Top Gear is the pits

[clivehorridge]

Chris I'm taking your advice and going for one of those up to date tape recorders, the type that has the picture on as well.

Bravo Frank, like it

 

[frank rabbets]

I think they were taking the piss out of Peugeot drivers. Bit of a weak link though as I hav'nt seen Peugeot drivers being worse drivers than an other make drivers.

 

[Mblinko]

Given Clarkson is suspended, should this thread title now be "Top Gear Is In The Pits"

 

[frank rabbets]

According to the BEEB he "threw a punch at a producer". Presumably for being a silly man. The producer that is. .

 

[MarkW]

What I don't understand about the whole fiasco is why the producers etc are unaccountable?, fine Clarkson said something which may cause minor offence if your PC nutter but the decision to actually broadcast that was made by someone else and that person must share some of the blame if not all of it.

Couple of other things I think the BBC are niave about - cancelling the rest of the series, why waste the license payers money already spent producing it? they don't exactky have a good track record for efficient use of the money they recieved. Second, what damage are the BBC causing to one of their most succesful franchises?

 

[frank rabbets]

Yes Mark it's all a bit political but punching someone is a criminal offence per se. Clarkson could have ended up I the back of a police car. Now that would have been good telly.

 

[MarkW]

Oh definately, but at the moment it is an allegation not fact, no arguement from me if he did actually hit someoone he's in the wrong.

But the racism stuff is crap, someone from the BBC approved the script, someone oversaw the filming and someone approved the end product for broadcast. The BBC are responsible for all stages in the production and broadcast of its programmes, and at the moment the management aren't stepping up or recognising their failures in allowing the controversial script to be written, filmed and broadcast. That cannot be solely blamed on Clarkson even with his history of contraversal statements.

 

[Sag]

Well put MarkW

 

[Chris]

Whether he punched someone or not, why punish all the viewers who tune in and support the programme. I didn't punch anyone so why I am paying? Run the last three without him in the studio. Get three guests in, one per prog along with Slow and Hamster like they do for Have I got News for You. Could be a hoot. Boris Johnson, Murray Walker and any fit bird would do. As long as she's not an Argie of course or Mexican.

 

[Chris]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha guess what's on BBC3 right now.

Is that just plain hypocrisy or what? Oh we couldn't possibly show three new episodes but we'll happily put all the old ones on our other channels.

What great PR stunt. "We're not showing Top Gear." Best advertising they have had - ever. Imagine the audience figures for the last three when they relent and say oh go on then due to popular demand..

 

[frank rabbets]

I hope the BEEB stands up for itself and upholds the letter of the laws appertaining. Sometimes men have to do what men have to do. Or is money and viewing figures more important. I don't think so. A petition should not decide things neither. If the programme goes down it's Clarksons fault. He's a friend of Rebecca Brookes which speaks volumes.

 

[Chris]

Popular opinion can take a programme off air and that's deemed fair. But popular opinion to keep one on air isn't?

 

[Olazz]

Two fully grown men allegedly have a bit of a punch up, and one of them then runs to complain publicly about it. They are a generation of age apart.

What has gone wrong with our society that it's become almost compulsory to be offended/hurt at almost any and everything around us? Oh and if we get into an argument and get punched, we run crying to mumma and the media for help because it a criminal offence?

There is a whole generation of men that have been brought up in this molly-coddled, namby-pamby, nanny state, and need to lodge complaint if they feel even slightly threatened. Not surprisingly, many of this new generation are are loud-mouthed, obnoxious, opinionated and rude, because they believe that if anyone ever dares to square-up to them for their behaviour, the nanny state will protect their poor offended little souls. What a load of old B****cks!!

What's happened to the good old days when men were men, and women were glad of it?

 

[Chris]

That's really upset me. I want my Mummy.

 

[MarkW]

I'm offended on behalf of someone whose hasn't read this thread, doesn't have the internet and lives in the outer Hebrides....................................but boy mark my words if they saw that they would be offended, oh yes they would

 

[TonyP]

Mod, mod.... MOD I'm offended by all the offence taken

 

[frank rabbets]

We have to have law and order in our society in public and in the workplace otherwise it's anarchy. The law must be upheld as well. We can't bend the rules can we? It's not going crying to mummy. Sometimes standing up for oneself takes more guts than just running away and hiding. Anyway isn't punching a producer against health and safety?

 

[Olazz]

I'm offended that you're all so offended, at me taking offence at those who have taken offence, when there is nothing to be offended about.... you bunch of namby, pamby, mummy's boys

 

[Chris]

Against Health and Safety? Which regulation would that be then? This is person to person bugger all to do with safety law. I think you are confusing this with employment law Frank.

Which law says that if you are involved in a criminal action your TV programme must be taken off the air? Frank Bough took weed or something they didn't cancel the news did they. Punish Clarkson to whatever extent the law requires, if it indeed does, but how is not airing the show a criminal sanction applied by an authority? Courts apply the law and the punishment. And as yet I don't think he's even been charged let alone been asked to appear before a Magistrate so let's stop talking bollocks.

 

[MarkW]

personally I think it should be legal to punch someone if you can prove they are a cock, just once mind you