Top Gear's Clarkson suspended by BBC

[Questions]

I can still remember the night I was told by my wife that a smart jacket can be warn with a pair of Levi jeans. She actually let me go out like that and an hour into the evening told me that Jeremy Clarkson often dresses like that. You can imagine how long it took me to be able to trust her again. In fact it still hurts now.

 

[Icy Gull]

I can still remember the night I was told by my wife that a smart jacket can be warn with a pair of Levi jeans. She actually let me go out like that and an hour into the evening told me that Jeremy Clarkson often dresses like that. You can imagine how long it took me to be able to trust her again. In fact it still hurts now.

It gets worse, this was a style invented by Americans

 

[Diego Napier]

Looks like Coogan has decided that now would be a good time to grind that axe that he's obviously been gagging to grind for a while. It's all about timing. Interesting that his brother was replaced as a Top Gear presenter, did Coogan write and express an opinion on drink drivers at the time?

........the article was written on 5 Feb 2011!

You obviously want to have a pop, at least get your brain into gear first eh?

 

[Icy Gull]

........the article was written on 5 Feb 2011!

You obviously want to have a pop, at least get your brain into gear first eh?

Nope I assumed he'd just written it, my mistake

 

[Goldstone1976]

The BBC are now reporting that it was Clarkson himself who made the report of the "fracas". Curiouser and curiouser.

 

[wellquickwoody]

Good article from Steve Coogan

http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2011/feb/05/top-gear-offensive-steve-coogan

As a huge fan of Top Gear I normally regard the presenters' brand of irreverence as a part of the rough and tumble that goes with having a sense of humour. I've been on the show three times and had a go at their celebrity-lap challenge, and I would love to receive a fourth invite. But I think that's unlikely once they have read this. If, however, it makes the Lads question their behaviour for a second – ambitious, I know – it will be worth it.
I normally remain below the parapet when these frenetic arguments about comedy and taste break out. But this time, I've had enough of the regular defence you tend to hear – the tired line that it's "just a laugh", a bit of "harmless fun".
Some of the Lads' comments again, in case you missed them. "Mexican cars are just going to be lazy, feckless, flatulent, overweight, leaning against a fence asleep looking at a cactus, with a blanket with a hole in the middle on as a coat" (Richard Hammond). Mexican food is "sick with cheese on it" (James May).
Jeremy Clarkson added to the mirth by suggesting that the Mexican ambassador (a certain Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza) would be so busy sleeping he wouldn't register any outrage. (He wasn't and he did.)
OK, guys, I've got some great ideas for your next show. Jeremy, why not have James describe some kosher food as looking like "sick with cheese on it"? No? Thought not. Even better, why not describe some Islamic fundamentalists as lazy and feckless?
Feel the silence. They're all pretty well organised these days, aren't they, those groups? Better stick to those that are least problematic.
Old people? Special needs? I know – Mexicans! There aren't enough of them to be troublesome, no celebrities to be upset. And most of them are miles and miles away.
The BBC's initial mealy-mouthed apology was pitiful. It cited the more benign rivalry that exists between European nations (ah, those arrogant French, over-organised Germans), and in doing so neatly sidestepped one hugely important fact – ethnicity. All the examples it uses to legitimise this hateful rubbish are relatively prosperous countries full of white people. How about if the Lads had described Africans as lazy, feckless etc? Or Pakistanis?
What's more, this was all spouted by the presenters on one of the BBC's most successful programmes, with ratings that could only fail to impress Simon Cowell (very fast lap time). Forget the World Service; overseas, Top Gear is more frequently the public face of the BBC.
The Beeb's hand-wringing suggested tolerance of casual racism, arguably the most sinister kind. It's easy to spot the ones with the burning crosses. Besides, there is not a shred of truth in Top Gear's "comic" stereotype. I can tell you from my own experience, living in the US, Mexicans work themselves to the bone doing all the dirty thankless jobs that the white middle-class natives won't do.
What makes it worse is that the Lads wear this offensive behaviour as a badge of pride, pleased that they have annoyed those whom they regard, in another lazy stereotype, as sandal-wearing vegans with beards and no sense of humour.
Well here's some Twitter hot news: I don't have a beard, I'm not a vegan, I don't wear sandals (unless they're Birkenstocks, of course), and I have, I think, a sense of humour. I also know something about comedy. It's true there are no hard fast rules; it's often down to judgment calls. It's safe to say, though, that you can get away with saying unsayable things if it's done with some sense of culpability.
I've been fortunate enough to work with the likes of Peter Baynham, Armando Iannucci, Chris Morris, Simon Pegg, Julia Davis, Caroline Aherne, Ruth Jones, and the Mighty Boosh – some of the funniest and most innovative people in British comedy. And Rob Brydon too.
It's a diverse, eclectic group of people with one common denominator: they could all defend and justify their comedy from a moral standpoint. They are laughing at hypocrisy, human frailty, narrow-mindedness. They mock pomposity and arrogance.
If I say anything remotely racist or sexist as Alan Partridge, for example, the joke is abundantly clear. We are laughing at a lack of judgment and ignorance. WithTop Gear it is three rich, middle-aged men laughing at poor Mexicans. Brave, groundbreaking stuff, eh?
There is a strong ethical dimension to the best comedy. Not only does it avoid reinforcing prejudices, it actively challenges them. Put simply, in comedy, as in life, we ought to think before we speak. This wasn't one of those occasions. In fact, the comments were about as funny as a cold sweat followed by shooting pains down the left arm. In fact, if I can borrow from the Wildean wit of Richard Hammond, the comic approach was "lazy", "feckless" and "flatulent".
Richard has his tongue so far down the back of Jeremy's trousers he could forge a career as the back end of a pantomime horse. His attempt to foster some Clarkson-like maverick status with his "edgy" humour is truly tragic. He reminds you of the squirt at school as he hangs round Clarkson the bully, as if to say, "I'm with him". Meanwhile, James May stands at the back holding their coats as they beat up the boy with the stutter.
It's not entirely their fault, of course. Part of the blame must lie with what some like to call the "postmodern" reaction to overzealous political correctness. Sometimes, it's true, things need a shakeup; orthodoxies need to be challenged. But this sort of ironic approach has been a licence for any halfwit to vent the prejudices they'd been keeping in the closet since Love Thy Neighbour was taken off the air.
Also, a factor little picked up on elsewhere in the Lads' remarks is that they do, after all, present a car show. And archaic attitudes are endemic in a lot of motoring journalism. I confess I am an avid consumer and I have to wade through a sea of lazy cliches to get to anything genuinely illuminating.
Jeremy unwittingly cast the template for this. Twenty years ago, when I boughtPerformance Car magazine, his column was the first I would turn to. It was slightly annoying but unfailingly funny. Since then there have been legions of pretenders who just don't pass muster. There is a kneejerk, brainless reaction to any legislation that may have a detrimental effect on their God-given right to drive cars anywhere at any speed that they consider safe. They often remind me of the National Rifle Association in the US. It's a kind of "airbags are for poofs" mentality and, far from being shocking, it's just shockingly dull.
It would be fine if it was confined to a bunch of grumpy men in bad jeans smoking Marlboros at the side of the Millbrook test track, but it's not. As I pointed out, it's the voice of one of the BBC's most successful programmes.
The Lads have this strange notion that if they are being offensive it bestows on them a kind of anti-establishment aura of coolness; in fact, like their leather jackets and jeans, it is uber-conservative (which isn't cool).
Gentlemen, I don't believe in half-criticisms and this has nothing to do with my slow lap times. But, increasingly, you each look like a middle-aged punk rocker pogoing at his niece's wedding. That would be funny if you weren't regarded by some people as role models. Big viewing figures don't give you impunity – they carry responsibility. Start showing some, tuck your shirts in, be a bit funnier and we'll pretend it all never happened.

Well done Diego on bringing up a 4 tear old article that has absolutely nothing to do with the current issue regarding the programme.

 

[Mellotron]

So Coogan actually hasn't commented upon what Clarkson has alledgedly been suspended for? Instead he has chosen to launch an attack on the three presenters of the show about their views, presenting style and opinions whilst they are somewhat pre-occupied with other more pressing matters. All this whilst acknowledging that he has appeared on the show three times previously (assumedly whilst being paid?) and would be happy to appear again.

What an utter bell end.

It was written 4 years ago. Pretty hard to comment on what Clarkson's doing in the future. It was written in the wake of the racist comments regarding Mexicans so understandably focuses on that.

 

[Diego Napier]

Well done Diego on bringing up a 4 tear old article that has absolutely nothing to do with the current issue regarding the programme.

!

Good grief man, are you really that dense? Did you read it and not understand that it was an accident waiting to happen and that the fault can be apportioned to both the BBC and the presenters?

 

[Danny-Boy]

Will Messrs May and Hammond play Tarrico and Oatway to Jezza's "Gus" Hamlet and slope - sorry elope - away to C4 or Sky? Time will tell.

But it could be Jezza, like Gus had, has ambitions elsewhere and just decided that nothing more at the BBC was at stake (geddit?) and that he might as well prompt the red card. And since all their contracts are up at the same time it could be that all three will recreate Top Gear elsewhere - why not call it "Gop Tear"?

 

[Danny-Boy]

Will Messrs May and Hammond play Tarrico and Oatway to Jezza's "Gus" Hamlet and slope - sorry elope - away to C4 or Sky? Time will tell.

But it could be Jezza, like Gus had, has ambitions elsewhere and just decided that nothing more at the BBC was at stake (geddit?) and that he might as well prompt the red card. And since all their contracts are up at the same time it could be that all three will recreate Top Gear elsewhere - why not call it "Gop Tear"?

 

[TomandJerry]

A video has emerged of Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson saying he expects to be "sacked" by the BBC.

The host was speaking at a charity event in London, where he was auctioning what he described as his "last lap" on the Top Gear race track.

"I don't know when I did my last ever lap of the track before the BBC sack me," he said.

An investigation into Clarkson's current suspension following a "fracas" with a producer is still ongoing.

A report over the incident is due to be handed to director general Tony Hall next week, who will consider the evidence and "set out any further steps".




The Roundhouse Gala on Thursday saw Clarkson offer to drive someone round the Top Gear track as part of an experience offered during the auction.

"I didn't foresee my sacking, but I would like to do one last lap," he said.

"I'll go down to Surrey and I'll do one last lap of that track before the [BBC] sack me.

"And I'll drive somebody around in whatever I can get hold of when I'm sacked, so it's probably an Austin Maestro."

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-31981751

 

[Easy 10]

Bloody hell. A series canned, suspensions, a three week investigation, evidence being gathered, a report being delivered, further steps being considered. And all over some wheezy fat middle-aged bloke giving some other bloke a slap over a steak.

Shame the BBC weren't quite so VIGOROUS when Savile was cruising around boning every little kid he could get his rancid hands on eh.

 

[jevs]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48h-q-FEBSw&feature=youtu.be

 

[MattBackHome]

Bloody hell. A series canned, suspensions, a three week investigation, evidence being gathered, a report being delivered, further steps being considered. And all over some wheezy fat middle-aged bloke giving some other bloke a slap over a steak.

Shame the BBC weren't quite so VIGOROUS when Savile was cruising around boning every little kid he could get his rancid hands on eh.

Damn right. The Beeb are finally acting appropriately. Good on them.

 

[Easy 10]

Damn right. The Beeb are finally acting appropriately. Good on them.

I suppose having "Sir" before your name makes a bit of a difference.

 

[Ernest]

I suppose having "Sir" before your name makes a bit of a difference.

So if your boss thumped you and split your lip open whilst calling you a lazy c**t you wouldn't object then ?

 

[Triggaaar]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48h-q-FEBSw&feature=youtu.be

I actually thought that was real for the first minute. Quality.

 

[MattBackHome]

I suppose having "Sir" before your name makes a bit of a difference.

It's genuinely bizarre what he got away with at the Beeb.

The fact that the BBC are treating Jezza like any company would treat an employee who decked someone is heartening I reckon. It goes some way to show that regardless of the power the talent holds or the value they offer, they are still subject to the same rules as the rest of us.

 

[Sunnymead]

Dear Sunnymead, that was a joke. For further details you may look up " Joke " in the dictionary, hope this helps ?

Dear vegster, next time make your jokes a bit more topical, eg about a boxer who really was rubbish, it might have been funny then, hope this helps.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Sacked or not, the game's up for Clarkson. You'll see nothing "edgy" on that channel again.