Vocal Voices

Jeremy Clarkson or the BBC?

Clarkson has been suspended by the BBC following a 'fracas': no further details at present.

Now, I am not Clarkson's biggest fan, but he does have a way with 'double entendres' and that gets him into terrible trouble with the PC brigades. He is also irreverent when dealing with 'plebs' and the 'elite' alike - he takes no prisoners.

Because of all of that Top Gear has become one of the BBC's biggest earners in overseas sales and overseas spin-offs.

If todays' producers were always in charge we would never have had That was the week That was, Not the 9 O'clock news, Hancock, Pete and Dud. The Young Ones, Monty Pythons, The Two Ronnies........ and many more.

They have to realise that the new phenomenon of those 'professionally offended on behalf of others' are now with us...... and ignore them.

He's an idiot though, and fairly aggressive with it! I would want to hear the full story of this 'fracas' before saying one way or the other, over this suspension.....

Apparently he used a racist term.

What's wrong with that?

It's a perfectly natural thing for any human being to do, IMO.

I both like and loathe Clarkson. He's a combination of everything that should be facing up to our PCesque society and everything I hate about loud mouthed self opinionated people who delight in putting others down to make themselves look better.

However I'll suffer Clarkson if it highlights a much bigger issue in British society. Which is the rampant anti white apologist zealot who has become the modern bigot. The native Brit hater.....

In your list I noticed you missed out "Till Death Us Do Part". Could you imagine even trying to come up with a show like that today? Not only would you be thrown out of the door, the horror at which you would be viewed would ensure that you never wrote a show for anyone again....

Perhaps we now need a show which is the opposite of Alf Garnet. The serial apologist and professional offense taker. Not that it would ever make it to the screen, too many of those it would poke fun at would be sitting on the review board.

On the BBC's own website on TDUDP it says

Till Death is a hard watch now, not because it's dated, but because Speight's venom, produced deliberately to channel his own issues over his bigoted father, is hard to take – and you have to ask why.

Perhaps we're just more sensitive to the language of hate now – but more likely, the rants are just as relevant in a world that's as bigoted as before, but just better at glossing over it.

Even here they just can't let it go. Perhaps it's a hard watch now because we don't like that kind of bigoted portrayal and we have moved on. Probably way too far. Or perhaps because the person having the rant is the wrong race and colour to match today's society???

Where are the Two Ronnies when you need them. Or Jasper Carrot or Dave Allen? I can see the sketch. Council offices, person at the counter being asked for information.

"Name"?
"Simon".
"Is that your first name or last name?"
"Oh, Smith".
"Occupation?"
"Offended"
"Sorry? How can you be offended, I've only asked for your Name and Occupation?"
"No, my occupation is Professionally Offended. I take offense at things people say and then take them to court for it"
"I'm very, very sorry Sir, my computer seems to have failed. I assure you it happens all the time, could you just move to the next counter please, I'm sure the help desk will come and fix it for me shortly!!!!".

no Jezza?? no show!!

unless SKY etc pick it up

According to the news this morning he threw a punch at a producer! Now for all I know, the producer might be as big a fool as Clarkson, but surely nobody is condoning violence in the workplace? If I worked in an office and threw a punch at a colleague I would expect to be sacked, and possibly even prosecuted What makes him the exception?

The inside whisper is that the producer got his sandwich order wrong! I have no idea if this is correct but if it is he should be fired and prosecuted, never mind suspended

He annoys the hell out of me but I find him a refreshing change to the standard "toe the line" presenters who all seem to come from the same mould.

I like Top Gear - I love the way that they just go their own merry way with things.

I know I shouldn't but I actually find it really funny when he drove through Argentina with that number plate on his car (H982 FKL). The Argentinians were very touchy about it.

If Clarkson threw a punch in today's workplace, he has nobody to blame but himself.

No matter whether the producer brought it on homself or not.

As for the FKL incident, it was a government and press orchestrated rent a mob. Argentineans call the Falklands Las Malvinas. How would they ever have recognised it without prompting?

Suff wrote:If Clarkson threw a punch in today's workplace, he has nobody to blame but himself.
No matter whether the producer brought it on homself or not.
?

Exactly right! Just because he is a 'name' he still has to abide by the same rules as others, otherwise what signal does that give out - that you can get away with anything as long as you are a celebrity? Far too much of that going on these days IMO

I thought the Argentinian incident was staged too! It had to be.........nobody is that naïve!