[in4308]

According to the Red Nose Day Twitter they are now all at the bottom and have a 2 hour drive still.....

[DannyBoy]

So the documentary airs next Thursday at 20:00 GMT on BBC 1

Kilimanjaro: The Big Red Nose Climb - 12 Mar 2009, 20:00 on BBC One
Nine celebrities put their reputations and fitness on the line to raise money for Comic Relief.

An extraordinary gathering of talent from both the music industry and the world of entertainment - Gary Barlow, Ronan Keating, Chris Moyles, Ben Shephard, Cheryl Cole, Kimberley Walsh, Fearne Cotton, Alesha Dixon and Denise Van Outen - attempt to scale Africa's highest mountain to raise as much money as possible to alleviate suffering both in the UK and in Africa.

Every step and stumble of their climb is documented, in what is guaranteed to be tough, entertaining and a chance to meet the people behind the reputations.

[Blinko Glick]

I can't not hardly wait none neither.

[C-Kay]

I can't not hardly wait none neither.

That is the best sentence i have ever read

[foot-loose]

[Blinko Glick]

Ta you.
My England is otherwise sometimes quite good.
But climbing mountains are putting me to shame in my little world much.
Is me foreign? Alas nay.
I are but stupid.

[Travis Bickle]

I am loathe to make this post and I really don't want to seem like a misery guts, but the coverage on Radio 1 has got on my wick.

I don't doubt for a second that it has been hard climbing Kili but as every single expert has said, it is nothing that anybody who is of even moderate fitness shouldn't be able to complete.

It is all for a good cause, and I applaud that, but it isn't a major achievement and I am also pissed off that at least four of them(if not all) are millionaires and I am being constantly pressured to give money to support them to do what any able bodied person who isn't about to collapse could do.

The entire thing has raised circa £1.3m at this point and lets not kid ourselves that the climbers couldn't have donated that between them in an instant and hardly missed it at all.

I am not a kill-joy (honestly!) but this whole "charidee" thing has little to do with altruism and more to do with self serving, congratulatory attention seeking than anything else.

A question: Take away the TV cameras but tell the climbers that they could raise the same amount as they have now without any publicity, would they do it?

My answer is "No".

[foot-loose]

I see most of yer point, Mr Bickle, but as has already been pointed out elsewhere in this thread, we dont know how much has been donated by the celebs privately. Plus, I'm not quite sure that's the point of the whole thing.

I'm not sure what publicity has been achieved by this - while the event has been covered in the media, it's not really been "in your face" as such. What HAS been publicised is that the fund raising night is coming next week and chances are this sorta thing will increase the number of people watching that show.

I agree that the coverage on the radio has been pretty relentless and it has gone on and on and on but its only a week - i'm sure we can cope.

Also, you seem to say that climbing Kili is pretty easy and yet hard at the same time - I don't get what you mean here. Does the difficulty level make a difference? Previously, they did the karaoke and the rally? Was that too easy as well?

[Travis Bickle]

I see most of yer point, Mr Bickle, but as has already been pointed out elsewhere in this thread, we dont know how much has been donated by the celebs privately. Plus, I'm not quite sure that's the point of the whole thing.

I'm not sure what publicity has been achieved by this - while the event has been covered in the media, it's not really been "in your face" as such. What HAS been publicised is that the fund raising night is coming next week and chances are this sorta thing will increase the number of people watching that show.

I agree that the coverage on the radio has been pretty relentless and it has gone on and on and on but its only a week - i'm sure we can cope.

Also, you seem to say that climbing Kili is pretty easy and yet hard at the same time - I don't get what you mean here. Does the difficulty level make a difference? Previously, they did the karaoke and the rally? Was that too easy as well?

I dont have a major issue with the whole thing, just the concerns I made in my original post.

Regarding the climb itself, I don't mean that it is both easy and hard, I just think that, whilst it is tough it isn't anything that anybody of any level of basic fitness wouldn't be able to complete (experts say the same).

You have a point that we don't know what the celebs have donated privately but I just feel uncomfortable about the whole idea of people who earn many times more than I do asking me for money-especially when they are not doing anything that any of us on here couldn't do.

Believe me I am not knocking any of them. I don't praise them, but I am not slating them either. I just think charity should be private and we all know the causes we believe in and I am sure that all of us on here donate to them.

PS: Maybe I have tuned in at the wrong times, but I frequently hear of peoples texts being read out on air saying that they have text in to donate. Surely genuine charity is altruistic? If you are are sincere you don't go blabbing it to everybody?

[jocky85]

I only have 1 comment to make, and I don't mean to offend, but you say that it's not right for the celebs to ask 'us' for money for doing something that any of us of a reaonable fitness could do - what do you expect them to do? Or do you mean they should just donate the money themselves without taking on a challenge. If you think of the entire comic relief night, every celeb on there is basically asking us to donate money for the sketches etc that fill the night?

[SAV1OUR]

The thing not to lose sight of is, that although money helps keep the world going round, it's not the only crucial thing. Celebrities use their face, their name etc to raise awareness, you see Comic Relief is all about telling the world we give a shit, and caring isn't just about the size of your wallet, it's about showing strength in numbers. We need to cut celebrities some slack because unlike billionaire businessmen, Media moguls and the like, they'll stick their neck out, then they become role models.

Through all of this,Tanzania's beautiful scenery comes to light, for once, the man on the street isn't just picking up a paper with drunken Ashley Cole splattered all over it, he's picking up a paper with drunken Ashley Cole all over it - but this time, with his missus doing something positive on the other side of the world.

Only a Daily Mail reader would rant on about money and whos got what and how 'fair' everything is. Remember the motto is something funny for money, lets keep it lighthearted.

Maybe one day, you, I or anybody will be in such a position where they can fly out there, and realise whats going on beyond our backyard. But until then, we'll have to put up with familiar faces on the telly telling us about it, trying to keep it there in the back of our minds whenever we pay a visit to the 'Whats annoying you today?' thread.

[Travis Bickle]

I only have 1 comment to make, and I don't mean to offend, but you say that it's not right for the celebs to ask 'us' for money for doing something that any of us of a reaonable fitness could do - what do you expect them to do? Or do you mean they should just donate the money themselves without taking on a challenge. If you think of the entire comic relief night, every celeb on there is basically asking us to donate money for the sketches etc that fill the night?

I am sure there are many people in the public eye who spend much of their time working for charity without publicity. The fact we don't know who they are says it all. The Comic Relief/Children In Need stuff really has little to do with charity and more to do with self regard and self publicity.

Do you need others to tell you what causes are worthy? Do you need others to tell/ask you what to do with your money? You are quite capable of working out which causes you feel you can afford to donate to and if you are genuine you will do it privately and wont seek praise for doing so.

This whole thing is about feeling good about yourself and veryl little to do with helping others.

[Travis Bickle]

The thing not to lose sight of is, that although money helps keep the world going round, it's not the only crucial thing. Celebrities use their face, their name etc to raise awareness, you see Comic Relief is all about telling the world we give a shit, and caring isn't just about the size of your wallet, it's about showing strength in numbers. We need to cut celebrities some slack because unlike billionaire businessmen, Media moguls and the like, they'll stick their neck out, then they become role models.

Through all of this,Tanzania's beautiful scenery comes to light, for once, the man on the street isn't just picking up a paper with drunken Ashley Cole splattered all over it, he's picking up a paper with drunken Ashley Cole all over it - but this time, with his missus doing something positive on the other side of the world.

Only a Daily Mail reader would rant on about money and whos got what and how 'fair' everything is. Remember the motto is something funny for money, lets keep it lighthearted.

Maybe one day, you, I or anybody will be in such a position where they can fly out there, and realise whats going on beyond our backyard. But until then, we'll have to put up with familiar faces on the telly telling us about it, trying to keep it there in the back of our minds whenever we pay a visit to the 'Whats annoying you today?' thread.

That is a post designed to get applause.

Listen, I may be wrong and if all of these celebs are founders of anonymous private charities and are ploughing their resources into them then I hold my hands up. If they were doing that I wouldn't know about it and neither would you, therefore they wouldn't get any praise and neither would they want it.

[foot-loose]

I dont have a major issue with the whole thing, just the concerns I made in my original post.

Regarding the climb itself, I don't mean that it is both easy and hard, I just think that, whilst it is tough it isn't anything that anybody of any level of basic fitness wouldn't be able to complete (experts say the same).

I understand that, but I still don't see what your point is - the same could be argued about completing a marathon - it's not something that anybody with basic fitness couldnt complete, but loads of folk get sponsored to do it? What difference does the difficulty level make?

You have a point that we don't know what the celebs have donated privately but I just feel uncomfortable about the whole idea of people who earn many times more than I do asking me for money-especially when they are not doing anything that any of us on here couldn't do.

Well, as jocky says, it's kinda tricky. I suppose they have these fundraising nights like this cos they obviously get quite a bit of money. I suppose if people agreed with what you then they wouldn't donate and the nights would be a failure.

Believe me I am not knocking any of them. I don't praise them, but I am not slating them either. I just think charity should be private and we all know the causes we believe in and I am sure that all of us on here donate to them.

Yes, most people probably have charities they support privately any way, but, for example, if someone came round your office shaking a tin collecting for something you don't normally support, surely you would stick something in it?

I am sure there are many people in the public eye who spend much of their time working for charity without publicity. The fact we don't know who they are says it all. The Comic Relief/Children In Need stuff really has little to do with charity and more to do with self regard and self publicity.

I know that Mr Wogan does a shed load of work for Children in Need behind the scenes and attends a lot of events throughout the year to promote the cause. He doesn't do that for the publicity.

Last year Children in Need raised about £20 million on the night and they normally stick it up to about £33 million by the end of the year. They did more or less the same the year before and no doubt they will do it again this year. I fail to see how raising over £30 million for charity can be a bad thing, nor do I see how the methods employed to raise the cash are wrong. If people were doing as you say and only donating cash to their own charities rather than these celebrity based ones, then nights like Children in Need wouldn't exist because they wouldn't be worth it.

[Travis Bickle]

I dont have a major issue with the whole thing, just the concerns I made in my original post.

Regarding the climb itself, I don't mean that it is both easy and hard, I just think that, whilst it is tough it isn't anything that anybody of any level of basic fitness wouldn't be able to complete (experts say the same).

I understand that, but I still don't see what your point is - the same could be argued about completing a marathon - it's not something that anybody with basic fitness couldnt complete, but loads of folk get sponsored to do it? What difference does the difficulty level make?

You have a point that we don't know what the celebs have donated privately but I just feel uncomfortable about the whole idea of people who earn many times more than I do asking me for money-especially when they are not doing anything that any of us on here couldn't do.

Well, as jocky says, it's kinda tricky. I suppose they have these fundraising nights like this cos they obviously get quite a bit of money. I suppose if people agreed with what you then they wouldn't donate and the nights would be a failure.

Believe me I am not knocking any of them. I don't praise them, but I am not slating them either. I just think charity should be private and we all know the causes we believe in and I am sure that all of us on here donate to them.

Yes, most people probably have charities they support privately any way, but, for example, if someone came round your office shaking a tin collecting for something you don't normally support, surely you would stick something in it?

I am sure there are many people in the public eye who spend much of their time working for charity without publicity. The fact we don't know who they are says it all. The Comic Relief/Children In Need stuff really has little to do with charity and more to do with self regard and self publicity.

I know that Mr Wogan does a shed load of work for Children in Need behind the scenes and attends a lot of events throughout the year to promote the cause. He doesn't do that for the publicity.

Last year Children in Need raised about £20 million on the night and they normally stick it up to about £33 million by the end of the year. They did more or less the same the year before and no doubt they will do it again this year. I fail to see how raising over £30 million for charity can be a bad thing, nor do I see how the methods employed to raise the cash are wrong. If people were doing as you say and only donating cash to their own charities rather than these celebrity based ones, then nights like Children in Need wouldn't exist because they wouldn't be worth it.

You make valid points. You are spot on that anything is better than nothing- who would say anything else?

Regarding celebs priavtae donations we will never know. It is just that the amounts raised by the entire nation on these nights could be met by the celebs in an instant.

The bucket in the office thing, well I have and will continue to decline. If the charity I am being asked to donate to is one that I am comfortable with I will donate privately. In reality though, I cant donate to them all and I have my own list of charities.

I just believe that if we are all genuinely charitable we don't need asking- we will give naturally because we want to. We don't need some CIN/CR to make us feel guilty. I give what I can and I am comfortable with that. I just don't see why everyone else doesn't feel the same.

[foot-loose]

The bucket in the office thing, well I have and will continue to decline. If the charity I am being asked to donate to is one that I am comfortable with I will donate privately. In reality though, I cant donate to them all and I have my own list of charities.

Tis fair enough. I think you summed it up quite well though with:

I just don't see why everyone else doesn't feel the same.

I suppose that everyone will see the situation differently. Neither of us are right or wrong.

[Andy B]

If I can add my two drunken cents worth here:

* off you tosser.

There was a whole other intekletle side to my argument but can't be added to type it. 'Twas all about economies of scale and division if resouces an ting.

Basically why doesn't bill gates give £30 each year and save us having to do it. He makes that in a second.

Must not drunk on Sundays.

[Sunny So Cal]

Calm down. Everyone is entitled to their opinions. I'd just like to interject and point out (once again) that celebs asking for/raising money is only a good thing and no one can sit there and point a finger saying that they (the celebs) didn't donate themselves PRIVATELY and without fanfare. This is a CONGRATULATORY thread - the culmination of months' worth of hard work by all those people - climbers, guide, staff, technicians alike. Therefore, to turn it into anything other than an absolute 'well done team' is petty and small-minded. Move on and be proud of Chris, the team and everyone else involved in this valiant feat. Jeez...

[MK Chris]

You're forgetting that some - at least Chris - weren't of moderate fitness to start off with and it's the effort, which was monumental in my opinion, to get himself to that level of fitness that is part of the entire effort. For Chris, the climb didn't start last weekend - it started well before that when he begun training.

[Yudster]

I'm a great believer in personal space for personal choice when it comes to charity, and I don't believe that anyone should be told that they should donate to anything. But the opportunity for people who DO want to donate needs to be publicised - and the best way to do that is with things like the climb.

The point that the people doing the climb could have shaken out their spare change and put in a million of so between them is an interesting one, but ultimately irrelevant to what has been going on. To have done so, privately and with no media coverage would have provided money, yes - but as well as the money raised there is awareness, education, publicity for the CAUSE to be considered. And thats before you start calculating the value of the enjoyment of the millions of people who have been following the climb, and the momentum that gives Comic Relief as a whole going into Friday.

Any money given directly by the people on the climb will have been donated, personally, privately and without publicity - therefore whatever they may have given is likely to be exclusive of the "Red Nose Climb" total. Any comment or speculation on such matters is completely pointless, and borders on the gratuitous.

The most frustrating thing I have read in this post is the comment "I just don't see why everyone else doesn't feel the same". The idiocy of this comment is so monumental that to rip up all the spurious assumptions that lie behind it would take all day. It pretty much removed any credibility which had been built up by the poster, who up until then had made some perfectly valid points.

[in4308]

Congratulations to Chris, Rachel, Andy P and the rest of the climbers. I'm sure its something you'll talk about for years to come.

Totals:

Radio 1 Total (11.45pm) - £,1,349,989
Complete Total (11.45pm) - £1,526,217

Hopefully the overall total can reach £2 million by the end of the week.

[Munki Bhoy]

Celebrities aside... I'm still supporting Rachel. She's not getting the coverage, she's not a celebrity that could pay the money out of her own pocket. She's just a BBC employee who's been up and down the mountain more than pretty much anyone else on this expedition - and most of the time she's been carrying satellite equipment around with her at the same time.

The fact I'm all in favour of what the celebs were doing is another matter. But if it's that easy I suggest you go and climb the mountain yourself. And I expect that with no media coverage you'll be able to raise at least £1.5 million in doing so. After all, it's for charity. You don't need the exposure and the celebrity status.

Oh wait, that's the point.

[Munki Bhoy]

In case no one has seen this yet - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7931453.stm

Chris is pretty much from 58 seconds in for the rest of the video.

[Sunny So Cal]

Bless him. He's all out of breath in that thin and icy air. Nice, Munki, thanks for posting.

[in4308]

Wow, Gary makes me laugh in that video. After his back injury im sure he probably regretted organising it until he got to the top.

Also a very random headline just came up when i was watching that video. 'Man wrestles kangaroo from home'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/7932842.stm