jeremy clarkson

Everyday living
1

hi all

what are (y)our feelings on this? i am really torn as he can be funny and is shockable (a la russell brand, charlie brooker and many other comedians- you should know in advance that he won’t be family friendly) BUT…

it is a bad example for someone to punch a person and get away with it. lets face it, in the real world he would (rightly) have lost his job after a whole host of ‘errors of judgement’. to ignore this is a charter for bullying imho.

hope everyone is happy and well- in bed getting over relapse #2.

with nice hugs fluffyollie xx

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2

hi fluffyollie

he just can’t seem to stay out of trouble.

does he think that he is invincible because he is famous?

shame really because as you say he can be entertaining.

hope that relapse soon buggers off and leaves you alone.

carole x

3

Hiya fo

I don’t like Clarkson. I think he is an arrogant, ignorant man, who has been allowed by the bbc to get away with too much, simply due to money.

Now Russell Brand-happy to spend an evening out with him

Take it easy xx

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totally agree.

thanks for the kind wishes carole- that’s really sweet of you xx

5

Oh I can’t stand Russell Brand - I’d rather switch the TV off than watch him - yuck. Now Dara O’Briain - he’s funny.

And as for Clarkson - I think he is starting to believe his own press and thinks he is above it all & that no matter what he does, he will be forgiven. I would show the rest of the series but not renew his contract.

Look after yourself Fluffyollie & I hope that relapse sods off soon.

JBK xx

6

agreed- why punish the viewers for his mistakes, especially if he’s been paid already (although never seen top gear, but he’s good on ‘QI’)

thanks for the message JBK- thats very kind xx

7

Hi Fluffyollie

Can’t stand Clarkson. He is so rude and is a male chauvinist pig.

Now. Russell Brand. I really like him.

Shazzie xx

8

Totally agree about Clarkson, Blossom.

But not about Brand, you can have him

Anne x

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9

Like you, I’ve got mixed feelings. I can’t stand Russell Brand, no feelings either way about Brooker (probably not seen enough of his stuff to form a view), but always liked Clarkson for not bowing to political correctness. I always thought a lot of it was put on - or at least exaggerated - for the reaction it gets. That is his brand (no pun intended with Russell) - and hugely successful it has been - not only here, but worldwide.

However, I think hitting someone (unless in self defence) is quite different from making controversial or provocative remarks. Where I used to work, it was grounds for instant dismissal, and this was tested one day when two parties (one of them a customer!) got into fisticuffs on their shared premises, and both were instantly dismissed, without any faffing around about “who started it”. Presumably they had the right to appeal, but either they didn’t bother, or were unsuccessful, because neither was ever seen again!

So ordinarily, I would assume there was no possible way someone could hit their boss (or anyone at work) and still carry on working.

But yet another twist emerges this morning, as it appears no complaint was made, and Clarkson reported himself. How serious can it have been, if the boss didn’t initiate any formal action, and why would anyone intentionally drop themselves in it over something nobody complained about? Had it been preying on his conscience for days? Did he believe his boss would eventually report it (even though several days had apparently elapsed), and it was better to get in first? Did he think the story would get out anyway from other witnesses, and again, that it was better to get in first?

It seems as if nothing would have happened if he’d just kept quiet - which points to it not being very serious, and something the producer was prepared to overlook.

“Punch” sounds very dramatic and inexcusable, but we’ve had no confirmation a punch was thrown. The BBC chose the odd word: “fracas”, which somehow implies physical, and yet rather minor. You wouldn’t expect anyone to be seriously hurt in a mere “fracas”. It also seems to imply more than one person involved - I don’t think one person attacking another who didn’t retaliate is a “fracas” - so what (if anything) did the producer do? I note he hasn’t been suspended…but also didn’t report it. Why not? Because he’s a nice guy who didn’t want to make trouble over a moment of silliness where no-one got hurt? Or because he felt it wouldn’t show him in a good light either?

All gets weirder and weirder. Why would Clarkson shop himself? Had he got fed up, and wanted to end the series early? Just don’t know.

Tina

x

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I don’t like either of them, it’s just cheap laughs to take the pi** out of people. I did watch one series of Top Gear about five years ago but it got boring every week was just a variation of the previous week. Can you tell cars don’t interest me

Listening to various people on tv this week they all have their own take on it, Loose women were sympathetic but that was because one of them is a good friend of his.

I do think the BBC may have jumped in too soon because of the previous criticisms regarding their leniency towards him. Some reports are saying the producer involved hasn’t complained and reports are exaggerated, so why have they suspended Clarkson. Damned if you do and damned if you don’t.

Jan x

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Morning Jan,

As I understand it, he’s not been suspended as a punishment, but simply while they investigate.

They are probably obliged to do that, as soon as an allegation has been received, although it’s odd in this case that the only “allegation” seems to have been an admission from Clarkson himself, and nobody else has complained about anything!

Tina

x

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Perhaps it’s all part of a cunning plan to spend more time enjoying country suppers with his mate Dave and the rest of the Chipping Norton set.

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He’s certainly got us all talking about him…again.

Jan x

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was going to say there’s no such thing as bad publicity when your a celebrity? in the public eye but I don’t suppose Harris, DLT, Gary G. would agree.

Although I don’t have much interest in cars I think Clarkson presents an excellent programme.

As for Brand - get the feeling he’ll self-combust one of these days - cf David Icke.

Hope your feeling better F O -

15

My 8 yr old grandson idolises clarkson in top gear and his ambition is to become a presenter on the show. I just think like you all, that he’s pushing the to choose - clarkson being untouchable due to the money he brings in or sticking to their guns and getting rid of him. If they let him get away with this, then he knows he can call the shots. It’s a shame really as he’s so entertaining and you don’t know what he’s coming out with next. I don’t like brand so, you’re welcome to him. I’ll have clooney instead!!

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My 8 yr old grandson idolises clarkson in top gear and his ambition is to become a presenter on the show. I just think like you all, that he’s pushing the to choose - clarkson being untouchable due to the money he brings in or sticking to their guns and getting rid of him. If they let him get away with this, then he knows he can call the shots. It’s a shame really as he’s so entertaining and you don’t know what he’s coming out with next. I don’t like brand so, you’re welcome to him. I’ll have clooney instead!!

17

i totally agree with you tina, and you both make good points.

i’ve just had another thought- if he gets fired from BBC, he is then free to see who will offer him the best deal, because if the news is to be believed, he is a world-wide commodity who many regard as lucrative.

if he just left the bbc he may be either breaking his contract (if mid-term), or (like others before him who have jumped the bbc ship for a better paypacket) may be perceived as a greedy moneygrabber

just a thought…

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18

I have mixed feelings about Clarkson too. I grew up surrounded by men who all ‘talked cars’ constantly (oldest brother is a mechanic so it was obligatory) and I enjoy Top Gear as much for the ‘men behaving badly’ parts as for the cars. They’re just overgrown boys and much of it is, I feel, an act as it gets a reaction.

I’ve seen the petition ‘Bring Clarkson Back’ but would never sign something like that until I know all the facts (and I doubt we ever will). Like Tina, I have wondered why the BBC have called it a fracas. The media are calling it a punch but I don’t trust newspapers. The story seems to change on a daily basis so I’ll reserve judgement until I can decide what I think really happened.

I suspect that Clarkson was tired and hungry at the end of a long shift and ‘let rip’ verbally over something silly. That doesn’t make it okay but how many of us haven’t done the same thing and regretted it afterwards. The difference is that he is well known so if it was in a public place he probably knew he hadn’t got a hope in hell of keeping it quiet. The word ‘fracas’ can just mean a noisy quarrel so I’m staying on the fence until more details are released.

Tracey

19

Clarkson is a very funny writer, whatever else he might be. Brand has no redeeming features whatsoever, as far as I can see.

Alison

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my wife absolutely loves brand, and i used to like him but feel that encouraging people not to vote is an insult to the lower classes (at the turn of the last century) and the suffragettes particularly, who campaigned tirelessly and lost their lives for our right to vote. even a spoilt vote count tells a story.

thanks for the kind wishes re relapse- i am really touched. being off work has allowed me to ponder around the internet- i found this:

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