The Cenotaph

[Chas]

This is what the Cenotaph commemorates, it is not a Tesco car park for joy riders.
.

 

[TonyP]

Yes it does, but it's not like they drove over it....

 

[Chas]

No they didn't but that doesn't make it any the less disrespectful does it? they could have picked a more suitable place for their games, do you not think it was picked BECAUSE it was controversial? Piccadilly Circus would possibly have been better. The decision to do it there is much the same sort of thing Clarkson would have done.

 

[TonyP]

Oh I agree in that it was chosen specifically to be controversial and for marketing purposes.

 

[chadr]

I've heard about this but haven't seen the finer details........surely they didn't drive over/around the actual Cenotaph did they?

Playing Devil's advocate, The Cenotaph is situated on Whitehall, which is a (major) thoroughfare. So all sorts of vehicles are driving past it all the time. Quite a few other films have shot scenes (driving ones) in that area and I don't recall similar resentment.

Personally I think, being a cynic, that it is all a huge publicity stunt........the BBC can't afford for the new TG to fail. It is too big a cash cow for them.

 

[Shayne]

There is no better advertisement than controversy , but the beeb are in charge now and its politically incorrect to insult anyone other than Brits .

 

[Chas]

I've heard about this but haven't seen the finer details........surely they didn't drive over/around the actual Cenotaph did they?

Playing Devil's advocate, The Cenotaph is situated on Whitehall, which is a (major) thoroughfare. So all sorts of vehicles are driving past it all the time. Quite a few other films have shot scenes (driving ones) in that area and I don't recall similar resentment.

Personally I think, being a cynic, that it is all a huge publicity stunt........the BBC can't afford for the new TG to fail. It is too big a cash cow for them.

It wasn't just about driving past The Cenotaph, they did doughnuts in front of it as well as tyre burning up and down Whitehall. You are right it obviously was a publicity stunt and the fact that publicity is needed makes me think they are worried it's virtually failed already.

 

[Chris]

I think it's an easy shot frankly to show a picture like that and then say that anything different is disgusting and disrespectful. But I wouldn't mind betting that if they could talk many of those folk commemorated there would be wishing they were still around to watch Top Gear in the free country that they helped to preserve.

Cheap publicity or not, I think it's far too easy to be outraged with a view from the moral high ground.

Just saying; in terms of balancing the comments. Not saying I agree with what happened, just that I don't think people need to get on their high horses. It's rather selective in my view.

 

[Chas]

Well Chris I didn't actually say it was disgusting so please don't put words in that I didn't, and say what you will it was disrespectful and the Beeb knew it would be which is why they used that location. And the picture I used came from an armed services page on Facebook who were saying the same as I did, also I wasn't outraged more disappointed that a company I have to pay for would use my money to pay for that sort of cheap publicity.

 

[Chris]

Well Chas I never indicated that my comments were aimed at you. They were very general and a response to the overall thread and frankly unnecessary media coverage as a whole. I certainly was not putting words in YOUR mouth. I think though that I would question the need and value to have raised this post in the first place. This is a democratic forum (about Landcruisers if I recall) and I am using my right to disagree with what you have suggested. And that is MY opinion. We agree on lots of stuff and share a beer or two on many occasions. Doesn't mean I have to always see it your way though. Personally, I don't see it as a story worth examination. That plays straight in to the hands of those who are, it is suggested, using this as a ploy.

I don't actually see it as disrespectful. That's a stone pillar. Not a battle field. For most of the year people just pass it by. They didn't do this on remembrance Sunday did they? What about all the rally track days they have at old airfields where many crews never to returned from sorties over Germany. I just find it selective as I said. Would it have been ok if the TG crew had driven a load of tanks past the monument?

 

[Shayne]

In my view those guys were soldiers and would have loved to watch the tomfoolery so no harm done in that respect , what i find insulting is the calculated attempt by the beeb to provoke public outrage by using the fallen as a vehicle for promotion .

If they wanted controversy they should have burnt an effigy in CaMorons garden that would have gotten headlines and would have been cheered by the entire country

 

[Chas]

Well Chas I never indicated that my comments were aimed at you. They were very general and a response to the overall thread and frankly unnecessary media coverage as a whole. I certainly was not putting words in YOUR mouth. I think though that I would question the need and value to have raised this post in the first place. This is a democratic forum (about Landcruisers if I recall) and I am using my right to disagree with what you have suggested. And that is MY opinion. We agree on lots of stuff and share a beer or two on many occasions. Doesn't mean I have to always see it your way though. Personally, I don't see it as a story worth examination. That plays straight in to the hands of those who are, it is suggested, using this as a ploy.

I don't actually see it as disrespectful. That's a stone pillar. Not a battle field. For most of the year people just pass it by. They didn't do this on remembrance Sunday did they? What about all the rally track days they have at old airfields where many crews never to returned from sorties over Germany. I just find it selective as I said. Would it have been ok if the TG crew had driven a load of tanks past the monument?

You said Chris, and I quote "I think it's an easy shot frankly to show a picture like that and then say that anything different is disgusting" and as it was me that posted said picture who else was it aimed at? and the word disgusting was only used in your post, no-one else used it. Tanks past the monument? now your just being silly.

 

[Chris]

Chas you seemed determined to make this about you. So here you are.

What a stupid and pointless thing to have posted on this forum. You knew it would provoke debate and as such it was a cheap shot. There happy now?

I said and YOU quote.. easy to show a picture LIKE that. I didn't say that picture. Get a grip Chas and stop being so childish for goodness sake.

I've done on this. Play your games. I'm not interested.

 

[Chas]

Oh dear I do seem to have rattled a cage.

 

[frank rabbets]

I would think it was just a cock up by the Beeb. I don't think they would have insulted on purpose just to obtain a few more viewers. In fact they will probably get less now. Were there that many complaints? Marmite Clarkson is going to be a very hard act to follow.

 

[Chas]

I couldn't find out how many complained but there was this comment from Westminster Council on the BBC web site
A spokesman for Westminster City Council said: "What the Top Gear team did on the day was not what had been agreed during the planning process.
"At no time had the BBC producers made Westminster City Council aware that the car was going to be doing anything but drive down Whitehall.
"There was no discussion about wheel spins and a doughnut and permission would not have been given to do so."

So although the Top Gear team has changed their policy doesn't seem to have.

 

[MarkW]

I think this just shows how much the Top Gear production team were at fault for some of the previous teams antics.

And Westminster council, really? BBC Top Gear ask permission to run Ken Blocks 4x4 800bhp Mustang on closed roads through Whitehall and you didn't think it'd involve drifting and donuts? I call bullshit on that

 

[Chas]

And Westminster council, really? BBC Top Gear ask permission to run Ken Blocks 4x4 800bhp Mustang on closed roads through Whitehall and you didn't think it'd involve drifting and donuts? I call bullshit on that

Perhaps the spokesperson they spoke to had never heard of Ken Block and what he did for a living? maybe shows how uninformed some people are.

 

[Crispin]

I think the monument means a lot and is a fantastic symbol of what was done by a few to stop what could have been. Having said that, it's not a shrine. Was this done for publicity? Not entirely convinced the conversation went like this "let's do it there because it'll piss off a lot of people and we'll get publicity". Was more a Whitehall would be a cool place to do it.

I do think though that people get to rattled and in turn rattle others and cause others to rattle back purely because there are platforms which allow them the audience. 10-15 years ago it would have been a conversation down at the pub which would have been distracted by someone saying "coor, look at the tits on that birds" and then it owuld have ended.

The issue with all this is that then people have to change their ways so as to not offend the minority. And sadly, we're quite good at that. It's not my fault if you're offended - it's yours.

 

[Chas]

I think the monument means a lot and is a fantastic symbol of what was done by a few to stop what could have been. Having said that, it's not a shrine. Was this done for publicity? Not entirely convinced the conversation went like this "let's do it there because it'll piss off a lot of people and we'll get publicity". Was more a Whitehall would be a cool place to do it.

I do think though that people get to rattled and in turn rattle others and cause others to rattle back purely because there are platforms which allow them the audience. 10-15 years ago it would have been a conversation down at the pub which would have been distracted by someone saying "coor, look at the tits on that birds" and then it owuld have ended.

The issue with all this is that then people have to change their ways so as to not offend the minority. And sadly, we're quite good at that. It's not my fault if you're offended - it's yours.

But why Whitehall? all that's needed is a road, there must have been some reason for that choice, now where did I put that rattle?