radio 5 live vs Beefy botham

[Buzzer]

She came across terribly. The question about grouse shooting wasn't relevant and she was clearly working to an agenda in order to try to catch Botham out. God knows why. His response about chicken farming made a complete mockery of her line of questioning given the relative sizes of the two markets. Rather than acknowledge that or steer the conversation back to the matter in hand, she lost her cool and probably more so than Botham. This was evident in her long and rambling questions. Campbell's attempts to dig her out of it by asking a bloody silly question about hunting lions made matters even worse.

When asked about what she was doing to help the homeless "Well, that's not my job". It's not Botham's either but from where I'm sitting we've got one person trying to do something for them and another thinking themselves clever to use it as an opportunity to catch someone out, risking damaging the purpose of the charitable act in the process and getting rather superior and haughty when failing.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I'm not sure it was actually news was it ? I do get frustrated with interview journalists responding to PR like this and ambushing the interviewee.

Now the argument becomes news itself and I'm sure there will a subsequent phone-in where it's unclear whether the subject is the subject or the reaction to.

How many times are are supposed serious news sources filled with stories of "Twitter reacts" ?

Journalists are so threatened by social media some of them are beginning to think that they will only survive if they are the subject of it.



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It wasn't an ambush. He (or whoever wrote the briefing notes) fell at the first hurdle. I've looked at online articles covering the story (the ACTUAL story, not the 5Live fallout) and nowhere in there does it mention about the "We sell one, we donate one" setup. It was pitched as 'Botham gives away 10,000 pheasants...'. While technically he IS doing that, it's not the FULL story, hence the surprise in her voice and question about it being a commercial venture (it is – if they sell £500, then they won't be giving away 10,000).

All he had to do was listen to the questions and answer them. Not interrupt her. Not laugh at her. Not ask HER questions. And not accuse her of having an agenda or pushing her opinions on him. He was there to talk about this new initiative and the fact that it involved pheasants that are shot are BOUND to put some people off, or make them wary of getting involved. His frustration in not being given an easy ride – and arguably being thrown a curve ball that he was not (but should've been) got the better of him. I have some sympathy with him in that respect, but that's not how you respond to a bit of questioning.

 

[Buzzer]

Since you haven't really given that a context, I'll suggest one. If Barnardo's were launching a new fund-raising campaign (let's guess not by giving away pheasant and partridge pies) and the presenter asked something like 'Why the new initiative, have we seen a rise in the figures for child abuse, if so have any new safeguards been put in place', then yes, that would be perfectly acceptable.

Anyway, this is going to go down as Beefy's Pear-Shaped, Partridge in a Pear Tree Productions moment.

I'll give you another context. Chief Exec of McDonalds goes on the radio to announce that for every Big Mac sold they will give one to a homeless person. The interviewer then asks the Chief Exec about his views on bullfighting or veal farming. That's effectively what this R5 interviewer did.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Anyway, this is going to go down as Beefy's Pear-Shaped, Partridge in a Pear Tree Productions moment.

That interview was a negative, and right now he needs two positives.

It was a great listen, some real life Alan. Comic Relief should recreate that next Red Nose Day with Coogan playing Partridge playing Botham talking Partridge.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

It's all a bit Portsmouth v Palace for me.

'Sir' Ian Botham is an egotistical bell end. Whilst he has done a lot of work for charity, my God does he like to talk about it. His cricket summarising is effectively 'I could have beaten this lot on my own' and this stunt smells of no one is eating pheasant because pellets taste bad. Admirable as helping the homeless is, Botham is only interested in himself.

Campbell and Co are just as bad. Every interview nods to the leftist of leftist views with a question along the lines of 'Some people might say shooting pheasants is affecting the production of coffee in Ethiopia, how do you react to that? SIB, lacks the self awareness to understand that's how it works but it was only a matter of time before someone reacted. I can't abide Campbells hand grenade, lob it and run interview technique especially with faux outrage when the thing blows up.

Bore draw.

 

[Dick Head]

Since when was a casserole a pie?

 

[LamieRobertson]

Sounds worth a listen.

Have to say in general terms a) Rachel Burden is an exceptional broadcaster b) Botham, for all his playing brilliance and charity work can be a prickly oaf that talks a surprising amount of bollocks about the game he graced c) celebs in this PR age are increasingly thin skinned about any criticism.

I'd agree with that

 

[LamieRobertson]

Wimmin should stick to cooking

Is that why you were cooking yesterday?

 

[Bry Nylon]

Since when was a casserole a pie?

Since 5 Live moved from London to Manchester.

 

[clapham_gull]

I'll give you another context. Chief Exec of McDonalds goes on the radio to announce that for every Big Mac sold they will give one to a homeless person. The interviewer then asks the Chief Exec about his views on bullfighting or veal farming. That's effectively what this R5 interviewer did.

Have to agree. Whilst the BBC is quite happy to run programmes like that odd one about food factories...

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[Tooting Gull]

I'll give you another context. Chief Exec of McDonalds goes on the radio to announce that for every Big Mac sold they will give one to a homeless person. The interviewer then asks the Chief Exec about his views on bullfighting or veal farming. That's effectively what this R5 interviewer did.

Do me a favour. We could all just pluck (excuse the verb) a non-related, ridiculously exaggerated example out of thin air. But you aren't seriously suggesting that a McDonald's chief exec would be as angry, as chippy, and as unprepared as Botham and expect to get away with it?

I'll give you this though, the cast-adrift 14 million would I'd wager rather have a Big Mac than a pheasant pie.

 

[Yes Chef]

Do the hoi polloi really want Partridge curry and pheasant casserole?

 

[Lady Whistledown]

The whole thing is nonetheless considerably less disturbing than Botham's previous media faux pas, and I think we should all be grateful for that at least.

 

[Giraffe]

Just listened, fairly typical of the type of female BBC questioning where they come with an over bearing angle that is way beyond what is necessary. Glad Beefy gave her what for. Pathetic points scoring from a woman out of her depth. And they want to be paid the same as men.....

 

[BadFish]

Sounded like two people having a discussion that got a little heated.

Frankly, I don't understand why she went down that line of questioning, and I am guessing that he didn't either.

And wtf was the lion stuff all about.

Desperately trying to find a negative in someone doing something for those in need.

Apeshit? hardly #snowflake

 

[Bry Nylon]

Just listened, fairly typical of the type of female BBC questioning where they come with an over bearing angle that is way beyond what is necessary. Glad Beefy gave her what for. Pathetic points scoring from a woman out of her depth. And they want to be paid the same as men.....

Blimey, steady up! I think the 1950s need you back.

 

[El Presidente]

And they want to be paid the same as men.....

Err...yes they do

In the studio R5 journos have the producer in their ear and/or screen in front of them suggesting which question to ask, it won't have come from RB herself.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Just listened, fairly typical of the type of female BBC questioning where they come with an over bearing angle that is way beyond what is necessary. Glad Beefy gave her what for. Pathetic points scoring from a woman out of her depth. And they want to be paid the same as men.....

"they"?

 

[Dick Head]

Do me a favour. We could all just pluck (excuse the verb) a non-related, ridiculously exaggerated example out of thin air. But you aren't seriously suggesting that a McDonald's chief exec would be as angry, as chippy, and as unprepared as Botham and expect to get away with it?

I'll give you this though, the cast-adrift 14 million would I'd wager rather have a Big Mac than a pheasant pie.

Casserole.

 

[highflyer]

Call me a cynic but I think you'd have to be exceptionally naive to take this 'feeding the homeless' shite at face value. It's an obvious publicity stunt for the shooting industry and five live would have been failing in their duty if they had not asked a few questions. The chosen line if questioning didn't work well though. And Botham's response was then clumsy and unconvincing. So in the end a mess of an interview which neither side will be happy with.
Generally though Rachel Burden is one of the best broadcasters around.

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