Condimentalist Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Tony's right, the explicit inference is that he's "from Repton" and therefore cut from the same cloth as the Bullingdon lot, instead of being from a home that just tried hard to make a better life for themselves. A friend of mine is good friends with him and his (ex?) wife as she is from the IOM and they owned the lighthouse down by the airport. Apparently a lot of what he says is a bit of an act, albeit based on what he does think to a certain extent. He plays up to the caricature of himself, simply because it makes him so much money. Maybe Clarkson always had plans of ensuring that when the BBC's politically correct apparatchiks finally hunted him down ... Ah, the poor old English millionaire chappy from Repton School, harried by bloodless limpwristed smartypants. The outrage! easy mistake to make but he wasn't some kid born into money ..his parents were a teacher and a salesman .. who found a way to get their child through private school as many middle class people do (myself included) Yes, I read Wikipedia too. My dad was a machinist -- and I can still be, as you can see, an inexcusably pompous arse. It's more to do with the class system in England. I think the implication is that Clarkson is an upper class twit born with a silver spoon in his mouth because he attended a good school. It's not true, he got where he is today through a combination of good luck and hard work. He doesn't have to be from the aristocracy to be privileged. Not that there is anything wrong with being priveleged per se, but if you then turn in to a smug, racist, odious prick, then unfortunately you play into the very worst stereotype of a public school boy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted March 11, 2015 Moderator Share Posted March 11, 2015 I think it's perfectly understandable for one of the Chipping Norton set to punch an underling if the catering isn't to their precise specification. I mean how else is one to instill discipline and respect in these servant types? I quite enjoy watching top gear. It's obvious the 3 of them act like utter bell ends as an "act". If people don't like it, turn the telly off, or change channel. Mind you probably won't have to any more. Also there's the most Guardian headline ever on their internet page "With Jeremy Clarkson suspended, here's my vision for an eco-feminist Top Gear" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 I think it's perfectly understandable for one of the Chipping Norton set to punch an underling if the catering isn't to their precise specification. I mean how else is one to instill discipline and respect in these servant types? IF of course that even happened ... yes I know it's a light hearted post and of course a poor person from say Renfrewshire would never yank an underling secretary out of her chair whilst hurling foul-mouthed abuse at her , we all know you have to come from Chipping Norton to behave like that .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villaglint Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 My take on Top Gear is that I enjoyed it when it was a decent car programme that was occassionally funny in their off the cuff moments. It changed a lot for me when they actively started trying to write the funny stuff and all the spontaneity went out of the window. It was so clunky as to be cring worthy and as they have aged it has become pretty embarresing in my eyes. However for the real car die hards it is still clearly the main show to watch which is great each to their own and all that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seat68 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 I dont like it or him, so I dont watch it. The only problem until this furore dies down is that he is inescapable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 (edited) My take on Top Gear is that I enjoyed it when it was a decent car programme that was occassionally funny in their off the cuff moments. It changed a lot for me when they actively started trying to write the funny stuff and all the spontaneity went out of the window. It was so clunky as to be cring worthy and as they have aged it has become pretty embarresing in my eyes. However for the real car die hards it is still clearly the main show to watch which is great each to their own and all that. I didn't think anyone actually viewed it as a car show ?? tbh when they do the serious car reviews i sort of dislike the show .. well thats not strictly true , when they test drive a BMW or even a Focus , yer everyday sort of car then it's kinda interesting .. when they test a £285 k supercar that even if I had the money I wouldn't purchase on the grounds of taste , then my eyes glaze over ..and they spend too much time on supercars imo when they do sketches like putting a "dead" fat man in the back of a car (Albania) or even Hammonds Stretcher catapault launch system (the other week) then it tickles my humour ( maybe that says more about me than anyhting !) ... the hovercraft sketch with the dinners having dinner ruined , was however a stage job too far and kinda ruined the sketch , I appreciate they can't ruin a real dinner for people , but at least employ some better actors ... Edited March 11, 2015 by tonyh29 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakemineVanilla Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 I think it's perfectly understandable for one of the Chipping Norton set to punch an underling if the catering isn't to their precise specification. I mean how else is one to instill discipline and respect in these servant types? I quite enjoy watching top gear. It's obvious the 3 of them act like utter bell ends as an "act". If people don't like it, turn the telly off, or change channel. Mind you probably won't have to any more. Also there's the most Guardian headline ever on their internet page "With Jeremy Clarkson suspended, here's my vision for an eco-feminist Top Gear" Now there is a Guardianista who just doesn't get it. I would love to know her opinion of the McLaren P1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marka Ragnos Posted March 11, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted March 11, 2015 I think it's perfectly understandable for one of the Chipping Norton set to punch an underling if the catering isn't to their precise specification. I mean how else is one to instill discipline and respect in these servant types? I quite enjoy watching top gear. It's obvious the 3 of them act like utter bell ends as an "act". If people don't like it, turn the telly off, or change channel. Mind you probably won't have to any more. Also there's the most Guardian headline ever on their internet page "With Jeremy Clarkson suspended, here's my vision for an eco-feminist Top Gear" Now there is a Guardianista who just doesn't get it. I would love to know her opinion of the McLaren P1. The "Guardianista"? The "apparatchiks at the BBC"? The indignation towards "political correctness"? Whence this impassioned rush of poetical polemicals? Now I see: Despite all appearances that this controversy is about some insipid car programme's host simply fugging up badly and being violently ill-mannered, it's ACTUALLY the continued unfolding of a leftist -- nah, Stalinist, probably, right? -- master plan to bore Tories and UKIPers to death and snatch away their personal freedom. I, for one, would like some credit for playing a part in this deviousness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risso Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 My take on Top Gear is that I enjoyed it when it was a decent car programme that was occassionally funny in their off the cuff moments. It changed a lot for me when they actively started trying to write the funny stuff and all the spontaneity went out of the window. It was so clunky as to be cring worthy and as they have aged it has become pretty embarresing in my eyes. However for the real car die hards it is still clearly the main show to watch which is great each to their own and all that. I didn't think anyone actually viewed it as a car show ?? tbh when they do the serious car reviews i sort of dislike the show .. well thats not strictly true , when they test drive a BMW or even a Focus , yer everyday sort of car then it's kinda interesting .. when they test a £285 k supercar that even if I had the money I wouldn't purchase on the grounds of taste , then my eyes glaze over ..and they spend too much time on supercars imo when they do sketches like putting a "dead" fat man in the back of a car (Albania) or even Hammonds Stretcher catapault launch system (the other week) then it tickles my humour ( maybe that says more about me than anyhting !) ... the hovercraft sketch with the dinners having dinner ruined , was however a stage job too far and kinda ruined the sketch , I appreciate they can't ruin a real dinner for people , but at least employ some better actors ... The Reliant Robin sketch, where they drove it into the inspection pit made me laugh so hard it hurt. I haven't bothered with it for ages though, because every time I turned on they seemed to be having the exact same race between a car, bike and public transport in a different European city. I must admit to quite liking Clarkson though, as he doesn't seem to take himself too seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted March 11, 2015 Moderator Share Posted March 11, 2015 The Reliant Robin sketch, where they drove it into the inspection pit made me laugh so hard it hurt. I haven't bothered with it for ages though, because every time I turned on they seemed to be having the exact same race between a car, bike and public transport in a different European city. I must admit to quite liking Clarkson though, as he doesn't seem to take himself too seriously. Yeah that whole reliant one was ace. Thing with Clarkson is he's (like him or not) actually very smart and good at what he does. He just lacks the nouse to realise what he's best at - it's like the temptation to enrage people is irresistable. When it's reigned in he's very good. It's kind of the internal quality control isn't there. Top Gear can be really good, or really rubbish. It's variable, but often excellent as well as being utterly brain dead and to contrived on other occasions. But it's not meant to be taken seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted March 11, 2015 Moderator Share Posted March 11, 2015 The "Guardianista"? The "apparatchiks at the BBC"? The indignation towards "political correctness"? Whence this impassioned rush of poetical polemicals? Now I see: Despite all appearances that this controversy is about some insipid car programme's host simply fugging up badly and being violently ill-mannered, it's ACTUALLY the continued unfolding of a leftist -- nah, Stalinist, probably, right? -- master plan to bore Tories and UKIPers to death and snatch away their personal freedom. I, for one, would like some credit for playing a part in this deviousness. That's a fair point. The problem to a large extent is the BBC wriggling. It's like if we assume that Clarkson punched someone then fair enough, discipline him, follow the rule book on bad behaviour. But does that mean cancelling all showings of the ones they've already recorded? Before any charge is proven? does it mean not making the remaining ones? Not to me. It's the kind of ultra sensitivity to reaction that's just soft. There's clearly people in the BBC who dislike what he does or says, because it's not PC, and there are others who think - he makes massively popular telly, makes the company loads of money, keeps audiences happy. They're going to end up making a mess of sorting it out, because they always do. It must be difficult because the right wing press hate the BBC and the left wing press hate Clarkson. So they can't win, really. But heck, they really don't help themselves. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 always reminds me of Top Gear and its true about the show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colhint Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Strange situation for the Beeb. I don't think they can win either way. At the Villa, if a youth team player smacked a groundsman, I would sack him. If Benteke smacked a groundsman, no way would I sack him, maybe 2 weeks fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarewsEyebrowDesigner Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 So you can't punch your colleagues now? Political correctness gone mad!!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 it's win win if the BBC sack Clarkson for punching somebody then they've stood by a good principle if on the other hand, it is decided it's ok to punch someone that's annoyed you, well, Clarkson's gonna get smacked in the face a fair bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mic09 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 I think it's perfectly understandable for one of the Chipping Norton set to punch an underling if the catering isn't to their precise specification. I mean how else is one to instill discipline and respect in these servant types? I quite enjoy watching top gear. It's obvious the 3 of them act like utter bell ends as an "act". If people don't like it, turn the telly off, or change channel. Mind you probably won't have to any more. Also there's the most Guardian headline ever on their internet page "With Jeremy Clarkson suspended, here's my vision for an eco-feminist Top Gear" I read the first paragraph and I had to vomit, so I stopped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 replacement found Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 always reminds me of Top Gear and its true about the show He moans about the Hamster not being a real hamster ... The irony being is that Lee isn't a real comedian Tbf I did chuckle for the first minute or two , and then it just became painfully unfunny and I gave up around the 5 min mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 replacement found A working class racist and bigot , I was under the impression there was no such thing , damn you VT politics thread and your misinformation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villaajax Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Alf Garnett was a Tory though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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