Well, as far as I’m concerned, child abuse is a bad thing, but poorly thought out, overly sensational media coverage does nothing to solve the problem. If Chris Morris manages to get some media pundits actually thinking about what they’re doing, then he’s providing a public service, and more power to his elbow.
As far as I know, none of the three Government Ministers calling for Channel 4 to be reprimanded have actually seen the programme.
Brass Eye cowriter David Quantick and Observer journalist Ben Summerskill were interviewed on this morning’s BBC breakfast news. Both said that people has not understood what the programme was satirising - and both said that satire should not have to be mind-numbingly obvious.
David Quantick said that the show made a point about the “willingness of celebrities to endorse things just because they want a bit of publicity, rather than because they have made sure that what they’re endorsing has been checked out and has a public purpose”
That’s right. Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell is complaining about the programme, although she has not seen it. I fail to see how she expects to be taken seriously.
Quick Tessa, the bandwagon’s getting away!
The media hype about the program is so similar to the media hype that the program satirises that it has invented a whole new level of parody.
I’d like to see if the producers can find a way to put that into one of their shows.
I liked the rather earnest Gary Linekar holding a scenery photograph with a tiny dot on it which was just about discernable as a child.
“This may look like an ordinary photograph to you but a paedophile would literally rip his way through the picture and into the scene”.
Wow, 24 posts and not one of you has managed to spell “pedophile” correctly yet. 
[sub]psst! PLD[/sub]
[sub]'s how we spell it over here![/sub]
[sup]shhhh, I don’t think anyone noticed, be vewy, vewy quiet[/sup]
Yeah, the American spelling can lead to some embarrassing misunderstandings. I learned early on that, despite my etymological assumptions, it’s better not to describe your enthusiasm for feet as “pedophilia.” At least not on a first date.
Channel 4 just broadcast their ITC apology.
For what it’s worth, my favourite bit on The Day Today was when Paxman (Morris) grilled reporter Patrick Marber about interviewing the German finance minister or someone, and it turned out he couldn’t have done 'cos the guy didn’t speak any English.
[sub][sup]Chris Morris[/sup][/sub] ‘So what did he say?’
[sub][sup]Patrick Marber[/sup][/sub] ‘Erm, he said “I don’t like it, but I’ve gotta go along with it.”’
[sub][sup]CM[/sup][/sub] ‘He said that to you in German did he?’
[sub][sup]PM[/sup][/sub] ‘Pardon?’
[sub][sup]CM[/sup][/sub] ‘He only speaks German. So go on – what did he say? In German.’
[sub][sup]PM[/sup][/sub] ‘Erm. Er. “Ich… nicht licken… but I’ve gotta go along w…”’
[sub][sup]CM[/sup][/sub] ‘YOU DIDN’T SPEAK TO HIM DID YOU??’
[sub][sup]PM[/sup][/sub] ‘No :(.’