10/12/2012 James O'Brien Show - Decriminalising Drugs, Gay Children, Australian Prankers

Click here to download the podcast (subscription required)

Hour 1

If you're anti the legalisation of drugs you are effectively a cheerleader for the criminals. Do you agree? Call @mrjamesob 0845 6060 973
— LBC 97.3 (@lbc973) December 10, 2012

• Conservative eyecandy MP, Zack Goldsmith tweeted a link of a film on drugs narrated by previous guest, Morgan Freeman.

Hour 2

• Following David Davies' claim that most parents don't want their children to be gay, James explores the Conservatives' (and their mousy wives) fascination with homosexuality.
• James agrees and then invites callers opinions and experiences.

David Davies says most parents wouldn't want their children to be gay. Do you agree with him? Call @mrjamesob on 0845 6060973
— LBC 97.3 (@lbc973) December 10, 2012

Hour 3

• James provides a rational point of view to the lynch mob that has descended on the Australian DJs that pranked the hospital where the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated in a story that culminated in the death of the nurse who answered the call in an apparent suicide.
• Predictably, people short on rationality and high on rhetoric call in to disagree and promptly have their arguments dismantled.

Cultural References

The film about drugs narrated by Morgan Freeman



The phone call by Australian DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian of 2Day FM the whole world is talking about.

04/12/2012 James O'Brien Show - Royal Baby, Debt, Cheating Partners

Click here to download the podcast (subscription required)

Hour 1

What's your reaction to the news that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting their first child? @mrjamesob
— LBC 97.3 (@lbc973) December 4, 2012

• James takes calls from Royalists who are ecstatic at the news 

Hour 2

• Following the tragic story of a debt-ridden young man who killed himself, James wonders how people can have the same amount of debt and one of them just get on with life and not worry and the other be crippled by worry.

Hour 3

• After discussing this bust up, James wonders whether it's possible to confront a cheating partner and retain your dignity.
• We learn that James used to be a player

Notes

• a caller tried to crowbar a plug for his book, Money, money, money, during the second hour of the show.
• James serenades us with this classic

28/11/2012 James O'Brien Show - Porn education, Countryside Development, Online Dating

Picute credit: Jeff Schwartz

Click here to download the podcast (subscription required)

Hour 1

• After this emotive story, James takes calls from parents about whether children should be taught about pornography at school.

Hour 2

• Following Planning Minister, Nick Boles' suggestion that we should build on 1 500 square miles of the English countryside, James wonders why building more houses in the where there's a housing shortage is a bad idea.

Hour 3

• James explores the booming industry that is online dating

27/11/2012 James O'Brien Show - Property Ownership, Phones for Children, Floods

Click here to download the podcast (subscription required)

Hour 1

• The bank of mom and dad is responsible for 72% of first time property buyers in London.
• James wants to know how we came to have the relationship between property ownership and success.

Hour 2

Why do children need mobile phones? Call @mrjamesob on 0845 60 60 973 @lbc973
— LBC 97.3 (@lbc973) November 27, 2012

• James takes calls from paranoid parents who think a phone will insulate their kids from the evils of the world and some to whom the phones have helped their kids find their way home or with medical conditions.

Hour 3

• Following the floods that have swept across the North West, James wants to speak to people who have ever been flooded.
• All he wants to know is, WHAT WAS IT LIKE?

23/11/2012 James O'Brien Show - Stalking, Dubai, Prisoner Votes

Photo Credit: Creative Commons, Fotopedia

Click here to download the podcast (subscription required)

Hour 1

What's the difference between being a lovesick fool and a stalker? @mrjamesob wants to know-call him on 0845 6060 973
— LBC 97.3 (@lbc973) November 23, 2012

• We learn that James was something of a stalker as a teenager 
• James takes calls from stalkers and stalkees
• James was once on the receiving end of stalking by a Manc woman that culminated in what he can only describe as "simulated orgasm" (maybe she was a saucy phone operator), but he doesn't consider the  existence of this to be stalking.

Hour 2

• After a British woman and an Irishman were jailed in Dubai for what the prosecution and the only witness, a taxi driver, call sex in a taxi (James calls it getting jiggy), even though DNA evidence confirms that no penetration actually took place, James wants to know: what's the bloody fascination with Dubai? 
• A woman who lived there for 25 years called in to say people have too much freedom here

Hour 3

• After David Cameron's claim that the thought of prisoners voting makes him "physically sick", James wonders who this emotive line was aimed to impress.

Cultural references

• The Flintstones - The classic American cartoon series was the source of a very rubbish joke that was texted to James and he read it out at the end of the second hour
• Guns N' Roses - Linsey, the drummer of Guns 2 Roses, The Official Guns N' Roses called in to tell us that his band is performing in Dubai soon and he's keen to check it out.

20/11/2012 James O'Brien Show - MPs expenses, Private Schooling, Prisoner Mentorship

Click here to download the podcast (subscription required)

Hour 1

Can you make a case for MPs keeping details of their expenses a secret? Call @mrjamesob on: 0845 60 60 973 @lbc973
— LBC 97.3 (@lbc973) November 20, 2012

• 51 of our 320 MPs have not disclosed their landlords' details on security grounds 
• James wonders whether the absence of fury is a sign that we're suffering from "fatcat fatigue"
• This is not "moats cleaning" revisited but it should still give us pause

Hour 2

• After the Sutton Trust's report that a disproportionate amount of birthdays recorded by national newspapers are of people who are privately. Furthermore, 80% of them run the country. Why?
• Cue a succession of posh accents.

Hour 3

• Chris Grayling is will set out plans to introduce a mentor programme for newly released prisoners.
• James expresses his frustration with the usual refrain that "prisons are holiday camps" and tells of his visit to a prison last week
• James takes calls from former prisoners in an effort to find out how they transitioned back to outside life after their release.

Cultural references

• Following reports that Tory MP Peter Luff rents a flat from Chelsea footballer and regular caller to the James O'Brien Show, Frank Lampard, let's remind ourselves of Mr Lampard's call to the show a few years ago.

When news of this call spread like wildfire, James was invited on Sky News.  Kay Burley then set about trying to extort an apology from James on behalf of his friend, Frank Lampard.  I don't want to be unkind, but she was ill-equipped for the task.

• Jacqueline Wilson's Hetty Feather - the book James referred to in the third hour while discussing prisons.

Friends of The James O'Brien Show dance for Children in Need

Skip to 02:12 to avoid the "Nice to see you, to see you, to see you ......." prelude

Friends of the James O'Brien Show, astrologer Russell Grant and retired MP, Ann Widdecombe took to the stage last night to dance for Children In Need.  Well, I think it would be more accurate to say that the latter was dragged around the stage.

I miss the rule of Widdecombe on the show.

Mystery Hour Podcast 15/11/2012

Here's today Mystery Hour Podcast.

• Click here to listen to previous podcasts.
• Click here to read the archive

14/11/2012 James O'Brien Show - Trains, Cold Callers, Depression

Click here to download the podcast (subscription required)

Hour 1

The Department of Transport has suggested a third class of rail travel could be introduced. What's your reaction? @mrjamesob 0845 60 60 973
— LBC 97.3 (@lbc973) November 14, 2012

• What is wrong with 3rd class travel?

Hour 2

Have you ever bought something off a cold caller? Should we be rude to them? Call @mrjamesob0845 60 60 973
— LBC 97.3 (@lbc973) November 14, 2012

• Why be rude to them if you don't want to buy what they're selling

Hour 3

• In light of Margaret Moran's depression that has seen her avoid prison, James gets stuck into the subject of depression.

Caller of the day

• Hour 2 - Steve, a Brummie with 12 years of experience in cold calling rang in to defend his trade.  James asked him to re-enact a typical cold call.  What ensued was comedy gold.  I hope they audioboo the call. 

Here's the role play.

listen to ‘Why Do We Hate Cold Callers: Hilarious Role Play’ on Audioboo

Cultural References

• A Very British Coup - In hour 1 while discussing train travel, James referenced and recommended this classic drama.
• Citizen Smith - In hour 1 James referenced this classic BBC One sitcom.  You can pick up Series 1 and 2 here; Series 3 and 4 here
• Jon Ronson's The Psychopath Test - James has read this excellent book and it comes up everytime matters psychology come up.

13/11/2012 James O'Brien Show: Abu Qatada, payday loans, child smacking

Click here to download the podcast (subscription required)

Hour 1

Is Abu Qatada staying in Britain a necessary evil? Why does his appeal success make you angry? Call @mrjamesob 0845 60 60 973 Text 84850
— LBC 97.3 (@lbc973) November 13, 2012

Predictably, the usual suspects crawled out of the woodwork and loudly called for Abu Qatada to be deported to Jordan, where he may be tortured and James was happy to debate them, and won.

Hour 2

• James continued to take calls on Abu Qatada
• Payday loans - "it's a tax on poor people"

Hour 3

• More payday loans calls
• After The Sun reported that a Plymouth University research has found that smacking kids could damage their health in later life, James and the callers explore the subject.

12/11/2012 James O'Brien Show: Poppies, Tax avoiding corporations, Mad as hell, Troops in foreign wars

Click here to download the podcast (subscription required)

Hour 1

• Poppy burning arrest

Should a man have been arrested for posting a picture of a burning poppy on the internet? Call @mrjamesob 0845 60 60 973 Text 84850
— LBC 97.3 (@lbc973) November 12, 2012

Hour 2

• Tax avoiding corporations

Hour 3

• The criteria by which we decide to send the British troops to theatres of war.  
• We wear poppies to honour the fallen soldiers but do we know why they went to war in the first place?

When should British troops be sent to different countries? Call @mrjamesob 0845 60 60 973 Text 84850
— LBC 97.3 (@lbc973) November 12, 2012

Caller of the day

Hour 2:  Justin, an unemployed Marketing graduate, from Forest Hill called in to dissect the cynically crafted "friendship" we have with brands and the blind loyalty with which we, the masses, embrace it.  Another listener sent a text to James offering him a job.

Clip of the day

The clip James always refers to when all else fails:




Call to action

• James spoke to Jo Campion from NDCS about this petition to halt proposed cuts into services to deaf children.   
• James said "It's not a polite request, IT'S A BLINKIN' ORDER.  You should sign this petition." ow.ly/fddnx 

Cultural references

• Standing in another man's grave by Ian Rankin - the book James is currently reading.  Ian Rankin is a Scottish crime novelist.  Check more of  Ian's work here.
• Nineteen Eighty-For by George Orwell - this classic is always referenced whenever matters liberty and freedom of expression are on the table.  Today was no exception.