Have you heard the one about the gagged comedians?

BACK in 2002, Russell Brand took to the stage during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and launched into a jaw-dropping tirade about the murder of 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.

To prevent him from being lynched by irate audience members, the then largely unknown comedian was bundled off stage, kicking and screaming as he went, by bouncers.

Then, as now, Brand was later forced to apologise for vaulting across the invisible line which divides cutting-edge humour from the downright offensive and indefensible.

The difference now is that Brand's latest lapse, aided and abetted by Jonathan Ross, was played out in front of an entire nation rather than in front of dozens of late-night comedy fans in an Edinburgh hall.

The episode, which has barged the looming recession and the American election from the front pages, has polarised the nation. It appears the skirmish will be the first in a protracted battle over the future of broadcasting and free speech in the UK.

But even the most zealous defenders of the two embattled presenters and the latter-day Mary Whitehouses, who have called for the ungallant pair to be tarred and feathered, can agree on one thing; that this is no longer a laughing matter.

The conservative press is crowing over the 37,000 complaints which saw Brand lose his show, Ross suspended without pay for three months, and the controller of Radio 2, Lesley Douglas, forced to fall on her sword.

They have successfully enlisted the Prime Minister in their campaign to have "filth" taken from our airwaves and replaced by more family-friendly fare.

The team behind BBC2's Mock The Week, the satirical show, are in the sights of the resurgent moral crusaders. Edgy Glaswegian comedian Frankie Boyle has been labelled "disgracefully foul" over an impersonation of the Queen he did in a recent show.

Another stand-up looking over his shoulder is Jimmy Carr, who described the incident as a "storm in a teacup", adding: "Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand are national institutions and I genuinely think it is an awful thing that Jonathan is not on television this week."

The BBC was forced to apologise in 2006 after Carr made a tasteless remark about gypsies on a Radio 4 show.

Radio 1 "shock jock" Chris Moyles was carpeted in the same year for referring to female listeners as "dirty whores" and using the word "gay" as a synonym for rubbish.

Comedy veteran Billy Connolly faced complaints in 2004 when he made an insensitive comment about Ken Bigley, who had been captured by militants in Iraq – and was subsequently murdered.

But many comedians are fighting back and are refusing to be cowed by the furore over so-called "Manuelgate".

Dara O'Briain, the presenter of BBC2's Mock The Week,

said: "We are now entering day seven of man-has-his-feelings-hurt-gate. I stand by 100% any of the things we've ever said. There's no way we can ever do a show while thinking 'Will David Davies MP approve of this?' Not all shows are intended for all people."

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay who has himself been criticised for his on-air swearing his also come to the defence of Ross and Brand.

He said: "Everyone's blown it out of proportion for goodness sake. They haven't done anything seriously bad. They've overstepped the mark, but they apologised, so let's get back to doing what they're good at doing."

The controversy was sparked when Brand and Ross left lewd messages on the answer machine of actor Andrew Sachs.

The broadcast itself sparked just two complaints, but when a London newspaper picked up the story it resulted in tens of thousands.

The battle lines are clear, with a Facebook site titled "Support Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross" attracting more than 30,000 members, 7,000 fewer than those who sent official messages of complaint to the BBC.

The episode is another blow for the BBC, which has been attacked in the past over its coverage of the Blair government's "sexed up" dossier on Iraq and the revelation of fake competitions.

There is a growing fear that the corporation will respond by "blanding down" and refusing to take risks with innovative programmes and broadcasters.

Lise Mayer, the co-writer of 1980s sitcom The Young Ones, said: "The result of this lamentable affair could well be to gag a generation of comic talent and stifle spontaneity and cutting-edge humour."

Yet there has been a groundswell of anger over the idea that two highly paid stars could humiliate a 78-year-old man on air with apparent impunity. Scotland's Culture Minister Linda Fabiani said: "This was very childish behaviour from two grown men who should really have known better."

Tory MP for Monmouth, David Davies said: "Ordinary decent people who are struggling to pay their mortgages must wonder why overpaid buffoons are being rewarded for making foul comments about an elderly man who has behaved with the utmost decorum."

It was reported last night that the Tories would cut the BBC licence fee in response to the lapses in judgment while an opinion poll found 75% of viewers would cut the licence fee altogether.

Ultimately, Brand could have the biggest laugh. Karen Coren, the director of Edinburgh's Gilded Balloon venue who helped give Brand his Fringe break, felt his career would be strengthened by the controversy. She said: "We would have Russell back like a shot. He could sell out any venue in Edinburgh for as long as he wanted.

"Russell is a really nice guy but he is young and can occasionally say foolish things when you put a microphone in front of him. But there are much worse things happening in the world than them fooling around."


Who's next for the Ross treatment?

Name: Frankie Boyle

Big break: BBC Scotland's The Live Floor Show, 2002

Controversial line: Nobody thought Mel Gibson could play a Scot but look at him now! Alcoholic and a racist!

Name: Jimmy Carr

Big break: Royal Variety Performance, 2002, and was chosen by Channel 4 to host game shows

Controversial line: No matter how much you give a homeless person for tea, you never get that tea.

Name: Billy Connolly

Big break: Parkinson show, 1975

Controversial line: I can't stand McDonalds staff who pretend they don't understand you unless you insert the "Mc" before the item you are ordering. It has to be a McChicken Burger, just a Chicken Burger gets blank looks. Well I'll have a McStraw and jam it in your McEyes you McTosser.

Name: Sacha Baron Cohen

Big break: The 11 O'Clock Show, 1998, as Ali G

Controversial line: (As Borat) "This my sister, she number two prostitute in all Khazakstan."

Keeping it clean

Name: Tim Vine

Big break: Winner of the Perrier Newcomer Award, Edinburgh Festival, 1995

Safe line: Velcro – what a rip-off!

Name: Les Dennis

Big break: Russ Abbot Show, 1980s

Safe line: (impersonation of Mavis Riley from Coronation Street): "Well I don't really know Rita"

Name: Ronnie Corbett

Big break: The Frost Report, 1966, when he first performed with Ronnie Barker

Safe line: If a man says something in the forest where no woman can hear him, is he still wrong?

Name: Jasper Carrott

Big break: Touring clubs in Solihull, spotted 1978

Safe line: I'm well famous in Birmingham