No.

Perhaps, anonymous
But at least she is not Daisy Donovan
and for that alone she should be raised
above our heads and annointed.

What, for not being Daisy Donovan? Doesn't that mean we've got to annoit rather a lot of (similarly undeserving) people!?

No, SP is deserving because of the special way that she isn't DD.

I also agree with Clarky about F&S being rubbish (see 'worst comedy series')

Sally Phillips is shit. She can only do one character - a posh, hippy twat which in fact is her playing herself. She is unoriginal and has slept her way to the top. She has had an affair with everyone she has ever worked with. In short, she's a comedy slag. And she's not funny. Or talented. She is the comedic equivalent of the SPICE GIRLS.
Doon is much better.
Let that be the last word on the issue.

Amen to that above

Attacks on comedians' personal lives are irrelevant, dull and cheap. If people were more interested in comedians' WORK than who's-shagging-who, comedy wouldn't be in the state it is now.

For the record, a lot of male comedians exploit the sexuality of their teenage girl fans (whether they sleep with them or not), and this is equally out of order. But we wouldn't be so unprofessional as to name names.

Hear hear. I thought this myself when I read Producer's comments before, but decided not to say anything. You can't make judgements on a person from what you read in the tabloids. a) it may well not be true and b) even if it were, that's between her and her conscience.

As a point of fact, I actually find Sally Phillips to be quite amusing, in small doses. There are far worse performers out there so why all the bile?

I thought this site was about putting right the world of comedy. My point about Sally is this - she is over rated and she has built her career on other people's talents. She is ruthlessly ambitious and I have witnessed her making sure that other (more talented)actresses don't get work. Yes. I don't like her. So what? Or do you just want comedy sychophants posting on this site. Apologies if I've got this website wrong. Its turned out to be another fawning fan site after all.

No it isn't...having a go at SP's comedy/acting ability is fair enough, in line with the non-sycophantic treatment of Steve Coogan, the Pythons etc. featured elsewhere in the site. It's just that remarks about someone's personal life goes beyond being a matter of opinion, and I think the Editors are right not to encourage that sort of comment. Though now you've said it, it may as well stand. Don't know why you bother using a pseudonym though, as from what you say SP can probably guess who you are.
In case you're wondering, I don't know Sally Phillips, don't think much of 'Smack the Pony', and don't work in TV or comedy. I'm just saying what I think.

>I thought this site was about putting right the world of comedy. My point about Sally is this - she is over rated and she has built her career on other people's talents. She is ruthlessly ambitious and I have witnessed her making sure that other (more talented)actresses don't get work. Yes. I don't like her.

You should of ended your message there... it made your point in a clear and valid way.

> So what? Or do you just want comedy sychophants posting on this site. Apologies if I've got this website wrong. Its turned out to be another fawning fan site after all.

You let yourself down there ...

IMHO, Sally is talented, but she doesn't seem to try very hard - how many times have you seen her playing a Hippy style character...? I can recall her saying, back in late 1997 reguarding her role in 'Holding The Baby', that she though that kind of characture was dated and lazy.

Sounds a bit like the green eyed monster to me. Or maybe "A Producer" got knocked back by Sally at some point.
If not then why don't you give your real name and more than slanderous rumour? Are you really a producer? Or just a sad little boy trying to give credence to your pathetic views. Then come on, who are you? If you're going to have a go like that then at least have the bravery to do it under your actual name
Sally is a very talented actress who has got where she is by working hard and being good. The sad fact is that there are so few women trying to do comedy (or there were 5 or 6 years ago) that a talented and funny woman automatically gets work and does well, because everyone wants to work with her.
That has nothing to do with what one might or might not do in one's personal life. Believe me, when you're trying to put together a comedy show you want the best person for the job, someone who is going to make the audience laugh and the kind of personal favours that A Producer implies is going on would be career suicide.
Yes, I did go out with Sally, but that was after she'd been cast in something I did and I continued to give her work once we'd split up and I would do now, because she is very good.
So grow up

We saw Sally Phillips in a recording of Radio 4's 'Life Death & Sex With Mike & Sue' and it was clear that her acting/accent range is actually enormous. Yes, she plays the same posh character in sitcoms (Holding The Baby, Hippies, Kiss Me Kate), but this is pretty much the fault of the writers.

True enough, but she could try for other roles if she wanted, not ness those just in comedy either...

SP is not the only person in the business to be typecast, if she plays this part well (which she does) then good luck to her. If she has too many roles like this, then her popularity will wane, but that's just tough, and its up to her, it is her career after all.

I find Producer's comment, deriding her partly because she's extremely ambitious, rather baffling. Surely you can say the same of just about any person who makes it onto television, even local?

Personal attacks like this do no-one any good at all. As any fule kno's, the real problem is TV executives being completely short-sighted when it comes to signing comedy acts and commissions, and Sally Phillips, along with the rest of the cast of Smack the Pony and Channel 4, are doing a hell of a lot more than ITV and Michael Barrymore to push the boundaries. I'm not singling Barrymore out here either but he does epitomise the problem far better than Phillips.

I am a producer at TalkBack. That's why I choose not to give my real name. Richard Herring has suggested that I have made comment on Sally's abilities because I am jealous. Not so. I am simply tired of people getting praise where it clearly isn't due. And on the subject of jealousy - two words Mr Herring. Patrick. Marber. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. And if Sally wants to stick up for herself - let her - I'm sure she doesn't need the big boys to do it for her.
I won't be returning to this site. It has not lived up to its hype. How ironic.

>I won't be returning to this site. It has not lived up to its hype. How ironic.

Er... what hype would that be then, eh Ms Producer?

I don't recall Richard Herring ever saying that Patrick Marber slept his way to showbiz success...did PM sleep with Sir Peter Hall to get 'Closer' staged? I miss all these stories through not working in the media.

I am not jealous of Patrick Marber. I think he is a lucky chancer with a modicum of talent who has used other people to get where he is.
The difference is that I say all this (and always have) under my own real name. I would also not comment on his personal life.
I also do not believe that A Producer is a Producer. (and I knew you'd be back to look magte, don't pretend you aren't)
But running away is the best way to deal with an argument that you have clearly lost.

You are welcome to think that Sally is untalented, but as was said very early on in the discussion you lolst the plot when you tried to imply she'd only got where she is by sleeping with people.
As I have explained this is bollocks. As a producer I'd have thought you would be able to see that. Having sex can only get you so far in this business! (I understand that most of the producers at Talkback only got the job by agreeing to blow Mel Smith - any truth in that A.?)

I also don't believe that A Producer is an actual producer.
As far as i know you have to be past school age for that particular
position.
I am not personaly a fan of Sally Phillips but it is utterly ridiculous to
suggest that she has no talent. This is paitently untrue, much as it
pains me, she is very talented. Anyway, you can suck as much dick as you like
but unless you have talent it will get you nowhere.
(I'm not sugesting she has by the way)

What a nasty back-biting toss-pot A Producer is for slagging off Sally Phillips.This bitter out pouring against her says more about YOU mate/darling than her.If you truly are at Talkback then God help anyone who has to work with such a judgemental mean-spirited prick.Oh and Id lay off the charlie for a bit .Its making you grumpy.

What a nasty back-biting toss-pot A Producer is for slagging off Sally Phillips.This bitter out pouring against her says more about YOU mate/darling than her.If you truly are at Talkback then God help anyone who has to work with such a judgemental mean-spirited prick.Oh and Id lay off the charlie for a bit .Its making you grumpy.

Now that A.Producer has finally cleared off, can we steer this topic back to how it was originally, ie. fulsome praise of Sally Phillips? She's really sweet.

No, we can't.

Re: The 'Smack The Pony' sketch about a vet who knows nothing about animals.
There was a string of sketches just like this on the 'The Cheese Shop', a R4 series back in 1998. Only they were better on the radio, because they could use the joke that the audience didn't know what animal the vet was examining(eg. Vet:'This is the worst-abused dog I've ever seen. Look at the mutilations...' Man:'It's a snake.')
I hope it was the same writers responsible, because otherwise that would be plagiarism...

I think it's great that Richard Herring road-tests his actresses.

Auditions must be more fun than an orgy.

P.S I enjoyed your play at the Edinburgh Festival. I was the rasta-esque one working in the box office and like to think I helped sell many of your tickets, combined with the 'two for the price of one' special offer.

You sort of missed my entire point there RL. Though I think that was the idea.
Could have done with a few more ticket sales this year to be honest. Try harder next time!

Perhaps next time you could get the lovely Sally Philips on board.

I'm sure she's no stranger to filling a venue.

Perhaps next time you could get the lovely Sally Philips on board.
I'm sure she's no stranger to filling a venue.

Where's Filling Avenue?

Next to Padding Lane

On reflection, does the person who posted the original comment wish he hadn't bothered?