While in Australia to host Top Gear Live, a stage version of the hit TV show, the BBC presenter also accused Brown of "telling us everything is fine" around the financial crisis in contrast to other world leaders. Clarkson, speaking at a press conference in Sydney to promote his show, compared Mr Brown to Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd, after Rudd had just addressed the country on the global financial crisis. "It's the first time I've ever seen a world leader [Rudd] admit we really are in deep shit," Clarkson was reported as saying in the Australian newspaper.Calling him that is not something I would do myself. There are other ways to insult him. However, this reall all goes back to the right to offend. Just because I wouldn't call him that, does not mean to say that someone else should be prevented from doing so. It probably says just as much about Clarkson as it does about Brown. Should Guido be prevented from offending in the way that he does? He's said far worse things about Brown. But of course Guido doesn't work for the BBC. There will be plenty of honchos at the BBC, especially in their all powerful Equalities Unit, who will be pushing for 'Action This Day', a la Carol Thatcher. If this happens the BBC will head even further down the road of being a place where ideas are stifled because people are fearful of expressing them. It's already happening, with presenters and producers remaining silent in brainstorming meetings for fear of saying something which could be held against them. I know it's happening because enough of them have told me. You do not get creative expression by operating within a culture of fear.
"He genuinely looked terrified. Poor man, he's actually seen the books. We have this one-eyed Scottish idiot who keeps telling us everything's fine and he's saved the world and we know he's lying, but he's smooth at telling us."
If they get Clarkson for this, it will signal that the BBC has embarked on a very dangerous road indeed.
68 comments:
In times like this, I hark back to the wise words of Stephen Fry...
;)
Presumably "one-eyed Scottish idiot" is a racial slur. Time for the Birtist agenda of "equality units" and "internal human resource optimisation toolsets" to roar into action!
Once upon a time, the BBC was run by pragmatic entertainment-industry background people who very sensibly allowed producers, directors and talent to do their own thing, produce excellent programmes and gently assist them not to go too far over the line. In that way, many truly great programmes were made.
Since the 80s, in the spirit of privatisation, much of this once fine (and ultimately not too expensive - in those days - to the license payer) infrastructure has been gradually destroyed. It has been replaced by multiple thought-police units, a bloated and largely useless senior management team wholly lacking in practical industry experience and the talent that once made it all happen subbed out to contracting companies.
And it all costs far, far more than it once did.
Glaringly, those contractors are often under little or no management control - see Chris Moyles and Jonathan Ross!
The double standards (you quite rightly highlight Iain) arise from this "structure".
This is what modern government privatisation-droids refer to as "increased efficiencies".
They won't touch him, Top Gear is too popular and Clarkson has a big enough profile (and is himself popular enough) to whip up an anti-BBC crusade in the media.
I hear the National Society For Village Idiots have been deeply offended by Clarkson's remarks.
I hope he does what his fans and admirers would hope he does, and tells those who call for an apology to get bent. It won't harm his career one bit.
D
I thought the BBC was impartial ??
Don't be a twat Iain
Quite clearly there are people within the BEEB who are fed up with labour, Clarkson is just expressing, if in a crude way what all of us ordinary folk think of Brown. Incompitent, indecisive and at times, a liar?....
www.plenty2say.com
Dungeekin (above) provides a hilarious suggested "apology" from Clarkson. There is a large cross-section of the country who not only agree with Clarkson, but would (and do) add a few more epithets for Brown. The man is a disaster for Britain, why shouldn't we speak the truth?
Thank God for Clarkson, where would we be without one of his outbursts.
Time for a checklist
Is Brown one-eyed?: Yep
Is Brown Scottish?: Yep
Is Brown an idiot?: Yep
Is Brown a liar?: Yep
Can't see a problem with it meself.
Iain
I watched Family Guy on BBC3 last night in an episode that called for a stupid guy to take bad news to Washington - and then they wanted him to be fat and stupid!
Will the BBC thought police be checking out the episode and banning the series now - I doubt it; attacking fat stupid people is probably still PC for the BEEB.
Iain
They'll be after you too for using the word "brainstorming".
Tut, tut - didn't you know it's now on the banned list. I've no idea why either.
R56
I don't know... remember those days when Top Gear was about cars?
I've stopped watching it now because of Clarkson - he seems to revel in his own ignorance whic is quite dspressing really.
And have you heard what he has to say about Audi's??!
Could do with Clarkson at PMQ's
Hmmm. Indisputably Scottish and definitely one-eyed, so the problem word here is "idiot". Surely within the normal range of political abuse which all politicians must expect. You can hear worse things said about Margaret Thatcher on The News Quiz on a more or less weekly basis and she has been out of office for getting on for two decades. Unlike the BBC's extensive stable of left wing comedians, Clarkson was not using the BBC as a platform for his politics.
But I am sure he will be a great asset to ITV or Skye.
Matt - it works in the same way the process has worked in Hollywood, where it gradually became unnacceptable to have bad people played by black actors, then asian, then gay, etc - now the one group left that it's fine to cast as evil - are - the - English! This is why Tom Wilkinson is never out of work.
The same can be seen happening here, but as you say, it's still fine to slur fat people and it's also fine for Jo Brand to curse anyone at all because she herself is, well, I think you get the idea.
Aren't politicians fair game? They steal, lie, commit illegal wars, sell arms to anyone, feather their own nests, ignore the reasons for their employment, arrest objectors, push through 'reforms' designed on the back of fag packets and then expect us to pukker up and assume the position?
Not quite.
DespairingLiberal writes:
"Since the 80s, in the spirit of privatisation, much of this once fine (and ultimately not too expensive - in those days - to the license payer) infrastructure has been gradually destroyed. It has been replaced by multiple thought-police units, a bloated and largely useless senior management team wholly lacking in practical industry experience and the talent that once made it all happen subbed out to contracting companies."
Yes, let's blame the 80s, darling!
I stubbed my toe last week - it was 1987 wot caused it. And when I almost slipped over on my icy front garden path this morning, I just KNEW it was all the fault of 1982.
Flippin' '80s. They're nothing but a bloody nuisance.
"Tut, tut - didn't you know it's now on the banned list. I've no idea why either."
Wish someone would publish this list, so we can be sure exactly what words will get the perpetually-offended screeching from the rooftops...
...and then use them all the time!
I mean, since when did "multiple thought-police units" have dang-all to do with the 1980s?
e simple fact is Clarkson told the truth. Brown is Scottish, has one eye and is an idiot (based on his performance as Chancellor and PM and the results we are now living through).
However this is all very interesting in the context of Carol Thatcher. If Clarkson refuses to apologise that meant the BBC has to fire him otherwise Carol Thatcher becomes an exception. But I think I'm right in saying that Clarkson part or wholly owns the rights to Top Gear and he can take the programme anywhere he likes and deprive the BBC of one of its most popular programmes. What a tangled web the BBC weaves.
The BBC embarked on this dangerous path a long time ago.
The BBC could really do with a very big kick up the bum. The government should force the BBC to fight for its survival.
A radical threat is required to ensure the BBC regenerates itself and kicks itself out of its current sterile malaise.
Yes Doug, Clarkson is in the same position as Ross and Moyles. That's why the BBC treats them with kid gloves - at least partly, it's contractual.
I can't help thinking that some of the red tops or qualos should pay special attention to the controller of BBC1 and see if she is whiter than white - her incredibly shrill, almost shriekingly PC performance on Today yesterday morning was enough to make most normalish people choke on their cornflakes. I feel sorry for people in the Beeb having to work for such ghastly people.
Who cares if Clarkson is being offensive, he has nailed Jonah to a tee.
Priceless!
Jeremy offends....good golly!!!!!
westyorkshirepolice.blogspot.com
‘Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray also criticised Clarkson.
Mr Gray said: "Such a comment is really a reflection on Jeremy Clarkson and speaks for itself.
"Most people here are proud that the prime minister is a Scot and believe him to be the right person to get the UK through this global economic crisis’
Eer I dont think so.
The real issue here, is that Clarkson is actually right in what he says. Brown is a liar.
There is also the consideration of the fact that Brown is blind in one eye and why that is! Plus Clarkson, like Jonathan Ross has form.
The Clarkson remarks reveal the hypocrisy of the BBC.
For different reasons, I do not think that either he or Carol Thatcher requires any formal sanction by the BBC - even if I don't find the comments of either particularly edifying.
But whereas Thatcher made a remark in private, and supposedly without intending any offence, Clarkson ridiculed someone in public for their race and handicap in a calculated attempt to offend.
Furthermore, as the BBC knows, in Clarkson's case that's how he earns his living.
But if the BBC object to Thatcher, they cannot possibly condone Clarkson and remain consistent.
However, they will do nothing because Clarkson is too popular to discipline and (like Ross) they are afraid he will switch channels.
It is obvious to all that far from acting out of high moral principle, the BBC bullies picked on Carol Thatcher, simply because she was an easy target and a safe way to parade their moral superiority.
I recall Anne Robinson putting the entire Welsh population into Room 101. Caused a real uproar but she didn't get reprimanded for it! Still working for BBC to this day.
The trouble with the Clarkson comment is it does not go far enough, as I a Scotsman, Clarkson said only my thoughts, that makes it okay, mind you Jeremy should have had an IGNORANT in there, as there can not be many a Ignorant as brown..
Don't think he should be sacked for calling him Scottish though it's not necessary to imply that all Scots are like Brown.
Don't think he should be sacked for calling him an idiot as that's fair comment.
Don't think he should be sacked at all for calling him one-eyed but i do think that he should be considered a nasty little shit for this last one.
When you think of the lengthy list of available reasons to despise Brown, the fact that he lost an eye as a young man is so far down the list as to be downright cowardly and nasty.
If it can be taken as read that most people on here approve of calling Brown a one-eyed Scottish idiot because all of the words are literally accurate, can we assume that you'd have no problem with, say, someone like Jo Brand calling Margaret Thatcher a senile old woman?
Unbelievable.
The BBC has also used the new Labour phrase "sex worker" to describe Jezza's "insult" about lorry drivers killing whores. What's wrong with "whore". BBC N/O House style?
The point about him being Scottish is that the English have reaction SO badly to having a Scottish PM, that no party will dare to have a non-English leader ever again. (But then, Scotland will get independence and in an England and Wales only parliament the Labour party will cease to exist.)
Yes, Jezza has long openly been a Tory. Of course, the BBC isn't allowed to say that calling him an idiot is defensible because it is accurate.
Surely those with the means who cannot face another year and a half of Gordon are planning to leave within weeks?
Jeremy Clarkson for Sheffield Hallam!
Clarkson is spot on with Brown - Gordon is a useless one-eyed idoit! Only fools are taken in by the best placed nonsense etc.
One eyed? Yes
Scottish? Yes
Idiot? Most defiantly
100% Accurate
Whats the problem?
Zeddy. She is called that, on the BBC, on air, on a regular basis. No one is disciplined.
It is all part of the Fabian plan to make everyone watch what we say, so that nothing ever gets said. It is a form of oppression.
If someone is verbal and rude, we, as individuals, have the right to personally criticise, shun or distance ourselves. That is how it should be. Don't like Clarkson?, switch over, write him a letter.
What is so wrong is to badger the State Bully into getting on your side to go over and wallop him.
Example: Jim Davidson. Utterly ridiculous person. Zero cred. Does it need a law? No. Most people think he is a knob and that to me is enough.
Zeddy,
if Baroness T were still an active politician it would be a valid comparison.
Scottish Idiot is nothing more than fair comment.
I agree that 'one eyed' might be construed as needlessly offensive.
OTOH, it is a metaphorical expression for someone unable to consider any view other than their own, and as such suits Brown admirably.
As a Scot I can honestly say that the fact is that most Scots despise Brown for the ruin he has brought upon the UK. Neverthless Scots meantime tolerate Brown, Darling, and the Speaker, despite the fact that they are idiots who have brought disrepute on Scotland.That they still vote for Labour in UK General Elections is mainly due to a primeval fear of the Tories and not out of any love for Labour. David Cameron has an insurmountable mountain to climb to change that Scots view. Interestingly however Scots opinion polls consistently show that Scots would vote overwhelmingly for the SNP for Holyrood elections where Scots now see the enemy as Labour rather than the Tories
Clarkson is an ignorant prick and using someone's disability in an obviously pejorative context is nasty. But I'm in favour of open and vigorous debate, which includes name-calling.
The problem the BBC has is that it is endlessly crawled over by professional offence-takers and bias-detectors from all parts of the political spectrum. Whatever it does, someone will find fault, wither because they are genuinely offended, have an axe to grind or are hoping to do the BBC down in some way.
The difference between Carol Thatcher and the likes of Jeremy Clarkson, Chris Moyles and Jonathan Ross is that the BBC cannot afford to lose these people who draw in huge audiences. They can afford to lose Carol Thatcher.
If they sack or try and and strait jacket Clarkeson he will simply take the show (along with James May and Richard Hammond no doubt) with him to another channel that will allow him to express his views witch hunt free.
To the BBC Carol Thatcher is expendable, Jeremy Clakeson is not so he will be fine.
I wonder what we'll all call Brown in twenty years time? I sincerely hope that we are not obliged by law and fear of the Thought Police to call him Our Glorious Leader and Saviour of the World.
English PMs for English Parliament anyone?
wv: outim - no comment
***OTOH, it is a metaphorical expression for someone unable to consider any view other than their own, and as such suits Brown admirably.***
I see what you mean, Nigel, but given that the more literal meaning of the phrase has personal application to Brown, there are any number of other metaphors he could have used.
And this is my whole problem with Carol Thatcher. There are any number of metaphors and analogies she could have used to describe that tennis player's hair but she chose to use one which she was either too thick to know could easily cause offence or which she knew perfectly well was offensive but she thought would be an outrageous giggle.
What pisses me off most of all about both the Thatch junior and Clarkson cases is why we have to converse in public via personal abuse. Iain's blog is rapidly turning into a camper version of Guido's where the reaction to any woman whose views are disliked is not to tear those views to pieces with the force of argument but to opine that she's clearly in need of a good f**king.
George Bush has been called much worse on entertainment shows broadcast by the BBC.
Tom said...
I recall Anne Robinson putting the entire Welsh population into Room 101. Caused a real uproar but she didn't get reprimanded for it! Still working for BBC to this day.
She even did some promotion for the Welsh tourist board.
In my eyes Clarkson is so un-PC, that he can't possibly mean eveything he says. So I take it all with a pinch of salt. He's a great entertainer. Long may he carry on causing offence to...erm...everyone!
In answer to your question yes he does. Lets not forget that Gordon Brown wasted taxpayers money with a Youtube video attacking Clarkson, what goes around comes around.
I think the question you should ask is "Does Brown have the right to feel offended". When Clarkson makes jokes about Brummies I don't get offended, nor does anyone I know. All too often when someone makes a statement today a bunch of oversensitive people jump up and start shouting "that's offensive" - the rest of us should just tell them to grow up and get a life.
Here's the part of the Guardian story Ian linked to that really got on my last nerve:
Lord Foulkes, a former Labour Scottish minister, said he was "outraged" at the presenter's remarks. Foulkes said: "If the BBC banned Jonathan Ross for what he said and they have taken Carol Thatcher off air for something she said in private, then something should be done about Clarkson."
"He has insulted Gordon Brown three times over – accusing him of being a liar, having a go at him for having a physical handicap and for his nationality.
"It is an absolute outrage of the worst kind. Disabled people will be up in arms about it, Scottish people will be angry – and it should concern all of us that the prime minister has been accused of lying."
Lord Foulkes has just proved the old adage that it's better to keep quiet and be thought an idiot, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. He's not only a one-eyed (in the figurative sense of being a partisan hack) Scottish idiot, but an arrogantly presumptuous one with no sense of proportion or intellectual honesty.
First, I'd suggest to Lord Foulkes that there's a slight difference between a British citizen making a robust criticism of his elected representatives, and on-air sexual banter better suited to a public school changing shed full of spotty virgins.
Second, who died and made him the Borg Queen of Scotland? The Scots and disabled people of my acquaintance are quite capable of getting offended on their own behalf.
Finally, I'm not so much concerned that anyone would dare suggest the Prime Minister of the day is not absolutely candid on all subjects at all times, but that a Labour Peer would have the gall to mount that particular high horse while four of his Labour colleages are facing another round of corruption allegations.
Zeddy,maybe it just did remind her of a childhood gollywog and she said the first thing that came to mind.Why keep implying evil innuendo putting nasty words in her mouth,just admit you can't stand her and be done with it.
As for saying your being abused and picked on for being a woman,I for one had no inkling you were and I read this blog everyday and have not noticed it degenerating. Might it be your not happy people dissagreeing with you so your falling back on the poor abused downtrodden woman thing.
If your not happy with the replies don't comment.
This was an editorially approved comment in a jokey fashion, without using the word" fuck". Clarkson's fine, as he was with the lorry driving prostitute murderers gags.
Thatcher, however, offended her workplace co-workers to the extent that they stormed out. She then refused to apologise for offence caused, repeatedly. Remember, she was not banned from the BBC, she was fired by The One Show.
Very different circumstances.
So Clarkson isn't a Labour supporter?
Who knew?
If I read your initial posting correctly, your argument derives from a sacred "right to offend" and that the BBC is a place where "ideas are stifled".
So:
1. Pray tell us what are your limits of the "right to offend". Are they encompassed by the old bar-sign: "Please do not ask for credit as a punch in the face might offend"?
2. What great philosophical "idea", other than promoting his own image, lies behind Mr Clarkson's remark?
'One eyed', 'Scots' and 'Idiot' are three facts about Gordon Brown. Why is stringing them togather offensive?
The point about the BBC & Clarkson is that his show is syndicated around the world. His brand of "edgy" humour is actually found funny by people who have a choice, unlike Ross whose stuff is only broadcast by the BBC. If they fired him he cfould walk into ITV or Sky & take his worldwide audience with him (& presumably get the sort of money Ross gets but doesn't earn). I have no doubt the BBC would have fired him long ago if that were not so - probably when Top Gear, on BBC 2, got a bigger audience than BBC 1's expensively produced flagship warming alarmist show. But they keep sniping at him.
Still it wasn't very polite & he should say "I called Gordon Brown a one eyed idiot & I now realise it wasn't very nice of me to mention his one eye."
Does Jeremy Clarkson Have the Right to Offend?
He has a civic duty to offend!
By the way, the BBC need him more than he needs them!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/sep/05/jeremyclarkson.bbc
With each passing month I lose interest in the BBC. For the few programmes they produce that I like I am seriously wondering if they are worth the licence penalty I have to pay. I appreciate there are the current affairs programmes but the left wing disposition of such prgrammes is quite suffocating these days. I tend to go to websites to get my news on the economy these days for instance.
BBC 'Breaking News'
Clarkson as on reflection apologised for what he said about the prime ministers appearance.
Great - that's my kind of apology.
I love Mark Radcliffe's comment about Clarkson: "The Joey Barton of the BBC presenting line-up"
David Anthony said...
George Bush has been called much worse on entertainment shows broadcast by the BBC.
February 06, 2009 12:55 PM
That's right, they used to compare him to a monkey.
I haven't heard any Obama jokes from them yet.
Why are comedians all so leftie nowadays, there is such a rich seem of comedic material in New Labour, but they steer well clear of it.
Bring back Spitting Image.
Iain,
I note that the Controller of BBC 1 Ms Hunt isan Australian!
I also note that the woman who should have resigned over the Jonathon Ross issue, Jan Bennett is a North American!
BRITISH JOBS FOR BRITISH WORKERS!
McBroon ,during the past 12 years, has been at the centre of effectively destroying the United Kingdom. AND their is controversy over him being INSULTED. What more has he to do before he becomes eligible, pleasure the Queens corgis.
Twig
They can't bring back Spitting Image. There's no one left to offend. Unless you count us white middle class straight men, and we seem to be fair game.
Besides, there is no such thing as a Gordon Brown caricature. There's nothing you can exaggerate for comic effect:
Hattersley used to gush spit, but he didn't.
Kenneth Baker was portrayed as a slimy slug, but he wasnn't really.
Gordon Brown is a one-eyed bogie eater.
See what I mean?
Twig said he had not heard any obama jokes yet! so let's get started, one I got on my text the other day,,,"What have Lincoln, Kennedy, and Obama got in common??
Nothing yet!!
The real mystery is why the BBC continues to support this failed New Labour regime. Does Brown know something about this corporation that we don't?
Perhaps it's time for me to give it the kiss of death?
***As for saying your being abused and picked on for being a woman,I for one had no inkling you were and I read this blog everyday and have not noticed it degenerating. Might it be your not happy people dissagreeing with you so your falling back on the poor abused downtrodden woman thing.***
DMC, this is pure babbling from the padded cell. Where exactly have I ever said (a) that I'm a woman or (b) that I'm bullied and downtrodden for being a woman.
For the record, sweetheart, I'm a chap.
Zeddy,your post @ 12.38,last paragraph.That certainly reads as if your female and you mention conversing in public"via personal abuse".
and of course your reply above isn't personal abuse ,is it?Where have I personally abuse you.Typical double standards fromn yourself and pal simon.
Boo bloody hoo, Clarkson's done it again. He's made fun of someone in the public domain. So he called Gordon Brown a "one-eyed Scottish idiot", so what. He's just having a go, a quick joke for quick laugh. It's hardly a pre-emptive strike in an England vs Scotland race war.
http://thealternativetake.blogspot.com/
Dungeekin - isn't Jeremy Clarkson the head of the National Society for Village Idiots? At least, that's how he comes off on TOP GEAR to THIS Yank!
Iain - I think Clarkson gave himself the Right to Offend ages ago, and will (in the words of my own country's "gun rights mob") "give it up when they take it from his cold, dead fingers...." ;)
Dungeekin - isn't Jeremy Clarkson the head of the National Society for Village Idiots? At least, that's how he comes off on TOP GEAR to THIS Yank!
Iain - I think Clarkson gave himself the Right to Offend ages ago, and will (in the words of my own country's "gun rights mob") "give it up when they take it from his cold, dead fingers...." ;)
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