People might assume I hate all charity - I loathed Band/Live Aid - not true at all; I admire charity when the giver does not benefit ("aren't I a wonderful unselfish person?"). But I hate media excuses for BAD TV, bad concerts, bad radio, bad music, bad comedy, bad entertainment "because it's in a good cause".
Minor celebrities making fools of themselves. Is it funny? No. Is it clever? No. But it's "in a good cause".
Ordinary people being stoopid. "It's in a good cause".

I watch TV to be entertained. I never, ever watch these stupid events and never will.

I give heaps to charity. But never organised charity where most of the money goes on administration.

I identify those in need and give it to them directly. Sometimes it's even a beggar in the streets.

Well said. I was commenting today how after listening to Chris Evans on the radio how as soon as charity is involved, all actual entertainment value goes down the drain. I hope to see as little of what 'acts' are planned for us as possible. I don't need Ant and Dec bobbing about telling me that it is 'all for a good cause' and 'dig deep'.

And because of people like Bob the Blackmailer, nobody dares say anything - though I suspect 95% feel this way. "Give me your fucking money so I can boost my career and kill innocent Africans by pretending to know what I'm doing whilst supplying cash to corrupt officials and guns to cunning killers!".


Meanwhile - crap TV; crap radio; crap newspapers; crap do gooders beaming with smug selfishness - "I'm good, me".

I loathe the entire hypocritical nonsense. Always have - since those bloody Variety Club Frankie Vaughan wank fests.

Ugh.

Should be STUDENTS in NEED this year surely ? To pay for more Government cuts.

It is just another TAX on us like the lottery. Should not be allowed on PUBLIC SERVICE TV.

Charity begins where you live in my view and I support OXFAM as well being the biggest provided or help for the poor of the World as well.

With Children in Need you get no choice about where your money goes either.

Wogan does a good job, but I agree these things are cringeworthy. I especially hate the stupidly hyped newsreaders dancing routine - so what? It's ghastly stuff. The comedy ones are the worst, because every actual comic moment has to be nullified by the intervention of something boo-hoo-ish, as if any donation would be tainted if it wasn't prompted by a sad face.

Must admit I get a bit fed up at how much it takes over the normal schedule on tv and radio - Radio 2 seems to have had 2 weeks of the auctions every morning - one show was devoted to auctioning a cricket day at Lords and everything seemed to be about cricket. Still lots of wealth out there though. The radio 2 auctions have loads of listeners bidding tens of thousands on things like a day driving Chris Evans' Ferrari's or £75k on a round of golf with a top professional. Wonder how the BBC check out the bidders?

I agree. Charity is a concept that has been hijacked as a way to blackmail ordinary people who cannot afford to give away their already highly taxed income - the average man in the street on PAYE pays through the nose for everything and gets nothing back. Charity is now a tax dodge for businesses to claw back tax relief and make themselves look good, and a handy stick to beat the unenlightened with.
I'll give my hard-earned money to something that will make a direct difference, and not because some overpaid narcisstic d-lister begs me to.

JK2006 wrote:
those bloody Variety Club Frankie Vaughan wank fests.

Ugh.

God, you guys in the Sixties. Even Frankie Vaughan. A Frankie Vaughan wankfest. Did he kick his leg at the end...oh, don't tell.

Thanks Veritas, you write:

"I identify those in need and give it to them directly."

According to a UNICEF report from 2002 12,000 children die of starvation or starvation-related illness every day, averaged out over the year. How do you manage to get round them all?

Best Wishes,
Jim

A local children's hospice to me doesn't like CiN (sin?) much either because it's never had any money from them despite attempting on many occasions.

I viewed CiN until just after 8 when the Doctor Who bit aired, but then that's down to my shallowness I suppose. The Christmas Special looks wonderful and Gambon on form as usual!

Foz wrote:
Must admit I get a bit fed up at how much it takes over the normal schedule on tv and radio - Radio 2 seems to have had 2 weeks of the auctions every morning - one show was devoted to auctioning a cricket day at Lords and everything seemed to be about cricket. Still lots of wealth out there though. The radio 2 auctions have loads of listeners bidding tens of thousands on things like a day driving Chris Evans' Ferrari's or £75k on a round of golf with a top professional. Wonder how the BBC check out the bidders?

Maybe Lord Young was right all along.....