The BBC going overboard with Comic Relief this year
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Is it me or is the BBC going overboard about Comic Relief this year? Whenever I listen to a live broadcast/ watch a live BBC show, Comic Relief is always mentioned or a show/ stunt relating to Comic Relief is being promoted. It does seem like the BBC are doing a lot of things for Comic Relief. I don't think it's ever been like this in the past.
So Ant and Dec have been gatecrashing TV shows all day, David Walliams did the 24 hour panel show, Radio 4 did Stand Up for Comic Relief, Chris Moyles is going to be doing a 37 hour radio show, Let's Dance for Comic Relief, Stars Slum it for Comic Relief, the desert trek with Scott Mills and other celebrities, the Inbetweeners roadtrip, Comic Relief does Glee Club, Only Connect Comic Relief special and not forgetting the live show on Friday.
Have I missed anything out and am I the only person that thinks that the BBC are going on a Comic Relief overload this year?
So Ant and Dec have been gatecrashing TV shows all day, David Walliams did the 24 hour panel show, Radio 4 did Stand Up for Comic Relief, Chris Moyles is going to be doing a 37 hour radio show, Let's Dance for Comic Relief, Stars Slum it for Comic Relief, the desert trek with Scott Mills and other celebrities, the Inbetweeners roadtrip, Comic Relief does Glee Club, Only Connect Comic Relief special and not forgetting the live show on Friday.
Have I missed anything out and am I the only person that thinks that the BBC are going on a Comic Relief overload this year?
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Comic Relief becoming more like CHildren In Need?
Scarily bad, tbh...
Yeah, but you dont wanna go overkill so people are sick and fed up of it before the big night, don't tune in and therefore dont donate.
But this years looks identical to CIN with similar celebs taking part. Miranda Hart is in it! Wowsers.
And is Jonathan Ross to be the Terry Wogan of Comic Relief? Steady.
Yes, i think that those people in Africa who are starving and dying of AIDS should be grateful for everything that they get. Expecting us to put up with a dozen comedy shows is really taking it a bit too far.
You know that's not what I mean. Do you think doing all these extra shows will bring in more money than it costs to produce them? Have you seen/heard about David Walliams 24 hour panel show? He participated in 20 panel shows in 24 hours, all with their own separate sets. It must have cost a lot of money to make/set them up and only the highlights are going to be shown on TV. I don't see the point of this show as I don't think many people have heard of it and wouldn't really donate because of it. I know I'm generalising but i don't think some of these show I've mentioned are necessary to get people to donate and the money should either be given directly to the people who need it or spent on the live show itself, to get more out of it. I mean are you going to donate after watching any of these extra shows or are you more likely to donate after watching the Friday night live show?
I havent seen that - is it on every day leading up to it?
As for the shows being a waste of money, in another thread it was reported that the BBC pays all the running costs of RND. On the official website it states that all the money donated by the public reaches those who need it, running costs are paid for by bank interest and investments. http://www.comicrelief.com/about-us/our-organisation/how-we-operate
I for one am looking forward to a (mostly) good night of TV knowing that the millions raised will be going to a good cause.
There's raising awareness, and there's just forcing it down people's throats - which is what I feel Comic Relief is now doing.
Of course, aside from all the promotion it's getting on BBC1, consider all the promotion it's getting on commercial TV shows and advertising, billboards and internet ads, the inside and outside of countless shops and stores and the front of the products you buy - let alone being accosted by people raising money for the damn thing in the first place.
I am not going to be made to feel that it's my moral obligation to sit in a bath of custard to raise money, I am not going to be emotionally blackmailed by cynically-produced serious films into phoning up and pledging, and therefore I am not going to be contributing any of my attention or any of my money on possibly the ghastliest day in the whole of the British calendar - Red Nose Day.
Furthermore, I hope Comic Relief raises significantly less than it did two years ago as that'll be the only thing that'll persuade the people running it to change their approach - but I doubt that'll happen, as they'll probably persuade one of their numerous "corporate partners" to write another cheque and make up the difference.
I only give a little but multiplied by the UK population it soon adds up. I give because I want to, not because I'm guilt tripped by the campaign.
There's a limit to how much money the population will give to charities.
But these programmes are great "schedule fillers."
Many people do watch them, but they aren't for me.
don't worry ebeneezer there's always gardener's world on the other side.
That's nice, you hope the people of Africa are given less money to help them live just so you don't need to see a poster in a shop window.
How do you know they don't?
Hear Hear!
For a thread about "comic relief" this is a very cynical and depressing thread!
If you don't like it, don't watch it and keep your money all to yourself. Whichever way you look at it, it's money going to a good cause, what's wrong with that?
A bit old now, but this article raises some good points http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/the-big-question-is-comic-relief-worth-supporting--or-is-it-past-its-sellby-date-440413.html
This is not about the show on Friday, it's about the shameless promotion on all channels that one cannot avoid.
And there's just the kind of lazy conclusion jump I expected somebody to make from my comments - namely that if you don't support the charity, that must mean that you don't support the cause as well.
Of course things like eradicating AIDS and malaria in Africa are good things that should be supported, but the last time I checked there were far more organisations than Comic Relief that do that - and most of those do it in less cynical and more palatable ways than Comic Relief do as well; indeed, last Red Nose Day I made the compromise of making a donation to the Save The Children fund instead.
Not that you'll be hearing much about them on Friday, of course, which brings me to another problem I have with Comic Relief - how much its massive publicity machine squashes other, smaller charities which do the same kind of work but doesn't have an army of celebrities or companies to call upon.
No, I don't hope the people of Africa are given less money, I just hope they're given it through organisations other than Comic Relief, that's all.
And none of this withstands the fact that all this "everything but the kitchen sink" publicity approach does is serve to put greater pressure on people who have barely got the money these days to look after themselves, let alone others.
Consider this question: do you think people should be able to watch the CR show on Friday night without donating and still have a clear conscience, or should be made to feel like an uncaring bastard that they will inevitably be made to feel through all the serious films?
That fact is why I won't be watching even one moment of it.
However I would also agree with people that if you keep banging on about it, it will do more harm than good. Just look at those charity workers hanging around town, do they promote charities or seen as a nuisance... the same could apply here. People avoiding charities due to the damn nuisance which is a shame in many ways.
Now this I can understand, I like comic relief but if it's not something you like then the constant adverts would be annoying. A bit like me, ch4 and big brother :eek:
The difference being that this is a charity doing good work and big brother was just a waste of space! (IMO)
Fund raising is a big business now.
Look at some of the salaries some of these charity executives are on.
Many of the collectors waylaying you in shopping precincts are on commission to get you to sign up.
If you agree to donate so much a month by direct debit, they'll soon be back at you asking you to increase it.