Comic Relief

[hibsbollah]

..i got moved by something i saw on TV earlier and donated. Anyone else? Have i been manipulated?

[Jay]

I had donated on the Chris Moyles show anyway but the film with the little girl crying that her body hurt so much with hunger tore me apart.

[Mon Dieu4]

..i got moved by something i saw on TV earlier and donated. Anyone else? Have i been manipulated?

Just did the same mate and you know im a cynical bassa :agree:

[Beefster]

I had already donated and sponsored a couple of folk but, had I not, I'd have donated after some of the films.

It may just be me but these films about kids suffering affect me much more now than they did before I became a parent.

[steakbake]

I'd give Claudia Winkelman a donation.

In all seriousness, I did as well. Don't think anyone is being duped. It's worth doing.

[Removed]

Only comic relief I've seen tonight is watching the collective miserable pusses of FJK and that fud Locke :faf:

I'd pay to watch that every week :agree:

[discman]

..i got moved by something i saw on TV earlier and donated. Anyone else? Have i been manipulated?


Naa..... have been listening to Moyles/comedy Dave doing their marathon radio show very funny and they managed to raise £2.6 million,total respect to both of them,and frankly I think if you can help its cool :thumbsup:

[hibsbollah]

Its unbelievably crap TV. But dying babies tend to move you at an emotional level. Even if they DO say 'jambo' all the time.

[Mon Dieu4]

Its unbelievably crap TV. But dying babies tend to move you at an emotional level. Even if they DO say 'jambo' all the time.

ahhh noooo I thought I was donating for Lenny Henry to do a sponsored one way trip to the moon :rolleyes:

[hibee_girl]

I had already donated and sponsored a couple of folk but, had I not, I'd have donated after some of the films.

It may just be me but these films about kids suffering affect me much more now than they did before I became a parent.

:agree:

[hibsbollah]

ahhh noooo I thought I was donating for Lenny Henry to do a sponsored one way trip to the moon :rolleyes:

Lenny ****ing Henry. How did he make a career out of comedy? And hes so far too fat to go and cry alongside starving kenyans. He looks like hes been eating enough for an entire village. Cock.

[Mon Dieu4]

Lenny ****ing Henry. How did he make a career out of comedy? And hes so far too fat to go and cry alongside starving kenyans. He looks like hes been eating enough for an entire village. Cock.

I dont get that Miranda woman either, she is like an unfunny version of the Honey Monster!!

[Twa Cairpets]

Lenny ****ing Henry. How did he make a career out of comedy? And hes so far too fat to go and cry alongside starving kenyans. He looks like hes been eating enough for an entire village. Cock.

Not a fan then?

[matty_f]

I had already donated and sponsored a couple of folk but, had I not, I'd have donated after some of the films.

It may just be me but these films about kids suffering affect me much more now than they did before I became a parent.

Not just you mate, there are loads of stories/films that affect me in a way they never did before since I became a parent.

The wee girl that was looking after her mum, who said something like "If you die, I'll jump in the grave with you", was heartbreaking.

There will be some cynics who will say we're being manipulated, but they couldn't make these films if the events they depict weren't happening. It's absolutely criminal that in this day and age children are going without proper medical attention, and starving to death.

I wish I was in a financial position to give way more than I have done tonight, to be honest.

[hibsbollah]

Not a fan then?

Sorry, but sometimes you have to stand up and be counted. Lenny Henry must be defeated.

[matty_f]

Lenny ****ing Henry. How did he make a career out of comedy? And hes so far too fat to go and cry alongside starving kenyans. He looks like hes been eating enough for an entire village. Cock.

Lenny Henry is so outdated I half expect to see Tony Robinson digging up his jokes.

[steakbake]

Lenny Henry is so outdated I half expect to see Tony Robinson digging up his jokes.

Nice one. :greengrin

[Sir David Gray]

I feel for all the children who are born into poverty and starvation in African countries but I don't have any time for the actual content of Comic Relief, a lot of the presenters on there tonight really annoy me something terrible.

As for the actual situation in places like Kenya, it is absolutely criminal that in 2011 there are hundreds of millions of people who are starving and dying from illnesses that would be treated in a matter of days over here after taking a course of medication.

The governments of those countries ought to be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for allowing their people to live in such a state and until the greed and corruption in Africa is sorted out once and for all, the living conditions of the ordinary people will never change.

These countries receive billions of pounds in aid every year from countries like the UK, France, USA etc. Where is it all going? :confused:

[matty_f]

I feel for all the children who are born into poverty and starvation in African countries but I don't have any time for the actual content of Comic Relief, a lot of the presenters on there tonight really annoy me something terrible.

As for the actual situation in places like Kenya, it is absolutely criminal that in 2011 there are hundreds of millions of people who are starving and dying from illnesses that would be treated in a matter of days over here after taking a course of medication.

The governments of those countries ought to be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for allowing their people to live in such a state and until the greed and corruption in Africa is sorted out once and for all, the living conditions of the ordinary people will never change.

These countries receive billions of pounds in aid every year from countries like the UK, France, USA etc. Where is it all going? :confused:

Yep, it's terrible that between them they're trying to do something to help the kids' situations.

[Hibbie_Cameron]

The films are heartbreaking.

I just wish they would make the night funny, its comic relief after all. Think i have laughed about 5 times.

George Michael and Gordon Brown are funnier than half the comedians on it

[Sir David Gray]

Yep, it's terrible that between them they're trying to do something to help the kids' situations.

Didn't you make a comment earlier on slating Lenny Henry? :confused:

I don't have a problem with the practice and idea of people donating money to help children in Africa, it's their money so they can do whatever they want with it. I only said that the actual Comic Relief programme, with the presenters that they had on tonight, is not my cup of tea.

[HibeeSince85]

Fair play to Lenny Henry, what he did for that Kenyan family was really nice!

Shouldn't feel like you've been conned though if donating, the films of the kids suffering here and in Africa are hard to watch.

[matty_f]

Didn't you make a comment earlier on slating Lenny Henry? :confused:

I don't have a problem with the practice and idea of people donating money to help children in Africa, it's their money so they can do whatever they want with it. I only said that the actual Comic Relief programme, with the presenters that they had on tonight, is not my cup of tea.

Yes, I did. I said he wasn't funny which is different from complaining about the whole content of Comic Relief.

I give great credit to Lenny Henry for what he's done for the causes that Comic Relief helps, he may be a pish comedian, but :top marks to him for having had the gumption over the years to get off his erse and do something for these people.

[truehibernian]

Lenny Henry is so outdated I half expect to see Tony Robinson digging up his jokes.

:not worth Quality :faf:

[Jim44]

Didn't you make a comment earlier on slating Lenny Henry? :confused:

I don't have a problem with the practice and idea of people donating money to help children in Africa, it's their money so they can do whatever they want with it. I only said that the actual Comic Relief programme, with the presenters that they had on tonight, is not my cup of tea.


Don't watch it then. Switch over to something more your taste, after texting 'Yes' to 70010. :wink:

[hibsbollah]

Just did the same mate and you know im a cynical bassa :agree:

Nah youre a big softy as well. You bought a donkey from a donkey orphanage or something once IIRC :-)

[Barney McGrew]

Just short of £75m raised so far.

A fantastic effort that will genuinely change lives for thousands and thousands of people :not worth

[matty_f]

Just short of £75m raised so far.

A fantastic effort that will genuinely change lives for thousands and thousands of people :not worth

That's brilliant.:agree:

[steakbake]

A great effort.

Have to say, during the day all the shenanigans in the office was starting to piss me off. I have a very busy job and can do without all the interruptions or at least, I didn't have time to stop what I was doing to go and take part.

While the stuff on comic relief was not my cup of tea either (that James Corden guy is a total fanny, yet the world seems to think he's hilarious), I actually felt moved to do something this year when usually I would sit on my erchie watching it.

Credit to David Tennant, I would say. If there are any players slightly outside of our budget come the next transfer window, I reckon Petrie should get him in to do an appeal. He can be very persuasive.

[Mon Dieu4]

Nah youre a big softy as well. You bought a donkey from a donkey orphanage or something once IIRC :-)

Haha he was a Donkey on behalf of Oxfam for a South American family, cost £70 odd, last update I got was he was named Escobar and they had him running some kind of Cocoa based product over the Andes, think they said he had actually turned into a Mule, not sure how that happens :faf:

Actually I think I must be a big softy haha

[--------]

Don't watch it then. Switch over to something more your taste, after texting 'Yes' to 70010. :wink:

I didn't watch it, and I didn't text anything to 70010.

I prefer to give to charities where I can be sure I know what the money's being used for.

And wasting an evening watching rubbish for charity? No thanks.

[ArabHibee]

I didn't watch it, and I didn't text anything to 70010.

I prefer to give to charities where I can be sure I know what the money's being used for.

And wasting an evening watching rubbish for charity? No thanks.

:top marks

"Comic Relief - the night when we all come together and raise around £70 million for 3rd world countries. And only 2 years until we realise that they've *****ed it and we have to do it all again"

[Barney McGrew]

:top marks

"Comic Relief - the night when we all come together and raise around £70 million for 3rd world countries. And only 2 years until we realise that they've *****ed it and we have to do it all again"

60% of the total is used overseas. 40% is used in the UK.

[matty_f]

:top marks

"Comic Relief - the night when we all come together and raise around £70 million for 3rd world countries. And only 2 years until we realise that they've *****ed it and we have to do it all again"
Yep, because doing it once should just make all the problems go away.

[ArabHibee]

60% of the total is used overseas. 40% is used in the UK.

Ok, change 70 million to 42 million. Statement still stands.

[Barney McGrew]

Ok, change 70 million to 42 million. Statement still stands.

I'd hardly call restoring peoples sight, providing them with anti-malaria nets and getting kids into school to get an education '*****ing it'

If that's what you believe, you crack on though

[ArabHibee]

Yep, because doing it once should just make all the problems go away.

Everyone's entitled to their opinions Matty (that's what forums are for after all).

Comic Relief has being going since 1985 so that's (I think) 13 times it's been on the tv not counting Sports Relief. I believe that Comic Relief has raised over 600 million quid over the years. That is an unbelievable amount of money. Fair play to them and I gave a few quid too but I don't really need to watch a night of dried up British comedians trying to be funny. I was happy with my 2 episodes of Corrie and 3 episodes of Boardwalk Empire.

[matty_f]

Everyone's entitled to their opinions Matty (that's what forums are for after all).

Comic Relief has being going since 1985 so that's (I think) 13 times it's been on the tv not counting Sports Relief. I believe that Comic Relief has raised over 600 million quid over the years. That is an unbelievable amount of money. Fair play to them and I gave a few quid too but I don't really need to watch a night of dried up British comedians trying to be funny. I was happy with my 2 episodes of Corrie and 3 episodes of Boardwalk Empire.

Maybe I misinterpreted your point, but I took it that they should stop doing it because the money had been squandered (hence why we are being asked to donate again.), which to me was just an absurd argument.

I think that if your quoted figure of £600m is correct (and I've no reason to doubt it), and they're still needing to do it, then it just serves to highlight the severity of the issues that they are hoping to address, which is all the more reason for doing it.

I don't have a problem with 'dried up comedians' doing it, because what it comes down to is that group of comedians using the opportunities that whatever talent they do have has given them to put on an evening of entertainment for a widely supported cause that has generated much needed money.

I actually struggle to comprehend why folk would put any of it down as a bad thing, I really do.

[Removed]

I actually struggle to comprehend why folk would put any of it down as a bad thing, I really do.

We shouldn't really have to Matty that's the sad thing and what makes me really angry. Our government(s) on all sides have squandered billions whilst the vulnerable in the UK suffer and they continue to give millions in foreign aid to corrupt regimes or countries who are quite happy to spend money on weapons etc whilst their own people starve.

Something needs to be done to sort the root causes. Not always clear cut but surely overpopulation in a lot of places is one. If you have no food yet continue to have children then there is going to be a serious issue.

I didn't watch the programme. I had other priorities last night :wink: and I already give some of my hard earned money to where I know for 100% fact it will make a difference to a childs life. I don't need a crap tv programme to do that.

[ArabHibee]

Maybe I misinterpreted your point, but I took it that they should stop doing it because the money had been squandered (hence why we are being asked to donate again.), which to me was just an absurd argument.

I think that if your quoted figure of £600m is correct (and I've no reason to doubt it), and they're still needing to do it, then it just serves to highlight the severity of the issues that they are hoping to address, which is all the more reason for doing it.

I don't have a problem with 'dried up comedians' doing it, because what it comes down to is that group of comedians using the opportunities that whatever talent they do have has given them to put on an evening of entertainment for a widely supported cause that has generated much needed money.

I actually struggle to comprehend why folk would put any of it down as a bad thing, I really do.

I think what gets me is that people give so much to these appeals, yet you don't see the governments of these countries doing much to sort it out, who would rather spend their money on, for example, weapons and corruption.

And I include our government in that statement too.

[CropleyWasGod]

I think what gets me is that people give so much to these appeals, yet you don't see the governments of these countries doing much to sort it out, who would rather spend their money on, for example, weapons and corruption.

And I include our government in that statement too.

Which countries do you have in mind?

[matty_f]

We shouldn't really have to Matty that's the sad thing and what makes me really angry. Our government(s) on all sides have squandered billions whilst the vulnerable in the UK suffer and they continue to give millions in foreign aid to corrupt regimes or countries who are quite happy to spend money on weapons etc whilst their own people starve.

Something needs to be done to sort the root causes. Not always clear cut but surely overpopulation in a lot of places is one. If you have no food yet continue to have children then there is going to be a serious issue.

I didn't watch the programme. I had other priorities last night :wink: and I already give some of my hard earned money to where I know for 100% fact it will make a difference to a childs life. I don't need a crap tv programme to do that.

Agree with the first paragraph Billy - it's a crime that these issues exist, and it's a crime that our governments have not done all they can to support change with them.

I'm sure many people like you (and me) already donate to causes that we trust and know are worthy, however I don't think that because other worthy charities exist that events like Comic Relief or Children in Need should be dismissed as they generate massive sums of money for very worthy causes, and make a point of spending the money where it matters most so that it's not squandered on crooked regimes.

[matty_f]

I think what gets me is that people give so much to these appeals, yet you don't see the governments of these countries doing much to sort it out, who would rather spend their money on, for example, weapons and corruption.

And I include our government in that statement too.

But by giving to these appeals you take the corrupt governments out of the equation and give help to the people who have been let down by their governments.

I agree that the governments of the places in focus last night should be providing their people with more than basic medical facilities, with immunisations and mosquito nets etc, and with a system that ensures that nobody is dying from starvation. That they haven't doesn't detract, IMHO, from a basic humanitarian need to help the people left most vulnerable.

[Removed]

Not just you mate, there are loads of stories/films that affect me in a way they never did before since I became a parent.

The wee girl that was looking after her mum, who said something like "If you die, I'll jump in the grave with you", was heartbreaking.

There will be some cynics who will say we're being manipulated, but they couldn't make these films if the events they depict weren't happening. It's absolutely criminal that in this day and age children are going without proper medical attention, and starving to death.

I wish I was in a financial position to give way more than I have done tonight, to be honest.

If you feel that strongly about it then cancel your Sky HD. Kill two birds with one stone :agree: Giruy to Sky and a bit more to charity :thumbsup:

[matty_f]

If you feel that strongly about it then cancel your Sky HD. Kill two birds with one stone :agree: Giruy to Sky and a bit more to charity :thumbsup:

Aye, I might just do that.:agree:

[heretoday]

There's so many people in tears on TV these days it's getting hard to tell the real ones from the crocodiles!

Soon we'll have newsreaders "filling up" as they recount the latest catastrophe, or has that happened already?

Incidentally, I give regularly to charity and volunteer for one so don't call me an uncaring cynic.

Also don't expect me to hit the phone with my credit card because some washed-up comic tells me to.

[Beefster]

**** sake, I thought I was cynical but some folk on here make me look like Little Jimmy Osmond in comparison.

Who cares whether it's a 'washed-up comedian', 'celebrity' or 'lifelong charity worker' who is helping raise awareness and money for those suffering? Not those suffering, I'd bet.

Some folk love to be holier than thou and self-righteous. "I give to charity daily, they give me written accounts that justifies how every single penny is spent and I certainly wouldn't lower myself to donating because someone on the telly said so because it's positively common".

Get over yourselves.

[Jay]

**** sake, I thought I was cynical but some folk on here make me look like Little Jimmy Osmond in comparison.

Who cares whether it's a 'washed-up comedian', 'celebrity' or 'lifelong charity worker' who is helping raise awareness and money for those suffering? Not those suffering, I'd bet.

Some folk love to be holier than thou and self-righteous. "I give to charity daily, they give me written accounts that justifies how every single penny is spent and I certainly wouldn't lower myself to donating because someone on the telly said so because it's positively common".

Get over yourselves.

:top marks

[Hibby D]

**** sake, I thought I was cynical but some folk on here make me look like Little Jimmy Osmond in comparison.

Who cares whether it's a 'washed-up comedian', 'celebrity' or 'lifelong charity worker' who is helping raise awareness and money for those suffering? Not those suffering, I'd bet.

Some folk love to be holier than thou and self-righteous. "I give to charity daily, they give me written accounts that justifies how every single penny is spent and I certainly wouldn't lower myself to donating because someone on the telly said so because it's positively common".

Get over yourselves.

Well said :agree:

[Sir David Gray]

Yes, I did. I said he wasn't funny which is different from complaining about the whole content of Comic Relief.

I give great credit to Lenny Henry for what he's done for the causes that Comic Relief helps, he may be a pish comedian, but :top marks to him for having had the gumption over the years to get off his erse and do something for these people.

That's fair enough. What I really object to is having the likes of David Tennant on the TV from Uganda giving a lecture to people back in the UK and putting the guilt trip on everyone who watches Comic Relief but doesn't donate.

He said that he found the fact that most people who watch Comic Relief don't donate any money "shocking" before pointing his finger at the camera.

Personally, I don't believe that any taxpayer in this country has anything at all to feel guilty about or that they should feel shocked. Our government gives billions of pounds in aid to countries such as Uganda and all across the developing world and that money is provided by hardworking people all across the length and breadth of the country who are contributing a substantial amount of their salary in the way of taxes.

I'm not saying that things like Comic Relief are a bad thing and if people feel they wish to donate money to this cause then good on them, like I said in an earlier post I'm certainly not about to tell people what they can and can't do with their own money. But I definitely have a major issue with having celebrities on the TV telling people off just because they choose not to donate to Comic Relief.


We shouldn't really have to Matty that's the sad thing and what makes me really angry. Our government(s) on all sides have squandered billions whilst the vulnerable in the UK suffer and they continue to give millions in foreign aid to corrupt regimes or countries who are quite happy to spend money on weapons etc whilst their own people starve.

Something needs to be done to sort the root causes. Not always clear cut but surely overpopulation in a lot of places is one. If you have no food yet continue to have children then there is going to be a serious issue.

I didn't watch the programme. I had other priorities last night :wink: and I already give some of my hard earned money to where I know for 100% fact it will make a difference to a childs life. I don't need a crap tv programme to do that.

Excellent post. :top marks

The root causes of these countries' problems does need to be tackled before they will start to make any progress at all. With the best will in the world, until that happens, countries such as Uganda will continue to have major problems for many decades to come and the reports from Uganda for Comic Relief in 2062 will be exactly the same as they were on Friday night for this year's appeal.

[steakbake]

That's fair enough. What I really object to is having the likes of David Tennant on the TV from Uganda giving a lecture to people back in the UK and putting the guilt trip on everyone who watches Comic Relief but doesn't donate.

He said that he found the fact that most people who watch Comic Relief don't donate any money "shocking" before pointing his finger at the camera.

Personally, I don't believe that any taxpayer in this country has anything at all to feel guilty about or that they should feel shocked. Our government gives billions of pounds in aid to countries such as Uganda and all across the developing world and that money is provided by hardworking people all across the length and breadth of the country who are contributing a substantial amount of their salary in the way of taxes.

I'm not saying that things like Comic Relief are a bad thing and if people feel they wish to donate money to this cause then good on them, like I said in an earlier post I'm certainly not about to tell people what they can and can't do with their own money. But I definitely have a major issue with having celebrities on the TV telling people off just because they choose not to donate to Comic Relief.



Excellent post. :top marks

The root causes of these countries' problems does need to be tackled before they will start to make any progress at all. With the best will in the world, until that happens, countries such as Uganda will continue to have major problems for many decades to come and the reports from Uganda for Comic Relief in 2062 will be exactly the same as they were on Friday night for this year's appeal.

No, but sadly we don't really get to choose what our tax money gets spent on. Equally, I don't think that paying your tax abdicates you of your human responsibilities to your fellow man. If you have some kind of conscience or moral belief system not based on financial equivalences and a concern for "what's in it for me", you may think that tax is just an unavoidable fact of life. It's a bit like the old Chris Rock observation about the guy boasting about looking after his kids: you're supposed to!! Just like tax: you're supposed to pay tax. But what more can you do? Real charity - giving - comes from what you set out to do yourself or through others.

Everything helps: from the bit of your tax which goes to the British aid budget, (which to be honest at a derisory 0.7% of total government spend, couldn't really be much less if we tried) - to indeed the efforts of washed up has-been comedians looking to prick our conscience of a Friday night once a year so we donate some cash to a good cause.

I'm all for it. No-one has ever suggested that David Tennant imploring you to donate is going to change Uganda/Kenya/the World for ever. But sitting idly by, contemptuous at other peoples' efforts to make a difference in their own way, and lulled into in a fairly mean-spirited self righteous complacency that paying your (compulsory and unavoidable) taxes is enough, isn't going to change it either.

[matty_f]

No, but sadly we don't really get to choose what our tax money gets spent on. Equally, I don't think that paying your tax abdicates you of your human responsibilities to your fellow man. If you have some kind of conscience or moral belief system not based on financial equivalences and a concern for "what's in it for me", you may think that tax is just an unavoidable fact of life. It's a bit like the old Chris Rock observation about the guy boasting about looking after his kids: you're supposed to!! Just like tax: you're supposed to pay tax. But what more can you do? Real charity - giving - comes from what you set out to do yourself or through others.

Everything helps: from the bit of your tax which goes to the British aid budget, (which to be honest at a derisory 0.7% of total government spend, couldn't really be much less if we tried) - to indeed the efforts of washed up has-been comedians looking to prick our conscience of a Friday night once a year so we donate some cash to a good cause.

I'm all for it. No-one has ever suggested that David Tennant imploring you to donate is going to change Uganda/Kenya/the World for ever. But sitting idly by, contemptuous at other peoples' efforts to make a difference in their own way, and lulled into in a fairly mean-spirited self righteous complacency that paying your (compulsory and unavoidable) taxes is enough, isn't going to change it either.
:top marks

[Disc O'Dave]

Just short of £75m raised so far.

A fantastic effort that will genuinely change lives for thousands and thousands of people :not worth

Or buy you 1.5 Fernado Torres'

Somethings just not right about the world.... :confused: