Phil Collins considers suing Chris Morris Posted Thu Jul 19 07:34:17 BST 2001 by 'Lost Sight'

(You might have seen this from me before-i'll continue to paste this around the internet until my eyes explode)

This is the Newwwwwws...

straight from http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk


Fury at TV hoax on paedophilia

Singer Phil Collins considers suing after Chris Morris dupes him into appearing in 'Nonce Sense' T-shirt

Matt Wells, media correspondent
Thursday July 19, 2001
The Guardian

Chris Morris, the satirist who tricked politicians into railing against a fake drug "cake", has caused controversy again by duping celebrities into endorsing two fabricated anti-paedophilia campaigns for his latest TV series.
A furious Phil Collins last night said he was taking legal advice after having been filmed with a T-shirt bearing the words "Nonce Sense" while giving "advice" to children.

The comedian Richard Blackwood, who warns children that paedophiles can make toxic vapours rise from their computer keyboards, said the joke was in poor taste.

Channel 4 insiders replied by pointing out that none of the participants had taken the time to check the credentials of the "charities" that had approached them.

The programme, clearly designed to satirise the hysteria surrounding the issue last year, was due to be shown earlier in the month. It was pulled at the last minute after Channel 4 claimed it was not complete.

Yesterday Collins, whose wife, Orianne, gave birth to his fourth child earlier this year, said he was furious about the stunt."I took part in the programme, as I was very firmly led to believe it was part of a public service programme that would be going around schools and colleges in a bid to stem child abduction and abuse."

The singer said that the programme was in poor taste, and added: "I did this in good faith for the public benefit. Unfortunately this will probably affect many celebrities' willingness to support public spirited causes in the future, and it's not difficult to see why."

Blackwood expressed concern that the programme could be detrimental to legitimate charities working in child protection. While accepting that he had been cleverly hoaxed, he said: "Well, I guess the joke is on us - and also on every other charity working in the field of child protection. If you think that kiddie porn is funny, you should have a good laugh."

Dr Fox, the Capital FM DJ, also admitted being taken in, but said the subject had been inappropriate for comedy. "I have been had, and it was well done. It is just a shame it had to be about such a sick issue."

Channel 4 said the programme was intended to be a humorous look at a serious issue. A spokesman said: "Chris Morris's Brass Eye Special is a powerful satire on the way the media exploits and sensationalises the subject of paedophilia. It is a programme that is both humorous and directed to make a serious point. As with much of Chris Morris's work, it is in places disturbing, and is astonishingly vivid and original."

The programme is due to be shown on July 26.

Richard Blackwood's a bit of a gullable twat, isn't he?

( Original URL - http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,523892,00.html )




Subject: Re: Phil Collins considers suing Chris Morris [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Unruly Butler on Thu Jul 19 11:43:41 BST 2001:

Or, as is his usual practice with emotionally draining legal procedures, he could just write a song about it.

That would really show 'em, Phil. Hit 'em where it hurts.

Subject: Re: Phil Collins considers suing Chris Morris [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Peter on Thu Jul 19 12:27:26 BST 2001:

So not only can he not spot an obvous set-up when he sees one, but he also can't take a joke. "Pop star in no sense of humour shocker!" Actually, not much of a shock is it?

Subject: Re: Phil Collins considers suing Chris Morris [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Brie - �chef' on Thu Jul 19 12:34:53 BST 2001:

There's always one. Didn't Noel Edmonds spit the dummy about the 'Cake' episode?

The screenshots in this week's NME look brilliant. Collins in a 'Nonce Sense@ T-shirt and baseball cap, and a paedophile in the studio locked in stocks, being quizzed by Morris. I'm setting my video now, and posting a 24-hour guard around it, just in case my wife fancies recording 'Buffy' or some such nonsense.

Subject: Re: Phil Collins considers suing Chris Morris [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'Brie - �chef' on Thu Jul 19 12:36:05 BST 2001:

whups. Ballsed that one up, didn'I?

Subject: Re: Phil Collins considers suing Chris Morris [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Rob S on Thu Jul 19 13:31:33 BST 2001:

>There's always one. Didn't Noel Edmonds spit the dummy about the 'Cake' episode?

Yup

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%22Brass+Eye%22+Noel+Edmonds&hl=en&safe=off&rnum=1&ic=1&selm=3295EE45.4E8%40staffs.ac.uk

Subject: Re: Phil Collins considers suing Chris Morris [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Suiii on Thu Jul 19 13:36:37 BST 2001:

Well if they're so fucking empty headed that they jump on the back of any cause, and read words from an autocue without letting them enter into their tiny minds, then they sodding well deserve this. "Made up drugs", "This is nonce sense", "HOECS" ?? Any right thinking individual could see it for what it is, but these money-grabbing Z-list 'celebs' are obviously rendered automaton at the sight of a few greenbacks to support their ever growing coke habits.

Subject: Re: Phil Collins considers suing Chris Morris [ Previous Message ]
Posted By 'RB' on Thu Jul 19 13:42:56 BST 2001:

And it's better, cheaper and easier to threaten to sue than to actually sue.

Threatening to sue can get about as much publicity as suing, and has the effect of undermining - in public - the person who you are threatening.

Of course, the fact that you don't actually sue down the line becomes irrelevant, as it is soon forgotten.

Subject: Re: Phil Collins considers suing Chris Morris [ Previous Message ]
Posted By Joe4SOTCAA on Sun Jul 22 02:21:00 BST 2001:

Phil Collins once sang 'Fiddle About' (as 'Wicked Uncle Ernie') in an early-90s performance of The Who's 'Tommy'. He did this dressed very obviously as a comedy child molester - bottle glasses, tank-top, tousled hair, as he delivered the lines 'Down with your bedclothes, up with your nightshirt, fiddle about, fiddle about / You won't shout as I fiddle about...', etc.

I recall a few 'liberal' music journos at the time got quite heated at this humourous look at child molestation.

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