Any TOGs out there? I imagine a few readers were members of Terry Wogan’s vast army of listeners in the days when he hosted the Radio 2 breakfast show, creating a kind of club for “Terry’s Old Geezers and Gals”.
Until that final emotional farewell in 2009, Sir Terry had laughed and cried along with his loyal audience, sharing terrible jokes, eating their birthday cake, singing to their babies and talking to their cats.
They’d never have him now. The BBC is gradually elbowing out its more popular presenters and I’ve no doubt Wogan’s particular appeal would not fit in with current ideas.
Take Wogan’s Winners for a start. Terry gave a racing tip every morning. For amusement. They were usually hopeless nags although the occasional success would be lauded the next day on the programme.
But if you take notice of the new puritans, Wogan’s racing tips were the very devil’s work. Of course Terry never intended his selections to cause listeners to become gambling addicts. It was simply a bit of fun.
The theme has continued to this day on Radio 4’s Today programme. The sports correspondent rounds off his bulletin with a couple of tips. However there is a powerful coalition of politicians, journalists, health professionals, rent a quote broadcasters, academics and clerics, calling for a ban.
They seek to persuade the Government to introduce draconian anti-betting measures. Reverend Christopher Landau is one of them. He argues Radio 4 is trivialising gambling and the tipping has “no justifiable place within public service broadcasting”.
Clearly Rev. Landau would see Wogan as the instigator of the nation’s moral collapse. Yet not a peep is raised about stock market reports or items about the wine and beer trade.
I like a small bet and enjoy a day at the races without coming home impecunious. In fact the people I meet there are generally careful backers whose pleasure is gained in picking winners and beating the system rather than making loads of money. It’s a hobby and we get fun out of discussing our ups and downs.
Any addiction is serious, but the debate over gambling is being twisted and distorted, usually by people who have no real knowledge.
Sir Terry left us in January 2016. A sad day for TOGs everywhere. Now they want to erase one last legacy of his breakfast show which meant a happy start to the day for millions who felt they were part of something that represented harmless fun.
I hope to continue having my two pounds on the Tote when I’m racing at Carlisle. But they’ll try to ban that next.
Excuses, excuses
At a pinch the boss might swallow the tale about the cat stealing the car keys, but a 24-hour bout of Ebola took some believing.
Last Monday was National Sickie Day, the first Monday in February which is traditionally the day when there are the most absences from work.
It was first coined in 2011 by a law firm who reckoned it was costing the British economy £45 million in lost work days. Never was the British worker more imaginative than in coming up with excuses for failing to turn in.
It probably doesn’t count now that thousands work from home and the other half of the workforce that’s not on strike claims it has flu or COVID and works a four-day week in any case. Which means they get Friday off as well.
The more serious element is the number of workers who say they are missing due to mental health problems. If it’s genuine then these people need help, but since when did that Monday morning feeling, after a weekend’s drinking, become comparable to mental health issues?
National Sickie Day is no joke. It tells you a lot about why the country is one of the least productive in Europe.
Rise of the machines
Next week’s column will come courtesy of Archie. I’m taking a week off, throwing a sickie.
Well not really. You see Archie is a robot. For the time being you are stuck with me. But it may soon be time to get rid of the human element and have a column concocted by AI.
Years ago, if you mentioned AI to farmers, artificial insemination would spring to mind. Now, in this computer age, it’s all about artificial intelligence.
There are already robots that can put together an academic paper for students. And according to the religious programme on Radio 4 there’s one that does passable sermons for lazy vicars. Next step is a seat on the Synod and the first AI bishop.
I find it all a bit spooky. They say the biggest threat to the human race is not climate change, Chinese weather balloons or Vladimir Putin, it’s Archie and his pals. I made the name up. It could just as easily be Fred or Charlie, Sue or Joan, or self-identify as “wx”.
Yes folks, the robots are coming to town. Scientists reckon they are already close to giving them the capacity to think for themselves and make decisions without our input.
Be scared, be very scared.
