With all the fuss over Ross and Brand’s prank phone messages recently, I felt compelled to share my feelings on the former. This latest escapade is just the latest example of his immaturity, which while occasionally funny has done a lot of damage over the years.
I’ve disliked Ross ever since the racist Japanorama. Back in the 50s and 60s, people used to laugh at the funny little chinamen and their strange ways. I guess because Ross claims to be a Japanophile and was promoting the funny little Japanese people’s ways as a positive thing it was okay, but the reality is he painted a highly distorted view of them which demonstrated a lack of any real understanding of the culture. Without that understanding, I’m afraid it was nothing more than childish curiosity about the funny little Japanese.
Brand at least seems to show some maturity and thought occasionally, but Ross has never managed to do even that. Well, I suppose there is Film, where he does seem to show some intelligence in the reviews, but I can’t help but wonder how much of it is written for him because that’s the only time he ever even hints at some kind of intellect beyond stringing puerile insults together.