Jeremy Clarkson

[Adam Went]

It just won't be on purpose!

Cheers,
Adam.

[belinda]

Mr Roth will still be doing the splits when he's a hundred

[Adam Went]

Belinda:

Can DLR still do the splits? He's not a young man anymore, and the "Jump" video clip was a long time ago....he might have some unwanted side-effects if he tried now....

Cheers,
Adam.

[belinda]

Probably not and I don't think James May can do the splits either

[Adam Went]

Ah yes....James May = David Lee Roth in the morning, wasn't it? Not sure DLR would be entirely happy with that....

Cheers,
Adam.

[belinda]

He makes me laugh.I don't take him remotely seriously though.
The Communist Car special was good but the best bit was in the one where James threatens him with a Machete

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXLxszv9eCM

[Adam Went]

Spot on, Jason. No matter what you say or do in life, you can't please everybody - there will always be people out there who don't think much of you for whatever reason. So you might as well just say and do what you think is right.

And yes, loved the Communist car episode.....especially the one with the ceramic brakes.

Cheers,
Adam.

[jason_c]

Hi Jason,

I have no quarrel with your argument but, as this is a Jeremy Clarkson thread, should we be not be more concerned with which car Leon Trotsky may have driven?

Were he alive today, could he have chosen this—

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQIvx7vL2x0

Regards,

Simon

Which gives me an excuse to post this. Clarkson and May driving some communist built cars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O2zaG5yhP8

[jason_c]

Also not directly Clarkson related, but did anybody else hear Ricky Gervais's comments on stupid people taking offence to stupid things recently? Basically he just said it was part and parcel of it and you just ignored it as much as possible.....also well said.

Cheers,
Adam.

I agree with his sentiments. Ignoring these complaints helps ensure a place in public life for individuals who arent constrained by those who shout the loudest or mob-think.

[Adam Went]

Also not directly Clarkson related, but did anybody else hear Ricky Gervais's comments on stupid people taking offence to stupid things recently? Basically he just said it was part and parcel of it and you just ignored it as much as possible.....also well said.

Cheers,
Adam.

[Simon Wood]

Hi Jason,

I have no quarrel with your argument but, as this is a Jeremy Clarkson thread, should we be not be more concerned with which car Leon Trotsky may have driven?

Were he alive today, could he have chosen this—

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQIvx7vL2x0

Regards,

Simon

[jason_c]

Here's a clip from BBC radio of Christopher Hitchens defending Leon Trotsky(the killer of thousands upon thousands of Soviet citizens). Thank goodness none of the delicate souls on here listened or complained of the broadcast. Would anyone have liked Hitchens to be banned from the BBC? or a forced apology from him?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD54qnI_Mhc

[Adam Went]

Jonathan:

Well said.

Jason:

Yup, you're spot on. There's been an Australian version of Top Gear as well....not sure what it's status is at the moment but IMO no version compares to the British one.

Clarkson himself has claimed countless times over the years that he doesn't understand why anybody would take his opinions seriously anyway, regarding cars or otherwise. He's written numerous books (of the "The World According To Clarkson" variety) which satirise anything and everything.

He's been in trouble many times over the years for his comments and in all likelihood the apologies that have been thrown out afterwards are mere tokens until the storm blows over, and he'll be back at it again.

Look, sometimes people such as himself can take things a bit too far, but the world would be a boring place if we were all perfect angels....

Cheers,
Adam.

[jason_c]

Jason:

Those specials are fantastic, loved the one from the southern states of the USA. As for Vietnam, remember the motorbike painted in the colours and style of a US flag and which played Springsteen's "Born In The USA" over and over? Clarkson's comment was priceless....."If anybody watching doesn't understand why this is bad.....ask your parents."

Clarkson is just a big kid, really. We need more levity in the world.

Cheers,
Adam.

I agree Adam. Top Gear is a modern British success story. Its watched by 350 million people worldwide per week. The 3 presenters have a unique style that helps make the show work. Clarkson and May being throwbacks in todays youth centred culture. The show has been copied in a number of countries, none of them particularly successful.

Im glad you mentioned Born in the USA. Clarkson is anti everything and everyone. He's equal opportunity in his dislikes(most of it being light hearted). I'll wait with baited breath any backlash against Clarkson's anti American comments. Clarkson, like the Queen, is a modern British institution.

Natalie, im libertarian right, not reactionary.

[Jonathan H]

I applaud anybody who stands up to the mob, even if I agree with the protestors' political point of view.

Do I wish Clarkson, a brilliant and entertaining TV presenter, had been wittier and less violent in his rheoritcal jocularity?

For sure.

But that cuts both ways.

He did, after all, helpfully undermine his own 'bah, humbug' dissent by not finessing his ugly-toned remarks to avoid an expected backlash, which I think helps build sympathy for the economic victims of the new Tory regime, and if a Tory charmer like him wants to sound like an offensive, Medieval caricature of the ruling elite -- more power to him.