Top Gear crew, racist?

[anotheoldgit]

http://tinyurl.com/5r95sff

This could be a hard nut to crack for some.

Are these remarks made by that supercilious trio racist, and if they are should the 'Top-Gear' trio be axed?

Or are the Mexican woman's accusations a little OTT?

[eyethenkyew]

Oh, yes, this woman who's bringing this "test case" is bound to win if it's heard here in the UK. That's a complete no brainer, just look at the recent cases of the purveyors of unnatural sex winning judgements via our judicial system.

Why, a conservative estimate would see here getting at least £100K

[eyethenkyew]

......at least £100K for her "hurt feelings". Good old Blighty, consistent if nothing else, eh?

[anotheoldgit]

vibrasphere

You didn't need to ask what the Mexican stereotype was, so why the need to ask what the African stereotype is?

[society]

Is it ok to say on here that I find that newspaper article to be stereotypical and truthful?
And the person who said those 'things' is racist, IMO.

[jomifl]

No Chuck..Mexicans are not a race, they are a nation, I would have thought that was bl00dy obvious. It is very doubtful whether there are such a things as 'races' of humankind. Human characteristics vary gradually from one area of the world to another. What people call races are just people with extremes of one or more characteristics.

[anotheoldgit]

vibrasphere

Just checking that you read the link, now I am sure given this as an example I am sure you would not be bottom of the class, if asked to describe a stereotype African, a stereotype English man, a stereotype American, a stereotype German etc, etc.

I bet given enough time, and you really put your 'thinking cap' on, you would soon come up with your own stereotype AOG.

[society]

"I bet given enough time, and you really put your 'thinking cap' on, you would soon come up with your own stereotype AOG. "


Hahaha It's already been done, AOG. :-)
(joking of course)

[Answerprancer]

AFAIC a LOT of their remarks (particularly Richard Hammond's and Jeremy Clarkson's) are routinely homosexist, jingoistic and unnecessarily bawdy in all manner of different ways, irritatingly so IMO.
It's as if they are COMPELLED to cater for some sort of pre-programmed stereotypical audience EVERY time the show is aired and I just hope that most of those beery cheers of approval are made tongue in cheek whenever those 'obviously' gross comments are made.

That said, I LOVE Top Gear ...that's confused you hasn't it Git? ;-)

[flip_flop]

As soon as I heard them make the light-hearted jokes about the Mexicans I thought to myself I wonder how long it will be before some humourless cretin wailed (incorrectly) racism.

Pathetic.

[Ankou]

my sentiments entirely flipflop.

when richard was saying it, i could already see the mouths frothing.

[Hopkirk]

I watched vthe programme, and was appalled. I can't believe that people are surprised that the Mexicans felt insulted. This wasn't a single throwaway remark, this was a repeated attack on the Mexicans.

These three, particularly Clarkson and Hammond are getting too big for their boots.

They seem to forget that they are working for the BBC, which in the past had a fine reputation for decency. They are helping to destroy that.

[Ankou]

perhaps hopkirk, but are you also raising the flag for insulted australians and germans in the same programme ?

[jake-the-peg]

I see the BBC have appologised

No it wasn't racist but if I were Mexican and specifically the Mexican ambassador I'd find it rude childish and offensive.

I get the feeling that Top Gear know exactly how much it contributes to the BBC coffers and is continuingly trying to see how much it can get away with before getting in trouble with the grown ups.

Rather 7 year old psychology really.

[Ankou]

i don't think they ever hide or deny the fact that they are grown men behaving like little boys.

[jake-the-peg]

I also rather suspect that the rather off hand slagging off of the very idea of a Mexican car when Mexico is doubtless looking to export markets wasn't far from the ambassador's mind when he complained.

But if something like this starts a trend and a product becomes a figure of parody it can do really bad financial damage.

So I think he'd have been better just letting it go myself - but maybe he didn't have Gerald Ratner advising him

[Hopkirk]

How could he ignore it, when they insulted him directly by saying he would be too lazy to complain?

[Ankou]

perhaps next week he will be driving the reasonably priced car.