Someone somewhere please spare a thought for poor old Jonathan Ross, the TV chat show host, who happened to be chums with disgraced celebrities Russell Brand and David Walliams. In what might be described as his own version of a victim statement, the presenter said he was “genuinely unaware” of the conduct of Walliams and Brand. What’s more, he is “horrified” by the allegations of sexual misconduct against Walliams and the crimes of Brand. Walliams denies the allegations and has not been charged with any offences; Brand was sentenced to ten years in prison this week after he was convicted of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
Ross now describes this joke as “tasteless” but, just as importantly, he wants to make clear that he didn’t actually write it himself
Ross wants the world to know that while he had once been “on friendly terms with both men”, he was “genuinely unaware of their conduct” at the time. The chat show host made his statement after television footage resurfaced of him making a joke about Walliams at the British Comedy Awards in 2004, as part of the ITV investigation into Walliams’s behaviour. Ross tells the adoring audience of fellow celebs:
“The Comedy Awards is 15 years old – 15 years old! And like most 15-year-olds, it’s drunk, it’s unpredictable, and it’s going home with David Walliams.”
Ross now describes this joke as “tasteless” but, just as importantly, he wants to make clear that he didn’t actually write it himself:
“This joke was submitted to me by Comedy Awards scriptwriting team and I believed that the punchline was a reference to the fact he had publicly dated younger women, exaggerated for comic effect.”
Ross goes on to say:
“Had I any reason to suspect that it might be referring to actual events, I would not only have refused to use it, but I would not have felt comfortable continuing a personal and professional relationship with him. I also like to think that I would have acted upon that knowledge.”
That’s quite the clarification. Even if he didn’t write the “joke”, he still appeared comfortable enough telling it. It is hard to think of a statement that both manages to cover all bases, basically denying any knowledge or responsibility, while at the same time raising even more questions.
Ross’s defence, at its simplest and most basic, amounts to this: Yes, I was friendly with these people for quite a while but I didn’t know anything about what they were actually like, saw nothing, heard nothing, and asked nothing.
Really? Ross certainly wins top prize for being perhaps the most naive person on the planet.
After all, any casual observer of this TV world of air kisses and hugs might be forgiven for thinking that all involved were a tight little band of mates.
Ross was spotted regularly alongside Walliams and Brand at the height of their fame, doing the rounds at VIP events and celeb parties.
Ross’s relationship with Brand goes back years. They have appeared at numerous high-profile events together. The disgraced comedian appeared on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross in 2006, and both featured on Channel 4’s Big Fat Quiz of the Year.
In 2008, the pair became embroiled in a scandal after leaving lewd voicemail messages for the actor Andrew Sachs about Brand’s relationship with his granddaughter. Throughout the 2010s, Walliams was a regular guest at Ross’s Halloween parties hosted at his London home. Walliams also made an appearance in the December 2016 Jonathan Ross Christmas Special. Ross’s day job, not to labour the point, is to ask questions. Perhaps he should have asked more questions of his pals.
Ross’s statement indicates that he was blatantly misled about the true character of his celeb mates. How was he to know any different?
We can only take on face value Ross’s protestations. It will do nothing to quell the wider suspicion that the entertainment industry is rotten to the core, one that allows its stars to escape scrutiny, a business in which many of those in positions of power do everything they can to turn a blind eye to what is staring them in the face.
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