerless.

with a set script delivered by what “Mr Latchford” seems to think are stupid people who are unable to get any other kind of job then it is as fair for a media representative to ring them and toast them (as the companies front line)

Like Jade Goody? Yeah, it was entirely right that she was roasted. Which, alas, is not what you said at the time.

I must say it is quite odd that so many people seem to empathise more with those who earn money by getting insulted (that’s the job folks – everyone else knows it even if you don’t) than pensioners with fuel crises.

And a single mother earning £6 per hour is flush with cash?

However (as pointed out repeatedly) if a company has a call-centre which is dedicated to fobbing off pensioners with fuel concerns (and others)

I am going on what Bob says, but it is backed up by my personal experience. Why does Les Ross not call in so much as a middle-level manager to discuss it face-to-face? Answer, he’s a cunt who enjoys humiliating the inarticulate and utterly powerless.

with a set script delivered by what “Mr Latchford” seems to think are stupid people who are unable to get any other kind of job then it is as fair for a media representative to ring them and toast them (as the companies front line)

Like Jade Goody? Yeah, it was entirely right that she was roasted. Which, alas, is not what you said at the time.

I must say it is quite odd that so many people seem to empathise more with those who earn money by getting insulted (that’s the job folks – everyone else knows it even if you don’t) than pensioners with fuel crises.

And a single mother earning £6 per hour is flush with cash?

Well, if HP can’t get a preview button, what do they expect?

Also, compare Graham’s defence of a “smug teenager with a sense of entitlement” to his excoriation of bare minimum wage contract workers subject to the same fuel and food prices as the rest of us, because of his hatred of the offensively paid CEOs of those companies who won’t give them permanent contracts:

http://www.hurryupharry.org/2008/06/18/scissors-of-damocles/

Why does Les Ross not call in so much as a middle-level manager to discuss it face-to-face?

Alternative answer: He calls those who his listeners spend their time calling and getting no answers (because they are put there, by managers, for that very purpose – ie that managers have no wish to talk to customers.

Like Jade Goody? Yeah, it was entirely right that she was roasted. Which, alas, is not what you said at the time.

What the fuck are you on about now? Goody was “roasted” for being a mixed-race woman who had the temerity to criticise a pure one. Don’t start this racist crap again.

And a single mother earning £6 per hour is flush with cash?

What a camp-guard earns has no bearing on the fact that someone has contacted Les Ross about fuel bills because they cannot get past the 6 pound an hour gatekeeper whose job it is to keep them from getting near anyone who could change anything.

Also, compare Graham’s defence of a “smug teenager with a sense of entitlement”

there is no defence of any smug teenager implied there – merely a recognition that her prospective employer needed to keep her big mouth shut (perhaps she could have employed a call centre for interviews.)

I must say that I just can’t grasp this idea that an employee of the company should not be questioned and criticised by a media-savvy representative of a person who feels they have been overcharged by the company of which the employee is employed because the employee of the company only makes 6 quid an hour deflecting calls from higher up employees of the company who do not wish to talk to the wronged party.

Goody was “roasted” for being a mixed-race woman who had the temerity to criticise a pure one.

Of course she wasn’t. It *afterwards* that this became well-kent, just as did the stuff about Shetty’s daddy employing Dravidian sweat-shop workers. It started because she was an un-attractive, poorly educated pleb, and Shetty had the class about her.

He calls those who his listeners spend their time calling and getting no answers (because they are put there, by managers, for that very purpose – ie that managers have no wish to talk to customers.

SO WHY DOES HE NOT CALL THE MANAGERS???? Answer, he’s a cunt and a bully.

[blockquotequote]there is no defence of any smug teenager implied there[/blockquote]

Of course there was. A woman who was subjecting herself to working hours twice that which said smug teenager would have accepted and with the same ratio of tasks and pressures, plus the duties of financing and running a business, was gloated at because – after 70 hour weeks for months on end – she made one slip of the tongue.

Did anyone bother to think that just maybe the host slams the call centre worker and not the top dog because it’s A. a Radio program (limited time on air), B. It’s a cathartic exercise to make the listeners feel better which leads me to point C. it’s entertainment. I honestly doubt the DJ is hoping to change the country with a regional radio broadcast.

I must say that I just can’t grasp this idea that an employee of the company should not be questioned and criticised by a media-savvy representative of a person

That’s what we have complaints (who, admittedly, are often the same front-liners on a rota) and/or PR departments for. Front-line staff are there for *customers*. Men like Ross ain’t producing quality reports or investigative journalism. They’re just being cunts.

It started because she was an un-attractive, poorly educated pleb, and Shetty had the class about her.

So you are saying it is right to “roast” people because they are unnatractive and poorly educated are you? (otherwise why the: Yeah, it was entirely right that she was roasted. Which, alas, is not what you said at the time.) Please don’t tell me that call centre workers are in general poorly educated either as it certainly takes a certain amount of intelligence to fob people off (which is the job.)

SO WHY DOES HE NOT CALL THE MANAGERS????
Actual answer because the managers do not want to be called – which is why they have stuck a call centre in the way of getting through to them. Ross is merely calling the people that his listeners would have to call – why on earth would he do anything else?

was gloated at

Any gloating was only a delusion experienced by yourself and the other curtain twitchers. The law was clear and the silly woman couldn’t resist breaking it – end of story.

That’s what we have complaints (who, admittedly, are often the same front-liners on a rota…

I feel l(for some reason) ike I am talking to the kind of call centre employee who makes you want to smash your phone repeatedly over his head…

Men like Ross ain’t producing quality reports or investigative journalism. They’re just being cunts.

er no. They are quite often representing poor and old customers who may (for instance) have been housewives all their lives and have no experience of operating in any work environment or who have dementia or any number of conditions which cause them to get flustered when talking to wankers at call centres.

So you are saying it is right to “roast” people because they are unnatractive and poorly educated are you?

Of course I’m fucking not you fucking moron, what in the name of fuck are you on? No more than you’re saying call-centre workers enjoy deep-frying kittens in their breaks. Or maybe you are.

Removes some doubt why you’re so opposed to criticism of Ken!

Of course I’m fucking not you fucking moron,

Oh dear – looks like the moon is full again….

No more than you’re saying call-centre workers enjoy deep-frying kittens in their breaks. Or maybe you are.

What call centre workers do is beside the point as the question is about how those who are worried about mistaken fuel bills get past the call-centre droids. How this is greeted by cries of “they only earn six quid an hour” is weird and frankly quite idiotic and childish.

Removes some doubt why you’re so opposed to criticism of Ken!

I am not opposed to any adult criticism of Ken – but this does remove doubt as to why you sheepishly go along with the stupid childish shit that was thrown against him during the Mayoral election.

So anyway Alec – explain why it should be better if Ross should ring the complaints department (if they are, and I quote : admittedly, are often the same front-liners on a rota…</i)?

Alec: “Hello this is the SS call centre, please be aware that I am a low-level SS private who only earns six reichmarks an hour. What is your question please?”

Caller: “Hello you tit this is Les Ross and I’d like to talk to your employer Adolf Hitler, the man who pays your wages on behalf of Mrs Bernstein who wants to know what has happened to her family.”

Alec: I’m sorry Mr Hitler can’t speak to you today. Please don’t insult me as I don’t earn very much – would you like to listen to a nice bit of beethoven Muzak until you can calm down and behave in a civilised manner?

“Venichka 24 September 2008, 3:46 pm ”

Everybody knows that MANCHESTER, not Birmingham is the second city of the UK. (Even a Yorshireman like me).

You can always spot notherners in London. When someone mentions Piccadilly, we’re the ones who think they are talking about a railway station in Manchester.

And I like Hardeep Singh Kholi, I find him witty and droll.

When you have a headline like this, the correct spelling is “Eva”.

(Sorry, Americans.)

Sorry, I’ve come to this late. What I’m getting is that minimum wage, call centre workers are like Nazis; a populist, gimmicky radio presenter is motivated only by the purest desire to help the elderly; and that anyone who objects to his methods hates old people, and is right wing and middle class.

Is that right?

Back to the matter at hand… I just listened to that interview. I’m no fan of Hardeep, but I think he handled that hostile, offensive and inane series of questions with the appropriate contempt. I don’t know how anyone could fault him here.

What I’m getting is that minimum wage, call centre workers are like Nazis; a populist, gimmicky radio presenter is motivated only by the purest desire to help the elderly; and that anyone who objects to his methods hates old people, and is right wing and middle class.

That is a bit of a caricature of what I have been saying in response to the idea that because of his interventions on behalf of elderly customers somebody hopes : the sooner the old fucker dies, preferably live on air, the better and for which I have been called ” a tosser” and ” a fucking moron” and have been presented with the bizarre suggestion that it would have been far better had Ross called the exact same people when they had their “complaints” hats on.

Alan Ji – precisely my point: (and I suppose one could put I suppose Leeds, possibly Liverpool in third place).

I am genuinely fascinated in why what is, in terms of population figures, by some way the second biggest city in the UK (ie Birmingham) appears in many regards to be disconnected from, or at any rate have a notably low profile, in the rest of the country. It’s a bit odd, no?

“That is a bit of a caricature of what I have been saying…”

… except, you have said all these things. I had presumed that Bob Latchford was speaking tongue-in-cheek when he wished the on-air death of Les Ross, but it’s irrelevant to your substantive points I mentioned.

Sometimes I get very annoyed when talking to call centre employees who seem to lack the authority to be of any use whatsoever, so I ask to speak to their manager. That tends to work.

Bob Latchford’s description of Les Ross reminds me of the Michael Moore / Mark Steel school of campaigning: revolution by harassing secretaries.

I’m finding it bizarre that call centre workers are being likened to concentration camp guards. Going by their working conditions I’d say inmates would be a closer comparison, although still a teensy exaggeration in my view. I’d also imagine that when it comes to being shafted by rapacious, heartless, record-profit-announcing utility companies, their call centre employees are even higher up the scale than their customers.

IsGrahamstillspeakingbollocks?

Michael Moore / Mark Steel: Exactly. Not forgetting Mark Thomas.

… except, you have said all these things.

Well let’s list what I have not said:

I have not said that “call centre workers are like Nazis” (what I did say was that the defence of “I was only obeying orders” won’t wash.

I have also not said:

a populist, gimmicky radio presenter is motivated only by the purest desire to help the elderly

firstly I have never heard Les Ross so have no idea whether he is “populist or gimmicky” and secondly I have made no comment on his motivations at all. What I have tried to ask is where the help for the elderly and confused (by call centres) would come from if they could not get radio hosts and other media personalities involved. and thirdly I have not said: “anyone who objects to his methods hates old people, and is right wing and middle class.”

So back to the drawing board with your rather silly lies.

Going by their working conditions I’d say inmates would be a closer comparison

Well I think Alec started by comparing call centres to factories in the industrial revolutiion. I think we can all say that call centres appear to be doing nothing for either the customers or for those working in them. If they are as bad as people say then it is an absolute disgrace that a Labour government has not regulated them and if necessary shut them down.

My point remains that there are many it seems to speak for call centre workers (perhaps some who have actually worked there) and also the unions are aware of conditions.

But who exactly speaks for Mrs Bloggs the pensioner from Barking who is confused by the nice voice on the telephone who keeps fobbing her off about her mistakenly high gas bill?

IsGrahamstillspeakingbollocks?

Is Alec still trying to relight the Livingstone controversy?

Bit pathetic isn’t it?

And Hardeep really isn’t very good you know. He seems to talk to an implied audience of 4 year olds who have a need to be patronised and his “comedy” is as clumsy and easily forseen as John Prescott doing a Tommy Cooper impression.

If the BBC really needed to spend vast amounts of licence fee money on a man in a turban I could have introduced them to many Sikhs from the Gravesend area who are both hilarious and have a connection with those they are trying to communicate with.

But who exactly speaks for Mrs Bloggs the pensioner from Barking who is confused by the nice voice on the telephone who keeps fobbing her off about her mistakenly high gas bill?

Do not worry Mrs Bloggs of Barking. Your problems are over, for its is I – Graham – astride my mighty high horse of self-righteousness. I will save you from this evil scourge of minimum wage earning working class folk.

I think Mrs Bloggs needs saving from the managers actually – you know the ones the “minimum wage earning working-class folk” are put there to stop her from ever speaking too.

And I’m not a radio DJ Stu!

And why exactly is it “self-righteous” to stand up for pensioners (unless of course your intention is to keep them in their place?)

I did actually have a mistakenly high gas bill a while ago, which was based on an estimated meter reading. I phoned up and selected the option to give the actual meter reading and keyed in the correct number, then received a revised bill. I appreciate this might not be possible if your telephone has a rotary dial.

So call centres are not needed at all then Wardy?

Hoorah! We can shut them all down and everyone will be happy.

And I’m not a radio DJ Stu!

Well you should be! A double act with Littlejohn or Galloway methinks. Your bombast would let you fit in perfectly

I think Mrs Bloggs needs saving from the managers actually – you know the ones the “minimum wage earning working-class folk” are put there to stop her from ever speaking too.

So you now agree with your tormentors that haranguing the “minimum wage earning working-class folk” might not be the best policy?

Quite an about face.

Damn. I have always seen myself as the Jeremy Clarkson of HP.

Anyway, without me here you would all turn into Benji.

So you now agree with your tormentors that haranguing the “minimum wage earning working-class folk” might not be the best policy?

My position has always been that a media celebrity calling the call centre workers would have the managers running to the phones very quickly.

So no “about turn” at all there I’m afraid.

My position has always been that a media celebrity calling the call centre workers would have the managers running to the phones very quickly.

And the relevance to those cunts who call hapless front-line workers pretending to be customers and ripping into them on the airways is…?

Airwaves.

Here’s an analogy again (for the dim-witted – not a comparison).

If SS guards are put in front of a building with the intention of stopping anyone getting to the Fuhrer then someone would be perfectly within their rights to use any method of getting past said guards.

pretending to be customers

First I have heard of this.

Anyway Alec last night you seemed to be suggesting that Ross et al should have waited until the same people had put their “complaints” hats on.

Perhaps you need a little sit down before attempting to restart the Livingstone argument today.

I wouldn’t fancy Mrs Bloggs’s chances in that situation.

For those unaware of it:

Godwin’s Law (also known as Godwin’s Rule of Nazi Analogies) is an adage formulated by Mike Godwin in 1990. The law states:

“As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one.”

Godwin’s Law is often cited in online discussions as a deterrent against the use of arguments in the reductio ad Hitlerum form.

The rule does not make any statement whether any particular reference or comparison to Hitler or the Nazis might be appropriate, but only asserts that one arising is increasingly probable. It is precisely because such a comparison or reference may sometimes be appropriate, Godwin has argued that overuse of Nazi and Hitler comparisons should be avoided, because it robs the valid comparisons of their impact. Although in one of its early forms Godwin’s Law referred specifically to Usenet newsgroup discussions, the law is now applied to any threaded online discussion: electronic mailing lists, message boards, chat rooms, and more recently blog comment threads and wiki talk pages.

Actually Mrs Bloggs was in the commandos and dropped behind enemy lines during the war.

Since then however she has had a bit of arthritis and gone a bit deaf.

Oh God Stu’s invoking Godwin – how very nineties. (And if I may say, how very benji!)

OK: If KGB guards are put in front of a building with the intention of stopping anyone getting to Stalin then someone would be perfectly within their rights to use any method of getting past said guards.

Mrs Bloggs says that she might put something in their ovaltine.

Now that hurt Graham.

Call me a Nazi or KGB stooge but not an expat Lib Dem. That really is a little low.

And, by the way, I am not sure that reductio ad Stalinum si any better.

Well the thing about using Stalin is that no web-knob has thought of inventing a conversation-stopping trope yet.

Actually this could be your moment Stu.

Recognised as a “web-knob” at last!

(Basks in the adulation)

And the relevance to those cunts who call hapless front-line workers pretending to be customers and ripping into them on the airways is…?

Well Alec old bean the relevance is that (I am reliably informed by Tim Allon and DavidT amongst others) anyone wanting to speak to a manager at a call centre can do so. Therefore any member of staff confronted by squeaky Les “ripping them a new arsehole” should be able to call a manager over too wouldn’t you say?

Well Alec old bean

- Graham

Benji-esque peut etre?

Only I don’t think that “anyone” who wants to speak to a manager could. Although I am prepared to accept that young confident men with good speaking voices might get to do so.

Benji-esque peut etre?

You have heard of irony I take it?

Storm in a teacup anyway.

“[W]hat I did say was that the defence of “I was only obeying orders” won’t wash.”

If you’re going to use such an extreme and emotive analogy to make that limited and banal point, it is customary to qualify it with something like: “I’m not actually saying call centre workers are like Nazis”. Otherwise, people will reasonably conclude that you are comparing call centre workers negatively to Nazis.

As it happens, you go much further than making a simple analogy on a limited point. You say: “People who worked in Gulags and nazi concentration camps were not “blessed with multiple career opportunities” either but at least they would have had your sort of slime to defend their interests.” You clearly put defenders on call centre workers on the same moral level as defenders of Nazis. Also, your imaginary phone call to the Nazi hotline is meaningless unless you’re suggesting that call centre workers display the same moral behaviour as Nazi functionaries.

“firstly I have never heard Les Ross so have no idea whether he is “populist or gimmicky” and secondly I have made no comment on his motivations at all.”

Of course you’ve never heard him, and like everyone else here you are basing your assessment of him on Bob Latchford’s appraisal. That appraisal implies that what he does is populist and gimmicky, and yet you take exception to it, and prefer to promote him as a defender of OAPs. If you don’t feel that way, why on earth are you arguing? As I’ve never heard him, I’ll defer to Bob’s depiction, because that’s all I have to go on, other than the fact that he’s an obvious twat, from the Hardeep interview.

“[T]hirdly I have not said: “anyone who objects to his methods hates old people, and is right wing and middle class.””

What you said was: “Are you some sort of Tory perhaps?”, and “… the most bizzare right-wing nonsense I have heard here for a long time.”, and “But at least I am not a pensioner-hating wanker like you.”, and “middle-class wallies”.

Hopefully now you’ll see that when you call me a liar, you’re wrong. I fervently believe that mine was an accurate depiction of what you said, and even if I am wrong, I wrote in good faith. I think it’s unnecessary to start accusing people of being liars without evidence. I’m quite prepared to believe that even though you talk total bollocks, you do so in good faith.

If you’re going to use such an extreme and emotive analogy to make that limited and banal point, it is customary to qualify it with something like: “I’m not actually saying call centre workers are like Nazis”. Otherwise, people will reasonably conclude that you are comparing call centre workers negatively to Nazis.

perhaps I was joking (or perhaps you can only see that when someone else does it?)

yet you take exception to it, and prefer to promote him as a defender of OAPs.

Actually my first comment was the question: Er, because powerful utilities companies should never have their bluffs called by radio presenters? not as you will see about Les Ross at all but about radio presenters in general. To suggest that I am therefore promoting Less Ross as a defender of OAP’s is therefore just an outright lie on your part.

What you said was: “Are you some sort of Tory perhaps?”, and “… the most bizzare right-wing nonsense I have heard here for a long time.”, and “But at least I am not a pensioner-hating wanker like you.”, and “middle-class wallies”.

None of this actually adds up to (I quote) anyone who objects to his (Ross’s) methods hates old people, and is right wing and middle class.”” and you know it.

You are a liar and the evidence is right in front of you. (Although I am quite prepared to beleive that you are far too stupid to actually see it.)

“Therefore any member of staff confronted by squeaky Les “ripping them a new arsehole” should be able to call a manager over too wouldn’t you say?”

I’d imagine that if Les asked for the manager, he’d get the manager. But, by Bob’s account, he prefers to humiliate hapless and unsuspecting call centre workers on-air to get his point across.

Judging by what you’ve written on this thread, I suspect that if you were a little nicer to call centre workers, and didn’t treat them like the devil incarnate, you might have a better experience in future.

Ami, I didn’t forget Mark Thomas – I meant him! Mark Steele’s a clown too, for all sorts of reasons, but I’m not sure that harassing secretaries is one of them

You clearly put defenders on call centre workers on the same moral level as defenders of Nazis.

Actually the moral level I put people who fobbed off pensioners (not all call centre workers by any means) on was the choice I had when I left school about joining the army and going to NI or having no job (according to careers officers anyway.) I didn’t go to NI and still got a job and I rather think that anyone working in a call centre where the idea is to “fob off” confused pensioners should do the same.

Judging by what you’ve written on this thread, I suspect that if you were a little nicer to call centre workers, and didn’t treat them like the devil incarnate, you might have a better experience in future.

Where did I write that I wasn’t nice to call centre workers? In truth I am the sort of person who on encountering a call centre would just put the phone down. I did make the point that I was not nice to some cold-callers who caused me to lose work (which I am apparently meant to smile about.)

Why has Graham changed from being a hero of the proleteriat to a daily mail leader writer? What has happened? Or is this all some sort of greatly delayed acid trip?

“None of this actually adds up to (I quote) anyone who objects to his (Ross’s) methods hates old people, and is right wing and middle class.”” and you know it.”

Graham, nobody has argued that Les shouldn’t be trying to help pensioners. This has been about nothing if not his methods, which are humiliating call centre workers on-air. All your accusations and insults follow from there. I think I was fair in my assessment of your argument.

“You are a liar and the evidence is right in front of you. (Although I am quite prepared to beleive that you are far too stupid to actually see it.)”

If you can’t see the contradiction there, well, you’re not really in any position to call me stupid.

Well maybe I never was what you imagined Stu!

Say it aint so Graham.

Surely you can’t be some sort of Tory and a purveyor of the most bizzare right-wing nonsense I have heard here for a long time. But at least you’re not a pensioner-hating wanker, or a middle-class wally.

Graham, nobody has argued that Les shouldn’t be trying to help pensioners.

Well certainly not me. I argued that utilities companies could be questioned by radio personalities (making no mention of Les Ross in particular) It was Alec who came in talking about call centre employees and calling me names. I don’t know if Ross personally “humiliates” people on air (and as you just admitted nor do you) but you have also said any employee of a call centre could get their manager should they find themselves unable to cope with ANY caller. So god knows what your argument is.

I see absolutely no contradiction in exposing what you have made up about my comments which (let me remind you) include: the idea that I was promoting Ross as a defender of OAPs and that anybody who objected to Ross was a middle-class wanker.

Perhaps if you had actually read the thread you would have realised there was no defence of Ross or any other individual implied by the words: Er, because powerful utilities companies should never have their bluffs called by radio presenters? (especially as it was followed two comments down by a comment suggesting that from what little I had heard of Ross’ interviewing technique he was even worse than Hardeep.)

Surely you can’t be some sort of Tory and a purveyor of the most bizzare right-wing nonsense I have heard here for a long time.

Its doubtful really. Not many Tories have the interests of the very weakest (i.e confused pensioners) at heart.

You truly are a hero to the (expanded and wholly non-ageist) proletariat.

Do you think I might get a golden tube of germaloids or something?

Why has Graham changed from being a hero of the proleteriat: Graham is just acting out one of his online modes: being davka. I prefer him when he is not in that mode.

Here’s a good daily Mail article :-)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-482102/The-squeaky-voiced-man-use-phone-banking–sounds-like-woman.html

Ah yer probably right Ami – time to kill and having arguments for the sake of it.

Strange that there appears to be nothing about Ross humiliating call centre workers anywhere online though.

The squeaky voiced man got the idea from an episode of Seinfeld.

Elaine: You don’t think his voice sounds a lot like yours?

Noreen: I never noticed that.

Elaine: Well, it’s no big deal, you know, it’s just that he can sound like a woman, you know?

Noreen: Great. I’m going out with a man who sounds like a woman.

Elaine: Well, he looks like a man.

Noreen: Yeah.

Elaine: He’s bald. I know that’s a guy thing.

Noreen: I guess.

Elaine: I know he belches a lot.

Noreen: Well, that’s something.

Stalin died in 1953

The acronym KGB was introduced in 1954

If KGB guards are put in front of a building with the intention of stopping anyone getting to Stalin then …. it would be historically impossible or a bloody miracle

OK I missed the (N)KGB

Although to be honest the KGB guards may have been guarding Stalins embalmed body as it rested next to his old mate Lenin.

Apparently (Local rumour has it) Les Ross was hired to do the breakfast Show at the inception of radio 1 – However, they decided that a brummie accent was not appropriate for national radio, and hired Kenny Everett instead..

The discrimination faced by people from Birmingham is quite terrible.

Who needs Radio Midlands when we have all the fun at HP?

Well I think Alec started by comparing call centres to factories in the industrial revolutiion.

Only after you got the wrong end of the stick and pulled a rabbit out of the hat to create a straw-man about Mrs. Blogg’s gas-bill, which I was not defending. In fact, by asking why Ross does not speak to a manager but chooses the scullery maid, it should have been implied that I was sympathetic.

And, once again, how do single-wage earners on £6 per hour pay for their fuel bills?

Well Alec old bean the relevance is that (I am reliably informed by Tim Allon and DavidT amongst others) anyone wanting to speak to a manager at a call centre can do so.

And I will add my voice to that. So why do the employees not do so? Could it be that he does not ask for one but lays into the minimum wage front-line worker?

Therefore any member of staff confronted by squeaky Les “ripping them a new arsehole” should be able to call a manager over too wouldn’t you say?

Actually, no. Unless it was known that he was that cunt from the radio, first response would likely be “can you not be proactive and take ownership of the call?”. A call-*back* may be offered, but the sort of caller who thinks they’re problems supersede the whole of the rest of the customer base and that they deserve the ego-stroking attention of a manager, and not a powerless front-line worker, there and then tend to be cunts.

First I have heard of this.

That’s truly lame. Granted I am going on what Bob says, but similar has happened to me, and I’ve heard anecdotally of other instances as well as witnessing it (radio hoaxes) myself on a few occasions (including when I was last in Nottingham, so maybe it was this cunt).

Is Alec still trying to relight the Livingstone controversy?

Not with that comment. Are you seriously speaking of call-centre workers and SS guards in the same breath?

Yawn – hit a nerve with ratface.

And you, Trotsky.

Ami, what I think happened is that he made a minor error of judgement and, instead of backing off and acknowledging it, dug in his heels and it all mushroomed from there.

Rather like Livingstone and the concentration camp guard remark.

I don’t think I made any error of judgement actually.

Are you now saying the call centre workers were jewish????

I don’t think I made any error of judgement actually.

You made another one right there.

You made another one right there.

Well your perception of me making an error tends to confirm I was right the first time.

I made no error – I merely asked a question of Bob latchford and the question was intercepted by Alec MacPherson who (as is his way) became rather rude and animated in reply.

No it wasn’t, Littlejohn. I asked in jest to begin with, using the same voice as you did in response to Bob’s comment which I saw nothing untoward about. It took several posts before I became animated.

Nor is there anything rude about criticising a position. Do we need to discuss the difference between an ad hominem and ad hominem personam?

You made another one right there.

Well your perception of me making an error tends to confirm I was right the first time.

Fascinating psycho-pathology. A highly advanced confirmatory bias. I recommend medication.

SF

It took several posts before I became animated.

Ah yes lets have a look at your first post again: talking about tossers and asking:Are you someone else called Graham? not animated at all.

Andd Stu appears to think he is Sigmund freud now – great entertainment!

Just trying to help…

Alec’s first post was about plant photography. Not very animated by my reckoning.

Ah yes lets have a look at your first post again: talking about tossers and asking:Are you someone else called Graham?

So that would be a lie?

Anyway I shall make my position clear again before I go off to lunch.

I see no reason why people who feel vulnerable and intimidated by call centres should not enlist the help of DJ’s etc. Nowhere does this mean (or have I said) that I think all call centre deserve to be treated badly.

I have no idea if Ross humiliates call centre staff but have seen no evidence of it other than Bob’s heresay.

Several tonnes of bluster built upon what I might have possibly said has been built up over this thread and has been replied to with several tones of over the top arguments about nazis etc (but at least we have prevented Alec starting the Livingstone thing all over again – even if Stu is desperate to get a dig in for his own weird reasons.

Jesus Stu did they not do context at your remedial school?

Can’t contextualise your way out of this one Graham.

I rather think I can – anyone who thinks “Alec’s first comment” referred to in the context above meant his very first comment on the thread is a certifiable moron.

Anyway laters to Rat face and his lapdog.

I rather think I can – anyone who thinks “Alec’s first comment” referred to in the context above meant his very first comment on the thread is a certifiable moron.

This is so far beyond parody as to be art. I may enter it for the Turner Prize (with your permission of course)

It’d be a whole lot better than your shitty pictures!

Charming!

Are you channeling Brian Sewell now?

Nah – sister Wendy.

You have really embarrassed yourself here, Graham.

Alec Macpherson: what you describe is an illustration of davka.

you have really embarrassed yourself here, Graham.

I don’t think I have , but if it makes you feel better to think so then please go ahead.

And I really do still think Hardeep is terrible – and it isn’t for want of giving him a chance to be funny.

You have, Graham. Go and ask a friend – someone you can trust to be honest with you.

I asked several friends and we all had a very good laugh at your attempts to make me say things I didn’t say Tim.

Anything else?

Actually it really matters to you this doesn’t it?

Seriously funny!

“I asked several friends…”

No, you haven’t.

“Actually it really matters to you this doesn’t it?”

No, not really. It was just some friendly advice.

“Seriously funny!”

Depends where you set the bar. I think it’s just you laughing. You, and your “friends”.

Ah well – you will be writing a whole soap opera for me next (you are already writing the fictive dialogue!)

Did he father Jonathan who asked Gwyneth Paltrow for a f*ck recently, during a TV interview?

No fan of PC anything, but Hardeep was surely right to identify this “mental with mike” had issues. It was gloriously funny even at the end where Les desperately, boorishly gets his “goodbye” in first. Yes – a very Partridge moment…

appalling.