Why this year’s effort will be different....I’m not dreading it! (Comic Relief (Red Nose Day) in general)

Member Name: redcockney

Product:	Comic Relief (Red Nose Day) in general
Date:	10/03/01 (304 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It’s energy into raising money for charities shames other TV efforts....

Disadvantages: ....for only one night a year and then it’s gone (off the TV, I mean).

I don’t have time for telethons for certain charities. I’m ashamed to admit it. It takes that little something extra for me to want to delve into my pockets for. But what will make 2001 a year of change so much different from all the other years of promised change? The fact that the effort put into this
year’s ‘Comic Relief’ definitely feels it’s worth actually donating for.

Not only is it potentially funnier, it’s actually funny! Not only have the activities been improved, they’re actually worth watching! They’ve always managed to bag some decent celebrities but they didn’t know
what to do with them, they do now!

This year’s maxim of saying ‘pants to poverty’ may strike a false note though what with the likes of Persil donating ‘only’ 3p of the purchase price (when you buy a packet) to ‘Comic Relief’.....maybe my
understanding of the soap market is a bit offbeat but perhaps they could have stretched it to 4p? (It might mean though that we pay an extra penny but hey, it all goes to charity).

This year we’ll see things that should be substantially worth watching and certainly highlights for the future and that the rest of the year may have to live up to:

The resurrection of ‘Ted and Ralph’ with a special guest!
Ali G interviewing Posh and Becks!
Celebrity Big Brother!
Celebrity Weakest Link! (I’d be wondering where THAT particular one went....if it’s as funny as the Christmas version when Mel Geidroyc went ‘bonkers’, it’ll be fantastic stuff).

And all this from a 20 second commercial....(I’ve actually read up about it as well AND it’s a darn shame some sneak managed to get a transcript of the Ali G interview out though....a genuine surprise threatened to turn into a bit of a disaster....trust me, it will be funny (despite the fact I detest
‘Da Ali G Show’ BUT as the subjects are Posh and Becks it pretty much balances out my prejudices). I won’t ruin the punchlines or reveal the special guest for ‘Ted and Ralph’ though....it pretty much gives the game away otherwise....).

No silly short stunts that worked fine on paper but don’t quite work on screen either (‘Blind Date’ with Mr. Bean? Torvill and ‘Bean’? Dawn French/Hugh Grant and Lenny Henry/Elle MacPherson? All full of good intentions though....).

What we will get is a lot of whooping from the audience unlike the more restrained (and you can ‘feel’ it) approach of ‘Children In Need’. So be prepared to ‘watch’ out for that....it’ll be annoying as it ever was. Another unjust and unfair piece of criticism is that they do try and ‘guilt’ us into donating to ‘Comic Relief’ which will no doubt again filled in by reports of projects from Africa and to change the tone occasionally with other reports of “it’s not just Africa, you know!” (no, I’m not so stubborn and made of stone not to know that) with some reports about what it’s done for the UK as well.

The ‘only’ criticism is we also get ‘Have I Got Buzzcocks All Over’ back....it was dreadful last year and I can’t see any improvements.(where’s Paul Merton? Where’s Ian Hislop? Where’s Rory McGrath? Even Mark Lamarr? The only ones missing in what should have been an incredibly worthy yet brusingly
funny battle of wits....unfortunately the crossovers lend itself to pretty much infighting against itself. Witness Jonathon Ross and Phill Jupitus’ comedic abilities dilute.....Ross is fantastic on ‘TTIAO’ but
only amiable on ‘IOTBILI’ and Jupitus just about OK on ‘NMTB’ but at best mediocre on
‘IOTBILI’....well that’
s TV politics for you. We should have Hancock, Ross and Deayton on one side and Jupitus, Merton and Clary on the other with Lamarr officiating....although where does that leave
Rory McGrath? A worthy adversary and substitute for Phill Jupitus. As for Sean Hughes, he’s lost ‘it’ and should prove his own undoing next Friday. The idea of the quiz disintegrates and it just becomes a
free-for-all and a battle of just trying to provide some laughs.....the script obviously failed last year and threatens to do so again this year).

At least there’s no Victoria Wood (hoorah!) or Graham Norton (hooray!) or Ben Elton (I’m bloody ecstatic!) to try and enliven proceedings with their own special brand of tomfoolery....

Although why does ‘Children In Need’ have to suffer year-upon-year with it’s unrelentlessness (I’m being polite about what I truly believe of it) where there are only a few gems and things of interest to
watch (for me the return of ‘Butterflies’ brought nothing but moths out of the closet
unfortunately.....anyone remember last year and what went into 2000’s ‘Children In Need’?).

Another weak link are the regional updates which inevitably when tripped into media intensity fall shy of being worthy ruining whatever good intentions they have.(good but not worthy of public attention unfortunately). At least, it isn’t pre-recorded though (so it’s very brave of them).

ITV gave up on the telethon when they ran out of comedy stars (how many times can you get Michael Barrymore on the telly? The only ‘comedy’ stars they have now are probably Frank Skinner, Lily Savage, Denis Norden, Brian Conley, Steve Penk and Les Dennis.....try making a strange brew out of
that lot! The weirdness and reluctance of ITV to lend the BBC their stars for one night is appalling....I heard Ant and Dec were going to do something but they
had to opt out.....

I fear for my eyes and ears as to what Channel Five would come up with if they ever came up with a telethon....

For once, I will watch ‘Comic Relief’ out of a sense of forboding knowledge that it will be good and not the constant balls-up that is strewned every now and then across our screens in a feeble attempt to try and extract money out of us.....for once, I will delve into my not-considerably-deep pockets and give however:.

You will NOT catch me wearing one of those annoying new style red noses.
You will NOT catch me doing stupid stunts.
You will NOT catch me buying that bloomin’ Westlife single.

It is a genuine sham(e), that they’ve given up on coming up with something original for the charity single.....going with performers and a cover version that is unashamedly commercial. Well, at least it all the royalties goes to charity....

Will it raise more than £12 million this year though....it’s wobbled at around 11, has more or less always sailed past 10....we’ll have to find out on the 16th March.

The most foolish thing any member of ‘dooyoo’ may want to say is: “I will donate whatever monies come my way through the votes of this opinion TO ‘Comic Relief’ (if there is a more selfless act I’ll do
through the internet this year then it will be done here....that’s not the surprise though....) through my OWN pocket not dooyoo’s (it may backfire on me....spectacularly, you know....I may enforce a limit just in case)”. I wanted very much to say that, you know....I’m ill, not stupid (of course that’s matter of
opinion.....feel free to post a comment!).

‘Comic Relief 2001’ will be good if not the best ever....just you wait, it’ll be worth it. Hopefully.

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