Comic Relief 2013

[Roy1983]

If I genuinely believed my money went to a good cause, ALL OF IT, I'd donate. Simple as that.

 

[philspursuk]

Liked the Peter Kay sketch :lol:

 

[Gordinho]

If I genuinely believed my money went to a good cause, ALL OF IT, I'd donate. Simple as that.

Watched the first one, it was brick. Never watched again

Africa is like MRSA. Until there really was a political will it was unsolvable, then it all but disappeared overnight. Until Africa achieves the same status where there is no option but to sort it out it will remain a hand wringing exercise.

Myself and Roy are poles apart but I share his scepticism regarding there being any point in donating.

 

[7percent]

I really don't understand some of it. So you give vaccines to babies and HIV treatment to HIV positive people, and in the very same clip they tell you that these people are starving.

Why prolong their agony? why keep them alive if they'll eventually starve to death anyway?

Why not give them sex education and contraception?

 

[Roy1983]

It's the kids that upset me tbh as they're born into poverty not through choice. The parents know its not a good idea to have them yet still do.

 

[Gordinho]

It's the kids that upset me tbh as they're born into poverty not through choice. The parents know its not a good idea to have them yet still do.

Comic Relief stated on TV tonight they'd raised £600m over 25 years. Admirable but ultimately a failure. When you exist for twenty five years and claim to have done enormous good but still have an enormous way to go and some kid is drinking fetid water on a daily basis then isn't it time to accept it needs serious action rather than a depart being sponsored to sit in custard and a load of overweight vaguely female building society clerks dressed in schoolgirl outfits shaking tins to solve the problem?

Not that Saint Bono has achieved any more despite him being reviled as a prick for quarter of a century.

In short, it's solvable but no-one's really interested, it's all lip service, a salve.

What a fudging bleak world we live in at times.

 

[Roy1983]

A chance for z list celebs to get a bit of exposure too. Some top names on but ultimately it's all PR IMO.

 

[Danishfurniturelover]

Comic Relief stated on TV tonight they'd raised £600m over 25 years. Admirable but ultimately a failure. When you exist for twenty five years and claim to have done enormous good but still have an enormous way to go and some kid is drinking fetid water on a daily basis then isn't it time to accept it needs serious action rather than a depart being sponsored to sit in custard and a load of overweight vaguely female building society clerks dressed in schoolgirl outfits shaking tins to solve the problem?

Not that Saint Bono has achieved any more despite him being reviled as a prick for quarter of a century.

In short, it's solvable but no-one's really interested, it's all lip service, a salve.

What a fudging bleak world we live in at times.

Mate tis why i love yer, so spot on with your social commentary. I actually think it is the people that support comic relief that bother me rather then the z list celebs trying to be funny and doing something for charity. I think the people that watch are the sort that watch early saturday evening variety shows they are the sort of people i hate.

As for the charity side of things, well aint it all about the money, i did not watch it but you said they said they made £600m over 25 years, would have thought it better if they had put what success they had in terms of building schools and hospitals or in creating the conditions in africa where industry and therefore jobs could prosper.

I am not a prick i see someone and does not have to be a kid but i see someone in pain and suffering and i feel for them and i wish it could be different. But i think your right the political will is just not there.

Maybe im an imperlist because i believe the best way out of poverty is trade, i always thought a different region in the world should take it upon themselves to take charge of a different part of Africa. So Europe was responsible for west Africa. America for central Africa and so on, then we all meet up in 15 years and see who has done the best with their region. The whole tinkling contest over who is the most eco friendly is a load of bull and has turned into conutries trying to out do each other. Why not put that to good use and benefit the poorest on our planet.

 

[r-u-s-x]

Comic Relief stated on TV tonight they'd raised £600m over 25 years. Admirable but ultimately a failure. When you exist for twenty five years and claim to have done enormous good but still have an enormous way to go and some kid is drinking fetid water on a daily basis then isn't it time to accept it needs serious action rather than a depart being sponsored to sit in custard and a load of overweight vaguely female building society clerks dressed in schoolgirl outfits shaking tins to solve the problem?

Not that Saint Bono has achieved any more despite him being reviled as a prick for quarter of a century.

In short, it's solvable but no-one's really interested, it's all lip service, a salve.

What a fudging bleak world we live in at times.

600 my over 25 years isn't that much and Africa is a big place. I bet if you look at individual town's and villages they were changed beyond recognition. Fix one move on to the next. They focus on the bad to ensure money keeps coming in.

 

[Danners9]

Africa is like MRSA. Until there really was a political will it was unsolvable, then it all but disappeared overnight. Until Africa achieves the same status where there is no option but to sort it out it will remain a hand wringing exercise.

Comic Relief stated on TV tonight they'd raised £600m over 25 years. Admirable but ultimately a failure. When you exist for twenty five years and claim to have done enormous good but still have an enormous way to go and some kid is drinking fetid water on a daily basis then isn't it time to accept it needs serious action rather than a depart being sponsored to sit in custard and a load of overweight vaguely female building society clerks dressed in schoolgirl outfits shaking tins to solve the problem?

..

In short, it's solvable but no-one's really interested, it's all lip service, a salve.

What a fudging bleak world we live in at times.

Sadly, this is my view of it as well. It is an unwinnable war at the moment because the good work that undoubtedly does go on is being let down by a reluctance and flat out refusal by those in charge of the countries to help. Many of these nations are so corrupt that they look after those in charge and don't care about the masses, anticipating some kind of coup or civil war is around the corner and lining their nest before having to flee. The people will die or be killed in the scuffle and schools or hospitals destroyed.

Projects get built, awareness raised every year, vast sums of money goes overseas, some celebrities raise their profile doing good work, the public is guilted into donating. Nothing changes in reality, there is too much to do. That is the great shame.

 

[Gordinho]

600 my over 25 years isn't that much and Africa is a big place. I bet if you look at individual town's and villages they were changed beyond recognition. Fix one move on to the next. They focus on the bad to ensure money keeps coming in.

I agree with all that, it's just not enough, from a financial viewpoint and from a global viewpoint, the problem is solvable and while I support various charities I don't necessarily agree that it's a charity's job to do what governments of the world should be doing.

Sadly when we talk about giving aid to countries it's not food, hospitals, educational resources, wells and all the things they really need, it's arms. I genuinely don't know the answer without going down the same route as Chich suggested which in effect would be re-establishing colonies or the empire, all the things we've been told we should be ashamed of.

It brings to mind the Monty Python "what have the Romans done for us sketch".

About ten years ago we were advised that if we unplug our chargers when not charging our phones then we'd reduce global warming, then another academic came out as said that while unplugging your charger isn't an entire waste of time it's going to take a lot more concerted action than that to cure the problem. Comic Relief is the phone charger in this instance, worthy but not enough.

 

[spitshine]

Just imagine a fair proportion of the money raised went to paying teachers, publicity campaigns in those impoverished areas of Africa about birth control. I think the situation would certainly improve. Education is key isn't it? Explaining that bringing kids into the world is a responsibility and having the means to support them.

 

[Gordinho]

It's catch22 but I think the reason they have so many children is because of high death rates. It's a percentage game. I was told that many years ago when I was a nipper.

 

[Roy1983]

Just imagine a fair proportion of the money raised went to paying teachers, publicity campaigns in those impoverished areas of Africa about birth control. I think the situation would certainly improve. Education is key isn't it? Explaining that bringing kids into the world is a responsibility and having the means to support them.

They realise this already mate it's not like its a new problem.

 

[Essex Yid]

[video=youtube;30rPxAVBD4M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30rPxAVBD4M[/video]

 

[BushHillSpurs]

With foreign aid reaching £12,000,000,000 soon - there is no way I am donating any money to comic relief. The only charity I consistantly donate to is Help For Heroes.