Okay, hands up, who has had enough of Russell Brand, Ofcom and the BBC?

I must now ask the forebearance of my American readers (and I know you’re out there) while I indulge in some strictly British complaining. But here’s the story.

Russell Brand is a highly paid paid performer who, last winter, along with Jonathan Ross, another highly paid performer who can’t even speak English clearly, made obscene phone calls on live radio.

Now Ofcom, the Orwellianly-named independent regulator of broadcasting in the UK has fined the BBC £150,000 for permitting the calls to be broadcast and the question has quite reasonably been raised, why should the British public pay this fine? The amount would be pocket change to the pair of foul-mouths who made the calls. Non-British readers may be astonished to learn that Brits pay an annual licence fee to the BBC for the privilege of keeping a television receiver in the house. If you’re over 75 the fee is waived and if you’re blind you get a 50 percent discount but if you’re merely too feeble-minded to get rid of your TV it costs around £140 a year.

I haven’t owned a television for many years but I do remember how difficult it is to convince the licence inspectors that you are neither a fraudster nor an evader but simply a person who lives without television. As well try to convince them that you make fire by rubbing together two twigs. But it can be done and hence my question. When are BBC licence fee payers going to haul themselves off the couch, waddle across to the OFF button and say ‘enough’? 

You can do it. Yes you can. Just take a look at the sneering faces of Brand and Ross. That’s what they think of you and your licence money. On your feet now.