'Funny' DJ sacked for calling Queen boring and making jokes!

Malc · **Posted:** Tue Dec 29, 2009 20:17

The Guardian wrote:

A radio DJ has been sacked after interrupting the Queen's speech on-air, telling listeners: "Two words: Bor-ing."

Stand-up comic and radio presenter Tom Binns made the comments during a Christmas Day show on Birmingham radio station BRMB.

Tom Binns wrote:

I knew it shouldn't be there, but having never heard it before, I didn't know how long it was going to go on for.

I'm not trained to make editorial decisions, but I decided to get rid of it and make a joke. I said: 'Two words: bor-ing.'

I then went into an old riff about how people say the royal family are good for tourism, but the French beheaded theirs and people still visit France. The next record was George Michael's Last Christmas, so I made some sort of comment about 'going from one Queen to another' as a parody of a cheesy DJ.

Nobody would have tuned in to hear the Queen's speech and I tried to deal with in in a funny way. After all they employ comedians to make jokes

The Guardian Again wrote:

Binns said the decision to fire him was a "knee-jerk reaction" and said broadcasters had been "scared to death" of regulators since the "Sachsgate" affair on BBC Radio 2 when Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand left lewd messages on actor Andrew Sachs's answer machine.

"It's got to the point where comedians aren't allowed to say anything that could possibly offend anyone anymore," he added.

Orion (the parent company of the radio station) wrote:

On Christmas Day, one of our presenters Tom Binns made some inappropriate comments surrounding the Queen's speech.

We do not condone what he said in any way, whether said in jest or not. We are making contact with the small number of listeners who were offended by Tom's comments and have complained to us to convey our apologies and have also apologised on air.

Tom will now not be featuring again on our radio stations

A bit harsh I think!

Malc

ApplePieOfDestiny · **Joined:** 17th Dec, 2008 **Posts:** 8293

I'd find it somewhat unusual that many people would tune into BRMB to listen to the Queens Speech. Even in an old folks home without a TV in the communal area, it would be a different radio station.

That said, the guy did it to be a nob, and I can't see it giving anyone any value as a joke. I similarly doubt anyone tuned into BRMB to listen to a wacky hat comedian joke over the Queens speech.

In conclusion, they possibly overreacted for this offence as a standalone, but this bloke sounds like a dick who had it coming some some other reason anyway.

LewieP · **Joined:** 29th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 7600

They still have radio?

Why?

sinister agent · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 7046

Doesn't sound funny on paper, but could have been with the right timing. In any case, sacking him is fucking ridiculous. Not least because he's right - the queen's speech can tickle a hippo as far as I'm concerned.

Malabelm · **Posted:** Tue Dec 29, 2009 20:58

I don't care about the specifics, but sacking someone for offending a small number of people is a bit daft.

metalangel · **Posted:** Tue Dec 29, 2009 21:01

Yes, they could at least have waited for the media to stir up a public shitstorm.

kalmar · **Posted:** Tue Dec 29, 2009 21:37

Didn't Chris Morris get his start by editing the queen's speech to say vaguely rude things? Can't remember if he got sacked for it.

Yes it's over the top, but the kind of station that intentionally plays the speech in the first place you assume they don't want it ducking about with?

kalmar · **Posted:** Tue Dec 29, 2009 21:39

LewieP wrote:

They still have the Queen?

Why?

FTFY

And because it's better than telly. Not tinpot local commercial radio mind you, that can GTFF

Malc · **Posted:** Tue Dec 29, 2009 21:56

kalmar wrote:

Didn't Chris Morris get his start by editing the queen's speech to say vaguely rude things? Can't remember if he got sacked for it.

Yes it's over the top, but the kind of station that intentionally plays the speech in the first place you assume they don't want it ducking about with?

The article made it seem like it wasn't intentional.

The Article wrote:

Binns, whose comic characters include inept hospital radio DJ Ivan Brackenbury, said he had not been listening to the content of the speech, but decided to interrupt because the station should have been broadcasting a news bulletin instead.

Malc

TheVision · **Posted:** Tue Dec 29, 2009 23:36

He sounds like a knob.. He's lucky to still have his head on his shoulders!

Mess with the Queen of my country will you...

NervousPete · **Posted:** Wed Dec 30, 2009 0:26

Common politeness dictates that you don't interrupt people when they're talking. This guy stopped the Queen (who frankly is a bit tedious, I like monarchies but God, did we get lumbered with a dull one) from finishing the only thing she really gets to do any more, and that's rather rude. So hurrah for the firing, say I!

If you counter by pointing out that, "Hey, Pete! Shouldn't all DJs be fired for interrupting people with wacky interjections?" The answer is yes.

I've just been on the train for five hours and I feel like I'm on a pitching ship, sitting at this desk. Ugh.

chinnyhill10 · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 15695

Ah, Brackenbury, his comedy "character" that wasn't at all "borrowed" from The League Of Gentleman's hospital radio DJ character and that is about as amusing as being diagnosed with a terminal disease.

Curiosity · **Posted:** Wed Dec 30, 2009 2:56

In fairness, I like this fella, purely because he used to present 'Under the Moon' with Danny Kelly back in, what, 1998, when it was one of the few interesting things on television, and has also worked in comedy with the likes of Chris Morris and Armando Ianucci.

So I back his opinion, even though I don't care what it is.

Plissken · **Posted:** Thu Dec 31, 2009 0:32

Having gigged with Tom and paid him to do the full Ivan Brackenbury show in front of a couple of hundred people who practically passed out laughing, then I can state that Chinny is wrong on a scale of Mr Chris proportions.

Be Excellent To Each Other

'Funny' DJ sacked for calling Queen boring and making jokes!

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