comic relief red nose day

[Ankou]

i don't mind it and i do my part, but we are soon to be faced with the annual television-a-phon with the various films of various celebs wandering around these various far off places.

i was wondering at the cost (financially and carbon footprint) of this extravagance, and wonder is there really the need what with local representatives and satellite links etc. does celebrity fawning still add gravitas? would a local team not do just as good a job without all the travel and make up?

to take a celeb and film crew to these places must cost a lot of money. so who pays? i'm not begruding anything here, just logistics and potential uneccesary wastage.

[squarebear]

Great, let's chuck some more money at Africa as it has obviously helped it change a lot since the eighties and is a much better place now....

I will be avoiding this thing like the plague.

[david51058]

Can't stand it.

[Ankou]

damn it, i was hoping someone was going to convince me that it is all worth while in the end.

anybody ...?

[237SJ]

When I think about comic relief I think of Jonathon Ross and Lenny Henry and I can`t stand either of them so I switch off. Not sure about the cost though. I presume they give their time for free and as far as carbon footprints are concerned, they are just taking a seat on a scheduled flight that was going to that place anyway.

[mccfluff]

i think and i'm not 100% here that the celebs give their time for free and they get spsonors to pay for all the stuff

[mccfluff]

i'll organise a dress down day at work, get everyone to stick a £1

[jackthehat]

It ever ceases to amaze me that with the wealth of comedic talent both behind the scenes, and on display.........the whole evening is so painfully unfunny.

I have long believed that a greater proportion of the monies raised ought to go to projects in this country...and remain unconvinced that following a 'sleb as they travel through Africa/Asia in search of photogenic children causes us to dig any deeper...

[cazzz1975]

I lothe this sort of continual begging done by celebs who live in big expensive houses

[mightywease]

OP - have a look at their website as this should give you an idea of what they do

http://www.comicrelie...ple-issues-we-support

Can't say I will be watching as, with Children in Need, I tend to avoid such things nor will I be sitting in baked beans or dressing like the Queen Mum for the day but I may pop a pound or so into the collecting tin we will probably have at work

[milly143]

That's why I prefer Children in Need, because all the money stays in the UK. Not that I'm against helping other countries but it doesn't hurt to put our own kids first sometimes.

I've also wondered how much these events cost to run too, but then I doubt they would receive such huge amounts of donations without putting on some specitcal.

[pa___ul3]

I do the organising in work, write a quiz, a bit of putting onto the fiver, that type of thing, a girl here makes dead good cakes too, so I don't mind it.
If the whole thing mean a bunch of needy people get more than they would without then it's worthwhile. If it means a cushy day in work too, even better!

[Ankou]

good on you paul, everyone's a winner!

i am not concerned about which causes the money goes to really (assuming its to those that need it etc) but just the need for celebrity holidays being filmed.

the fact that they give their time for free is immaterial in my mind. if someone asked me to take some time off work and go abroad, i doubt i'd contemplate a charge out rate. and if it is all paid for by sponsors, why don't they just give that money to the causes instead ? or if its an oportunity for someone to go out to an african village to do some vt for sympathy/awareness raising, then why don't they (say) auction off the opportunity to 'the nation'.

auction: the chance to go to oombaloombaland, to the village of olllywocky and provide a film of the needy people and show some tears/emotion when doing it.

it could raise thousands in itself ?

[pa___ul3]

that's a really good idea Ankou, I could see it being used by big businesses to advertise their 'big heart', but isn't that just what the celebs are doing anyway?
The thing is, Britain does have a massive love of celebrity.. how many people would give come dine with me a miss but watch the celebrity version? It does have a massive pull factor!

[Ankou]

not according to this thread !

[pa___ul3]

but this thread is clearly largely those who are seeking their entertainment online as opposed to sat in front of the gogglebox. Those with a love of celebrity wouldn't have time to come on here because it's celeb this and celeb that 24/7!

[tiggerblue10]

I do watch it if there is nothing better on and I do donate whenever I can. The only thing I will say though is that more funds needs to be spent on contraception in the third world countries.

[Ankou]

you just reminded me of celebdaq - remember that?!

you are quite right though, i shouldn't be here asking these bone idle googlers, i should go street canvassing in harari with a film crew and some nice shades.

[what..the?]

I probably wont support, unless someone shakes a bucket at me in town mostly my money goes on other charities, gave £250 to local charity shelter box, but most my spare my goes into helping our troops on the front line, I work voluntary for a small charity, I organise local food/toiletries/underwear collections in local supermarkets I then get 100 empty shoe boxes at a time from a local shop, box up the goodies and send them out to the front line, firstly to troops that don't have friends and family at home to send them supplies. Because there is often limited donations of some products so i buy them with my spare money, they are often 'no frill's' versions but it means I can supply twice as many troops with the money I put in to help out.

[jomifl]

exactly Ankou...If people really want to help a charity a monthly donation so that the charity can reclaim the tax would be better though it does lack 'glamour'

[flip_flop]

Concur 100% with jackthehat.

Another reason why I can't watch it is because of the hysteria of the audience in the studio - it is so completely over the top that I'd like to Anthrax the whole Fluffing lot of them.