Top gear apologises..again

[Jeneral2885]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27123434

Actually, I own up, never heard of the derogatory term "Slope" before.

[enlightenment]

1. I have, unfortunately.

Nasty remark. So much for vague hopes that it had long-since died out as a word for anything other than a gradual change in elevation.

Clarkson just keeps sticking his foot in it; one of these days he's going to find himself permanently mired in his own muck. Apologies after the fact really don't cut it.

[newfie11]

2. I've never heard of that either

I would have assumed he was talking about the side of a hill.


Glad he apologized for it.

[CBGLuthier]

3. Since the BBC will not tell us what he said I went and found the exact quote

As the challenge came to a conclusion, Clarkson, 53, said: 'That is a proud moment – but there’s a slope on it.'
Richard Hammond replies: 'You’re right, it’s definitely higher on that side.'

At the same time, an Asian man is seen walking across the bridge towards the two presenters.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2611044/Top-Gear-producer-admits-Jeremy-Clarksons-slope-remark-WAS-joke-Asian-man-didnt-realise-light-hearted-wordplay-offensive-regrets-now.html


I have heard the term used before. It was big in the Vietnam era.

[truebrit71]

4. I cringed when i saw that bit too...

...no clue how/why the Beeb let that one get through as the reference was quite clear...

[CBGLuthier]

5. Sounds like another of their cutesy moments.

Where they are practically winking at the camera. Someone was asleep at the switch.

[truebrit71]

6. That may well be their excuse but it seemed pretty bloody obvious to me...

...when I saw it at least...

[catbyte]

8. Me too. I remember it well from the movie "Coming Home" too.

[LeftishBrit]

7. These apologies are worthless; he just keeps doing this crap again. And again. And again.

He is well known for his racist, sexist, homophobic, anti-disabled, xenophobic, etc. etc. comments. His xenophobia extends to other parts of the UK, let alone anywhere abroad; he called Gordon Brown a 'one-eyed Scottish idiot' and also said that the Welsh language should be 'abolished'.

The sad thing is not that he has such views (some people just do happen to be fully-sighted Chipping Norton idiots), but that people are basically prepared to pay him for expressing these views.

[geardaddy]

9. He's a prick.

They already tried abolishing the Welsh language. Did some damage, but it's still alive.

[Jeneral2885]

10. Please forgive me

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/uk/jeremy-clarkson-begs-forgiveness-for-apparent-racism-1.1780655

And again and again...

[truebrit71]

11. I am not a Clarkson apologist by any stretch of the imagination but....

....the fact that he supposedly mumbled it twice, before completely changing it on the third take seems to suggest he is NOT a racist, that he WAS aware that that particular word is now verbotten, and that he had tried to make sure that neither of those takes made it to air...

Of course if he had wanted to avoid the controversy entirely he could have simply just not mumbled that word at all, and used something else...

On this occasion, and because like it or not that word is in the original rhyme - FFS I grew up saying it - I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt...

But his 'slope' remark was well out of order. They have subsequently admitted that they KNEW it was a racist term, but that they were using it in a "light-hearted" manner....yeah right....

To sum up, Clarkson is a deliberately confrontational, self-important, obnoxious 20th century throwback...but i don't believe he is a racist. He is simply a moron.


http://pulltheotheronemate.blogspot.com/

[oldironside]

12. I couldn't agree with you more.

The whole thing is a storm in a tea cup whipped up by the Mirror, who seem to be running a vendetta against him.

Honestly, it's getting like 1984. "He said that word? Thought crime! Drag him off to Room 101 and ruin his career!"

Here is Lenny Bruce's take on the whole thing.

[truebrit71]

13. George Carlin's take....

[oldironside]

14. Ah, priceless stuff.

It's not the word, it's the context. And a middle aged twat comparing two cars using a nursery rhyme he learnt when he was a toddler is hardly the full scale bigotry of a Nuremberg Rally or a KKK cross burning.

And best of all, it gives me the opportunity to post this.

[truebrit71]

15. LOL!!!

...another example of a movie that would not POSSIBLY get made in today's environment....Hell, if you listen to the commentary on the DVD Mel Brooks got a ton of shit back then....but for the fart scene, not so much the "n" word...

It's all about the CONTEXT...

[oldironside]

16. I've seen an interview with Burton Gilliam...

... (who plays Lyle) where he said he apologised to Cleavon Little on set about having to use that word. I find that quite interesting because the whole film is basically about ignorant white people parading their stupidity and Sheriff Bart is the only character who is intelligent, brave, honest and sexy.

[Jeneral2885]

18. I think the Mexican comment

said by almost all three (did James May join in?) last time was far worse. And not because I have Mexican friends and have been to Mexico.

[muriel_volestrangler]

17. It's time for him to resign

A programme about cars shouldn't be a permanent exercise in "how far can I sidle up to 'unacceptable bigotry' without getting sacked?" If he wants to make jokes, make them about the cars, or his fellow presenters, not minorities. It's not right for the BBC to employ a public school arsehole to make jokes about the lower classes.

[non sociopath skin]

19. I couldn't agree more, Muriel.

Yet another self-important, talentless "personality" who thinks he has the God-given right to play the system, push the envelope and insult and denigrate whomsoever he likes while earning a salary which those of us who do real, constructive work can only dream of.

Give him his cards.

The Skin