h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've mentioned the "Sarah's Law" concept, but I didn't mention the name.

I can't remember which sequence the Mail's pictures were taken from, but I don't think it's the one you mention. Anyway, the Mail took several pictures from a 5-second sequence; it wouldn't be representative of a half-hour programme no matter what the sequence contained. If anyone can describe that sequence definitively then I'll use it, but I don't see that it really matters.

I love the idea of a TV presenter being offended when a paedophile is not attracted to his son. That has a horribly plausible feel to it.

Everything which I could say about the entry has already been said by better qualified researchers.

Good luck with it.

Ben

Hi Geoff,

Nice entry. I thought the whole thing was fascinating. Perhaps the next step is to get a furore up about a non-existent programme!

There was an interesting article in the Guardian some time ago that argued that the real danger to children wasn't predatory paedophiles but careless drivers - coining the phrase "speedophiles". I think the journalist received a lot of complaints. Perhaps some mention of other (and more pressing) dangers to children might add something to the article, but then perhaps it would be straying in the direction of a general "UK and Paedophilia Hysteria" guide entry rather than your more specific project. At the time of the programme, I think I heard mention of the same national newspapers who were critical of the programme running articles about one of the Princes and (I think) Charlotte Church making inappropriate comments about their appearance given that they're children, but I can't remember where or when...

Best wishes and happy new year to all

Otto.

Two suggestions: You don't use the programme's subtitle - Paedogeddon.

The figures you give for complaints are interesting. The one for the ITC is especially interesting because they specifically do *not* accept messages in support of programmes - only complaints. Their website makes this clear. However, obviously enough people (like me) ignored this in order to try and redress the balance somewhat.

Exactly right, Jim. They don't accept compliments, which is one of the things I raised with Tessa Jowell when I wrote to her.

The figures quoted are taken directly from the two Commissions' public statements on the subject.



Until next year, chaps....

Geoff

Writing as someone who rang in support...

Excellent article. A couple of suggestions for additions...

- Broadcast date/time (including the repeat the following night which enraged the Daily Mail even further, because Channel 4 were obviously doing it to annoy them before any reaction from the regulators could be formulated)

- Link to Cook'd and Bomb'd, the Chris Morris fansite?

- Brief background of Morris's career as a TV and radio satirist (has good idea, takes it too far, gets sacked, does the same again, and again, etc.).

- Brief explanation why Brass Eye was being repeated (i.e. new controller at Channel 4 liked the show, whereas the previous head of Channel 4, Michael Grade, had told Chris Morris that he would never work on TV again. After rows between Grade and Morris over censorship of the original six episodes, Morris substituted his own doctored version of the tape of the final episode just before broadcast, and the aired version had a single frame added - large letters flashed subliminally onto the screen spelling out "GRADE IS A C**T".)

-Possible mention of the "paedotours" segment where the "reformed" paedophile takes kids on bus tours of his old haunts - satire not just on paedophilia but on the general media love affair with criminals, as long as the crimes were acceptable ones like slitting people's throats with razors, rather than sex crimes.

- Following on from that... a quick breakdown of the content of the show, perhaps? One line per idea?

I like it as it is, frankly, so I'm just chucking these in in case you're looking for something to add.

Get well soon.

H.

A restrained and dignified professional, aware of the responsibilities of his position, and with a profound respect for authority, then.

I'm sure that Mr Morris treats the British broadcasting authorities with just the amount of respect that they deserve, Ben.

Geoff - you might like to link to the BBC News profile of the great man, which can be found at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_1460000/1460463.stm

I'll add some links; to the BBC's profile as per Ormondroyd; to the 2 reports; maybe to Tessa Jowell's homepage . Not sure when I'll add them, but soon.

I deliberately didn't want to put in much about Chris Morris's history because I think he deserves an entry all of his own. I'm not that familiar with "The Day Today" and the earlier work, so that's probably a project for someone else...takers?

I would LOVE to do a scene-by-scene synopsis of the programme. Unfortunately I don't have it on tape, so I can't. If anyone can help with this, please let me know. Otherwise, that part of the entry stays as it is.

Links added. I've also included a few figures from an American Government survey from 1996 that I found.

Any other ideas/comments?

Happy New Year, Folks

Geoff

I've not seen the programme so this was an interesting article.

I don't find it difficult to accept that an average of 117 people are molested by paedophiles. Where I grew up there was a man, now thankfully dead, who molested generations of children. The trouble was that no-one spoke out, but I understand from a parent who was one of those children, that he was still active when her children were little and she was careful to try to keep hers away. To my knowledge he was never charged.

Unfortunately, I only have the other 6 Brass Eyes on tape.

Zarquan,
I can easily accept that predatory peadophiles can attack 117 people. What I can't accept is that the average child abuser does so many. Predatory peados account for a minority of such offences, yet receive most of the attention, purely because its easier to believe that the problem lies with "wierdos" rather than being an established problem in otherwise "respectable" people.

In 1996, over 1 million American kids were abused. Three quarters of those were abused by their birth parents. In 20 years, 5 kids in the UK were abducted & killed by strangers. I know that the US and UK are different, but they're not that different. The real problems are being ignored, and that's what my article is fundamentally about.

Oops. I misremembered my facts. The UK figures were 57 in 10 years, an average of 5 per year, not the 5 in 20 years I spouted above. Sorry.

The point remains, though.

Geoff

Top entry. Did you mention the comparitive statistics for deaths due to paedophiles and deaths due to speeding? People refuse to obey the 30mph speed limit, but seem quite happy to go on witch-hunts. That's a bit like outlawing target pistols but not automatic assault weapons.

I've got a joke about that in my stand-up act... a vigilante mob kill a man because he hangs round the school all day smiling at kids. Was he a paedophile? No, he was the lollipop man!

Editorial Note: This conversation has been moved from 'Peer Review' to 'The Brass Eye Paedophile Special'.

This thread has been moved out of the Peer Review Forum because your entry has now been recommended for the Edited Guide.

You can find out what will happen to your entry here: http://www.h2g2.com/SubEditors-Process

Congratulations!

Yay! Well done, Geoff!

2 articles recommended in one day!

2002 is getting off to a fine start...

Oh really? All those aren't quite what my is asking for. The noises of my keyboard are *killing* me