Jonathan Ross appears to be a typical example of his kind - an arrogant bully who perceives no sense of public duty despite being paid vast fortunes from the public purse. And the BBC is stonewalling in the hope the affair will blow over.
In these circumstances, the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee should summon Mr Ross, Mr Brand, the BBC Director General and all the other senior management involved. It's time they were all brought down a peg or two and shown that as recipients of the public's money, they must explain themselves to the public.
Preening and conceited Mr Ross might well be in his BBC comfort zone, but if he were to be summoned by the House of Commons to give evidence, I bet he'd crumble before our eyes.
UPDATE: Too little, much too late. Yesterday, Tim Davie was insisting that both Brand and Ross would be on air this week. Now at least the Director General has suspended them both. But it's clear that no one involved realised that this was as bad as it was, and that they are now scrambling to keep up with public opinion. They still don't get it. If it wasn't for today's papers, nothing would have happened.
The real offence is the BBC's for deciding that the programme was fit for broadcast. This is the BBC's offence, and it is those responsible in the BBC's management who need to be disciplined.
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