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Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May Making Show For Amazon

mrspoonsi writes: Amazon has announced that former Top Gear hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May will be reuniting to create “an all-new car show” that will be exclusively on Amazon Prime. The first season will be made available worldwide in 2016 and will be produced executive producer Andy Wilman. The BBC reports: "The move follows their departure from the hit BBC Two show earlier this year. Clarkson's contract was not renewed following an 'unprovoked physical attack' on a Top Gear producer. His co-hosts then followed him in leaving the show. They will now make the unnamed new programme with former Top Gear executive producer Andy Wilman, who also quit the BBC following the 'fracas.' In a statement from Amazon, Clarkson said: 'I feel like I've climbed out of a biplane and into a spaceship.'"

207 comments

  1. vroooommmmmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well, I would have personally chosen a different streaming service, but Amazon is certainly better than nothing! I eagerly await the show!

  2. I wonder by justthinkit · · Score: 2

    I wonder how many parts of the show they are not allowed to copy.

    I think of David Letterman and how he had to change the name of his top ten list.

    --
    I come here for the love
    1. Re:I wonder by blackbearnh · · Score: 2

      They can just replace The Stig with Jeff Bezos...

    2. Re: I wonder by JWW · · Score: 2

      I'm looking forward to the Popular person in a production car and seeing their feral racing driver the Gits test supercars. ;-)

    3. Re:I wonder by dbIII · · Score: 1

      As an aside there was a direct clone of the Letterman thing in Australia. The presenter (Steve Vizard) would even wander around with an empty coffee cup at the start of the show to copy what Letterman did. The presenter was one of the owners of the network that thought he was funny and decided he would play at being Letterman, but somehow he failed to copy the entertaining bits and made sure that he was not upstaged by any guests with actual talent by frequently interupting them.
      I have no idea how he got away with it for four years, but he was a lawyer with a LOT of political connections as well as being a part owner of the network he was broadcasting on.

    4. Re:I wonder by MrKaos · · Score: 1

      As an aside there was a direct clone of the Letterman thing in Australia. The presenter (Steve Vizard) would even wander around with an empty coffee cup at the start of the show to copy what Letterman did.

      Wasn't he in some comedy show as well?

      --
      My ism, it's full of beliefs.
    5. Re:I wonder by dwywit · · Score: 1

      Vizard was in some of the funniest sketch comedy in Australia.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

      It's aged, but some of it still works.

      --
      They sentenced me to twenty years of boredom
    6. Re:I wonder by 91degrees · · Score: 1

      You'd need to find something creative in the format that is actually copyrighted.

      Letterman is essentially the same as any other talk show. The distinctive feature was Letterman himself.

      Top Gear has The Stig, and "Star in a reasonably priced car", which, while not the epitome of creativity, do have a stamp of originality that they'd have a much harder time getting away with copying.

      I actually wonder if they're going to do supercar track times. Clarkson is a pretty good driver, but he doesn't have the crazy precision (lap times within 1/100 secs of each other) that a professional racing driver has.

    7. Re:I wonder by dbIII · · Score: 1

      Yes. Some of the others were very funny. His stuff was pretty well the homosexual version of "blackface" and other unoriginal shit, but he was the guy with the finance so went in the show.

    8. Re:I wonder by dbIII · · Score: 1

      His Letterman clone showed that without the others to carry him he was a boring waste of space.
      He was the money and connections guy for Fast Forward production and he got time on screen to keep his ego fed.

    9. Re:I wonder by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Things they probably need to change the name of:
      The show
      The Stig
      The Cool Wall
      Star in a Reasonably Priced Car

      Things they probably need to change the look of:
      The Stig's race suit
      The studio (the BBC will own all the stuff like the crushed Hi-Lux etc.)
      The show's logo and branding

      And that's it. The BBC can't stop them doing any of the wacky stuff, they can't stop them "reviewing" cars, they can't stop them giving celebrities racing lessons and interviewing them.

      Having said that, I suspect the show might be pretty different in some respects. They're not stuck with the constraints of what people expect of Top Gear any more so there's a lot more opportunity for reinvention. The main reason the show worked was the chemistry between the presenters and as that's staying for the new show there's no reason it shouldn't be just as good as Top Gear and actually go on and do some much better things too.

    10. Re:I wonder by dbIII · · Score: 1

      Letterman is essentially the same as any other talk show. The distinctive feature was Letterman himself.

      The Vizard show slavishly copied his mannerisms (eg. walking around with a cup at that start of the show) and the timing of the segments. It was all very strange until I saw an episode of Letterman. Of course someone who ended up being forbidden for running a company for ten years after being caught at insider trading is exactly to sort of person that doesn't care about copying someone else's show that has worked elsewhere. Few people in Australia had seen Letterman back then.
      Top Gear however has a wider international reach than most things, it's broadcast just about everywhere on the planet.

    11. Re:I wonder by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      somehow he failed to copy the entertaining bits

      Can't copy what doesn't exist.

    12. Re:I wonder by jeremyp · · Score: 1

      They might have bought the format off CBS.

      --
      All I want is a secure system where it's easy to do anything I want. Is that too much to ask ~~ Randall Munroe
    13. Re:I wonder by dbIII · · Score: 1

      Since there was nothing along those lines in the credits, and given the lack of respect for the law of the "creator", that is very unlikely. The funny thing (finally) is when it ended it was replaced with the real thing.

    14. Re:I wonder by MrKaos · · Score: 1

      Yes. Some of the others were very funny. His stuff was pretty well the homosexual version of "blackface" and other unoriginal shit, but he was the guy with the finance so went in the show.

      Did you know him?

      --
      My ism, it's full of beliefs.
  3. Amazon Prime by ScentCone · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I have to say, I keep stumbling across new reasons that I like Prime. Had a gig this evening, and needed some spendy batteries. A couple of clicks this morning, and they were on my doorstep in the afternoon. It only takes a few events like that in a year to make Prime worth the modest cost. But so many other little goodies that Bezos keeps tossing in to remind me why it's good to stick around. I have enough parts and pieces shipped in that it pays for itself in time and shipping costs regardless. The rest is frosting on that cake. It will be interesting to see how much of a production budget Amazon gives these guys to make their particular form of entertainment. I anticipate lots of drone footage of cars doing entertaining things.

    --
    Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
    1. Re:Amazon Prime by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It does not pay if you order a lot from Marketplace-Sellers, or from other regional Amazon-Sites.

    2. Re:Amazon Prime by ScentCone · · Score: 1

      True, but I find that I can pick up 90% of what I need through Prime. And the fact that I get to watch a rebooted Top Gear that Amazon is paying to produce - a nice bonus.

      --
      Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
    3. Re:Amazon Prime by delt0r · · Score: 0

      You know i don't get prime, but if i wanted to i bet i could still watch this new topgear. But why would i want to? 90% of the old show was camera and editing work. The show was good despite 3 clowns that can't drive and don't know shit about well just about anything. Not to mention their brand of humor was getting very juvenile of late.

      --
      If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
    4. Re:Amazon Prime by Maritz · · Score: 1

      No link to the special offer? Click the box and type scentcone for 10% off? ;)

      --
      I do not want your cheap brainburning drugs. They are useless for work. And I am a working man today.
    5. Re:Amazon Prime by ScentCone · · Score: 1

      No, actually. I'm just describing something I pay for, and which I like. I know that's not fashionable, but it actually is possible to like a company and it's products/services. On balance, I think Amazon is a remarkable operation. Not shy about it. The more people who check them out and also use their services, the better it gets for me. I generally - though not always - like what Bezos is doing outside the context of Amazon directly.

      --
      Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
    6. Re:Amazon Prime by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      Not to mention their brand of humor was getting very juvenile of late

      Of late? That infestation has been there as long as I can remember, which is as long as I've had a TV && bothered to see Top Gear. And it's probably 5 years since I started to refuse to watch anything with Clarkson in it after his "trade unionists should be shot" claim. Friends of mine have been shot by firing squads for being trade unionists, and I'd be more than happy to return the favour to Clarkson (with him trusting that the first time I pick up a gun I'll be able to successfully shoot to hurt but not kill).

      I can't conceive of the circumstances that would cause me to remain in the room while this were on, let alone actually pay for it. If I were to consider taking on Amazon Prime (which I've been fairly neutral on thus far), then this is a strong argument against it.

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
  4. First note to the PAs on the new show: by JBMcB · · Score: 5, Funny

    Mr. Clarkson prefers WARM STEAKS.

    --
    My Other Computer Is A Data General Nova III.
    1. Re:First note to the PAs on the new show: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ...and that you go down 20 secs in the first round.

    2. Re:First note to the PAs on the new show: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, I thought that! This would have been a _really_ _fantastic_ story if they'd slugged it out, with both of them beaten and bloody after a gruelling 8 rounds, and ending up with them both slumped over a table, and resolving their differences amicably with new-found mutual respect.

    3. Re:First note to the PAs on the new show: by delt0r · · Score: 1

      Clarkson would have passed out after the second puch he is so fat and unfit. Hell when people start with "your father so fat..." it will be a clarkson reference.

      --
      If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
    4. Re:First note to the PAs on the new show: by hey! · · Score: 3, Funny

      Note to executive producers: hire PAs with mixed martial arts experience. Bonus points if they're Mexican or Argentinian. Come to think of it, keep the cameras rolling too because that's something I'd pay to watch.

      --
      Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
    5. Re:First note to the PAs on the new show: by Rei · · Score: 4, Interesting

      You know, that would be the best prank ever. Convincing Clarkson that he's getting a new TV show but having the actual point being to secretly film him when he's not acting for the fake "show", as they subject him to situations that would be increasingly uncomfortable for a speed-obsessed labour-hating hot-headed racist diva. Sort of "Top Gear" crossed with "An Idiot Abroad". ;)

      --
      Also, I can kill you with my brain.
    6. Re:First note to the PAs on the new show: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your comment makes me think you're the type of person who thinks punching people is cool or something.

      Couple issues, though--first, the only way to build up resistance to the effects of being punched in the face is probably getting punched in the face a lot.

      So yeah, I guess I'm also unfit as well, but that's only half of the issue here...the other half is the bit about being fat--being fat doesn't really affect how many punches it takes to to put someone on the floor or knock them out.

      None of this matters, though; since I'm a grown man who lives in Texas, punching me in the face might very well result in you being shot.

    7. Re:First note to the PAs on the new show: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A PA that goes down after 20 secs? I didn't know Amazon showed those types of movies.

  5. World Wide? by Barny · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I figured I would try it. I signed up for it, Amazon happily took my credit card details and, after they were potentially billing me (yeah I know first month is free), they tell me I can't watch it from my location. Now, I know they have my address on file. I know they can figure out what country my visa card was issued. You would think they would warn me that I cannot view their apparently 'world wide' service from Australia.

    --
    ...
    /me sighs
    1. Re:World Wide? by PhiRo,oRihP · · Score: 0

      [Cough]VPN[/Cough]

    2. Re:World Wide? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      make sure the service you use doesnt set 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington DC as the default location, it's obvious and it seems like every website knows it's a vpn service, but for some reason the vpn companies like to use it

    3. Re:World Wide? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      You would think they would warn me that I cannot view their apparently 'world wide' service from Australia.

      Where has Amazon ever claimed that Amazon Video streams all content "world wide"?

    4. Re:World Wide? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Use a geounlocker such as unblock-us.com or invest in a VPN that allows you to change the country from where your computer appears to be.

      Source: I live in Melbourne. I use both these services to get what I need.

    5. Re:World Wide? by Barny · · Score: 1

      Yeah, good call. The BBC news channel added that, and Slashdot copied them.

      http://phx.corporate-ir.net/ph...

      Is the original press release and seems to only say that it will be released for Amazon Prime viewers, not mentioning anything about being a "worldwide release".

      --
      ...
      /me sighs
    6. Re:World Wide? by norite · · Score: 2

      VPN's won't help either. If you have to pay via a credit card, they know which country you're from and they they can deny the service based on this. You'd have to get a credit card in the issuing country, with a corresponding address in that country

      They have this same implementation for restricting the sale of mp3's; you can't for example buy mp3's from amazon.co.uk if you live in Canada and have a Canadian credit card.

      --
      -- Fuck Beta
    7. Re:World Wide? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Real shame it didn't land on Netflix.

    8. Re:World Wide? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Torrent till the companies learn...

    9. Re:World Wide? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Relax, get your money back, tell Amazon to fcuk themselves and wait for a bittorrent release.
      Don't forget to use VPN ;)

    10. Re:World Wide? by 91degrees · · Score: 1

      I think that's just IP location based.

      I couldn't by mp3s from amazon.co.uk in Belgium with a British credit card either.

    11. Re:World Wide? by delt0r · · Score: 0

      This is why i bittorrent. But not this show. I watched top gear despite Clarkson. He is a total arsehole.

      --
      If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
    12. Re:World Wide? by Feral+Nerd · · Score: 1

      I figured I would try it. I signed up for it, Amazon happily took my credit card details and, after they were potentially billing me (yeah I know first month is free), they tell me I can't watch it from my location. Now, I know they have my address on file. I know they can figure out what country my visa card was issued. You would think they would warn me that I cannot view their apparently 'world wide' service from Australia.

      The best part is that you will now be getting regular e-mails from them informing you of 'deals' available to you on their world wide service that you cannot subscribe to from your location.

    13. Re:World Wide? by goarilla · · Score: 1

      We get it, you don't like Clarkson.

    14. Re:World Wide? by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 1

      Well, what's BBC-America supposed to do? Now their only British show for us is Star Trek: Next Generation.

      --
      (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
    15. Re:World Wide? by mrchaotica · · Score: 1

      What, did something happen to Doctor Who?

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

    16. Re:World Wide? by stdarg · · Score: 1

      Well, Peter Capaldi happened.

      (Sorry, just not a fan)

    17. Re:World Wide? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And also, no one gives a single fuck that you don't like Clarkson. The number of people that like him is very large, and those are probably people you dislike as well.

      People who don't like him tend to be overly sensitive (read: bitches) and are of little concern, anyway.

    18. Re:World Wide? by servant · · Score: 1

      Thank your 'local' politicians and media trying to cover their own at the expense of the public. I really doubt Amazon cares, but they are obligated to follow laws no matter how idiotic. I can't see BBC stuff from the US without subterfuge, that I don't do.

      --
      ... "When you pry the source from my cold dead hands."
    19. Re:World Wide? by RockDoctor · · Score: 1
      I'm not quite clear on this - are you saying that Clarkson is an execrable excuse for a presenter who is a liability to any show on which he appears? That him being present on a panel show is actually going to harm it's ratings and re-sale value?

      I'm just trying to get an accurate handle on just how much of an arsehole Clarkson is, so that his career is destroyed and he disappears from public life.

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
  6. News for Nerds? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Perhaps this is stuff that fucking matters.

    1. Re:News for Nerds? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Slashdot readers are bell-ends - Clarkson is thus their messiah.

  7. unprovoked? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    unprovoked physical attack? by all accounts it wasn't entirely unprovoked, certainly over the top and excess but not unprovoked, I would be pretty pissed too in clarksons situation, not to the extent of hitting someone but still not being fed properly after a long hard day is provocation, especially as Clarksons demands are well known.. Clarkson is a dick, but he is an entertaining one, this is certainly BBC's loss and I am sure the loss of all 3 will be hundreds of millions wiped out of the BBC's income over the coming years.

    1. Re: unprovoked? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Lol. Clueless apologist.

    2. Re:unprovoked? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      From what I've read, he had been given a diagnosis of "likely cancer" a couple of days before. That kind of shit rocks the very foundations of your world, and has a huge emotional impact; there's no way he would have been emotionally stable at that time. I know I wouldn't be.

    3. Re:unprovoked? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I received a diagnosis of cancer some years ago. I didn't punch anyone. I didn't even think about punching anyone.

      I did start reading about treatments for my cancer and the likely outcomes. My wife asked why I was acting calmly when she and the kids were so freaking out. I told her that "acting" was the key word.

  8. Alabama by Kunedog · · Score: 1

    I heard they're still allowed to fake rock-throwing attacks, but they have to use CGI instead of cutting to a black screen.

  9. Isn't it called "Grand Theft Auto?" by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 5, Funny

    >> 'unprovoked physical attack' on a Top Gear producer

    Let's see...driving around in awesome cars and smacking around random people. Isn't that already called "Grand Theft Auto?"

  10. May Making Show! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Make car vroom fast go go!

  11. Hats off, Amazon by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    It's always been a bit of a PITA to even consume Amazon content; I've got a fairly poor network connection and they're nowhere near as good at throttling as Youtube, let alone Netflix. When you compound that with their long-standing and only relatively recently-relaxed attitude towards permitting Android devices to consume Amazon Instant Video, my desire to have Amazon Prime has been extremely limited... until now.

    Assuming this is true, this might be what finally lures me into Prime membership.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    1. Re:Hats off, Amazon by Cytotoxic · · Score: 1

      On the connection issues, I wonder why these streaming services don't allow more caching of content. I'd expect that you could flag a movie that you want to watch and the player would download the whole thing for me in the background. I could either attempt to watch in real time or catch it much later, or anywhere in between.

      But they don't work that way, which means that I have problems with amazon streaming from time to time. (I have Comcast Cable internet, and I have my suspicions as to the source of those streaming problems)

    2. Re:Hats off, Amazon by Xest · · Score: 1

      I only have shitty 4mb ADSL in the UK and I have absolutely no problems streaming their content. How bad is your connection exactly?

      I agree their lack of Android support was shitty, but given that I could play it on my X1, my 360s, my PS4, my PS3 my Smart TVs, and I think even my WiiU as well as my computers (I also have two internet connections with different IPs) I always wondered how long it'd be before they phoned me to tell me I'd been banned from sharing my account. There was never really much of a shortage of devices that could play this stuff, Android was really the exception not the rule.

    3. Re:Hats off, Amazon by eWarz · · Score: 2

      They tend to throttle their flash player even if you have a 100 mbit connection. There is a flag you put in the URL to bypass the throttle and it works flawlessly. I believe the flag is forceBR=5.

    4. Re:Hats off, Amazon by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      I only have shitty 4mb ADSL in the UK and I have absolutely no problems streaming their content. How bad is your connection exactly?

      It's a 6mb connection from a local WISP that brings the signal into our town via four microwave links...

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    5. Re:Hats off, Amazon by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      They tend to throttle their flash player even if you have a 100 mbit connection.

      I have the opposite problem. My connection is kiddie grade, from a WISP that phones it in, and the Amazon video player often won't buffer properly, doesn't cut down the bitrate enough, something. Netflix works great and Youtube works OK so I blame Amazon.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  12. this is not the Leaked show synopsis by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    What can they call the show that's both amusing and punitive?
    B.B.C - British Blokes Cars (just use and promote the acronym, ought to be no end of merry japes)

    Synopsis - several Middle Aged and Unexpectedly Wealthy dufus's from the crumbling British Empire lark and prank about in cars, without the hindrances of a Politically Correct overseer, making enough poo poo and boom boom jokes to keep a newly minted prince Harry soiling his duds in merriment. Long live the Queen.

    Featuring segments including 'Who Can We Offend This Week' and 'you'll never afford one of these', mixed with the humor and empathy of a UFC cage grudge match between a roid raging korean ex swimmer who's 'transitioning' and Lord Myrtlefardby, Baron of Upwardly Bumly, presenting a lecture on 'why things were better under Thatcher and get orf moi lawn'

    Amazon Drones will bring you each weeks loving hand crafted edition on USB, painstakingly pin striped in a Trans Pacific Partnership sweatshop in Rarotonga. Please ensure you have a valid credit card as the drones are also authoried to apply 'credit inducements' via Taser for late payment or turning the PC off.

    1. Re: this is not the Leaked show synopsis by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're a producer for the show, right?

    2. Re:this is not the Leaked show synopsis by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Lol, that's quite good.

  13. Yes, unprovoked by Calibax · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You do realize that the only reason Clarkson was not fed is because he went drinking at a local pub after shooting was completed for the day. He arrived at his hotel after the restaurant was closed (but some people were still there chatting) and then blew up because there was no hot food for him.

    Clarkson went on a 40 minute rant blaming a producer named Oisin Tymon. Clarkson called the producer lazy, told him he would make certain he lost his job, and used a racial slur describing him as a "lazy Irish cunt". All this in public in front of many people. Eventually he punched the producer, who was taken to the local hospital for treatment of facial injuries.

    Clarkson's show also claimed a Tesla ran out of electric power after 55 miles when the claimed range was 200 miles. Tesla sued for libel but the lawsuit was dismissed because "rectification of inaccuracies is not a function of the courts"! However, the BBC admitted in court that the scene where the car ran out of power was faked. I hope Clarkson and friends don't have the same leeway with the truth under Amazon.

    1. Re:Yes, unprovoked by vux984 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I've seen that episode several times. I like the Tesla, but I think Top Gear made a good point.

      Clarkson's show also claimed a Tesla ran out of electric power after 55 miles when the claimed range was 200 miles.

      The actual quote:

      âoeAlthough Tesla say it will do 200 miles we worked out that on our track it would run out after just 55 miles.â

      55 miles on their TRACK.

      55 miles on a track isn't really even that bad... but it would be a terrible track day car. I had to fill my 911 twice last time I took it to a track, and then again to get it home. But a complete fill on my car takes less than 5 minutes at the gas station next to the track. A tesla owner would not have that luxury.

      the BBC admitted in court that the scene where the car ran out of power was faked.

      Not "faked", but yes it was was done purely for dramatic effect.

      And, again, in context, it was simply illustrating the point that after a day on the track the car would be dead; and wouldn't make the trip home. (without another lengthy recharge.)

      Only a Tesla fangirl would get all twisted up in knots over the episode. It was a legitimate criticism delivered with typical Topgear dramatic sensibilities. (Ie 'over the top') But Clarkson and the gang routinely slag excellent cars and its all in pretty good humor. Clarkson has called the 911 Turbo a car that plots to kill its driver, and compared the Carrera 4S to a boob job... meanwhile he fell over himself in adulation of the Ford GT which he pre-ordered for himself and which had proven to be something of a lemon to actually own... "leeway" is what the audience wants from that show.

      There are plenty of other places to get 'boring'. Few magazines ever say anything remotely critical of anything. Its pretty refreshing and entertaining to see these supercars and hypercars both shown in their best lights but also to see them taken down a peg now and again. To see a ferrari stuck in an alley it's too wide for, to watch them try and park a lambo, to see them collectively decide a cheap VW hatchback is more fun to drive than a BMW... that's what made TopGear.

    2. Re:Yes, unprovoked by guacamole · · Score: 1

      Some of the funniest shows and not so political correct punchlines they made involved travel episodes into other countries. Clarkson was an ass, and everyone knows this. But being an arrogant prick is sometimes what's necessary to make the funny shows he made.

    3. Re:Yes, unprovoked by delt0r · · Score: 1

      No. The funny bits are not when he is being an arsehole. Those bits are not aired. He says things like "i feel like i am working for the enemy". To him, his enemies include all cyclists, all government officials, all people with "inferior" cars, all other people with cars on the road he wants to drive on... just everybody basically. I don't doubt that this show will not live up to expectations (without the filming and editing team they are shit out of luck).

      --
      If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
    4. Re:Yes, unprovoked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      "used a racial slur describing him as a "lazy Irish cunt""
      Not a racial slur.

      Also, Clarkson _was_ able to get a steak, so there is an argument that the producer could have done better.

      "Eventually he punched the producer, who was taken to the local hospital for treatment of facial injuries"
      While technically true, this is very misleading. There was a physical altercation, punch is very much stretching the definition. The producer drove himself to the hospital, for injuries that consisted of a minor split lip and some minor swelling.

      "Clarkson's show also claimed a Tesla ran out of electric power after 55 miles when the claimed range was 200 miles."
      False. They never claimed this.

      "but the lawsuit was dismissed because "rectification of inaccuracies is not a function of the courts""
      False. The rest of that quote is "... unless that can be achieved in the course of proceedings properly brought to enforce a recognized course of action."

      Tesla claimed Top Gear had libelled them. This was found to be false, so there was no course of action. Tesla claimed that they lied several times in the program. That was found to be false.

      Tesla even tried to claim that a car on a race track with failed braking assistance did not count as a car with broken brakes. If that had happened at the wrong time on a public road, it could have easily led to an accident. Tesla massively overreacted to the criticism they received, but they do have a history of doing this.

    5. Re:Yes, unprovoked by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      Actually the real bone of contention was not the fact that they faked it running out of charge, it's that they faked it breaking down. The claimed it was less reliable than it really was.

      They really seem to hate EVs for some reason, except hybrid sports cars. Even then, Clarkson was too thick to work out how to use the charger so didn't get maximum benefit from it.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    6. Re:Yes, unprovoked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He's partially disgraced us Irish by not taking the opportunity to melt that cunt's face when he was clearly asking for it.

    7. Re:Yes, unprovoked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You do realize that the only reason Clarkson was not fed is because he went drinking at a local pub after shooting was completed for the day

      The pub was part of the shoot.

    8. Re:Yes, unprovoked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But a complete fill on my car takes less than 5 minutes at the gas station next to the track. A tesla owner would not have that luxury.

      They would if there was a supercharger available, and it wouldn't be unreasonable to have one or two at each race track if they began to seriously cater towards electric race cars. OK it's about 30 minutes rather than 5 minutes, but that's still not bad if you're charging it during a break for a snack/lunch.

    9. Re:Yes, unprovoked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, the made a shit point. Tesla doesn't run out in the middle of nowhere any more than a petrol car runs out in the middle of nowhere.

      That they had to fake it to produce the effect was proof of that.

      The fact that they still damn well showed it is proof they're a bunch of lying cunts.

      "Oh, it would have only lasted 55 miles on our track!" SO FUCKING WHAT? That's a frigging RACE you retarded shitepile! How long would a car able to go so fast last on the same track? 50-80 miles tops. Less if it were a big car rather than a light racer.

      And it would beat the same sized car in acceleration and speed OR in range on the racetrack. No similar car could beat it on all three. You'd need a proper "road legal" racer for that.

    10. Re:Yes, unprovoked by vux984 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      it's that they faked it breaking down.

      Cite?

      All the coverage I can find of a "fake breakdown" is simply an alternate phrasing for their "dramatization" of it running out of juice, and then being pushed into the garage.

      http://www.liveleak.com/view?i...

      That said, the drivetrain did overheat on one, and the brakes did fail on the other one. (Yes they abused them... but that's what they do. And plenty of other super and hyper cars have broken down on them too and they've taken the piss out of them too.)

      Even then, Clarkson was too thick to work out how to use the charger so didn't get maximum benefit from it.

      And he wasn't able to run a Reliant Robin more than a 100 yards without rolling it over either. He's Clarkson... his persona for like 15+ years is to be a bit of hooligan gorilla. Taking his on-screen and off-screen antics seriously... says more about the viewer than it does about Clarkson. Its not fair and balanced journalism. Sit back and enjoy the spectacle.

    11. Re:Yes, unprovoked by houghi · · Score: 2

      Only a Tesla fangirl would get all twisted up in knots over the episode.

      Only a Top Gear fangirl would think that Top Gear is a car show that reviews cars.

      It si not about the cars. They could just as easily insult celebrities or trees all the time.

      It is basically Grumpy Old Man.

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    12. Re:Yes, unprovoked by Doc_Gamesh · · Score: 1

      All of this. Yes. Though I don't know the ins and outs of the Tesla thing. There's nothing wrong with being called Irish though! ;-)

    13. Re:Yes, unprovoked by Feral+Nerd · · Score: 0

      Even then, Clarkson was too thick to work out how to use the charger so didn't get maximum benefit from it.

      And he wasn't able to run a Reliant Robin more than a 100 yards without rolling it over either. He's Clarkson... his persona for like 15+ years is to be a bit of hooligan gorilla. Taking his on-screen and off-screen antics seriously... says more about the viewer than it does about Clarkson. Its not fair and balanced journalism. Sit back and enjoy the spectacle.

      Actually he had to drive the Reliant Robin a 100 yards before he succeded in his intention to deliberately roll it over to amuse his audience. Not that there is anything wrong with amusing your audience with slapstick but rolling a Reliant Robin in 100 yards is pretty lame driving. Any experienced sports car driver, like Clarkson claiks to be, could roll a Reliant Robin over inside of 50 yards. As for 'antics', punching somebody in the face isn't 'off-screen antics', it's assult with intent.

    14. Re:Yes, unprovoked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I understand a lot of Tesla fanbois get their panties in a was when someone criticizes their beloved, but take things into context. The Tesla had a good showing compared to a lot of other cars on their show. For example, it started. It didn't catch on fire. It didn't start to dissolve as it was driven down a runway. These are things that other cars have done in their hands. Hell, Clarksons beloved Ford GT ran out of gas after 40 miles on the track. Some of the super cars get roughly 1 MPG on the track.

      But of course, Tesla can't take it to be shown that they are less than perfect, even when so many other cars have shown how far from perfect they are. And Tesla can't take things into context and seems to not realize that their car, like most others, has issues when put around a track. The whole lot of you seem to have no sense of humor. And in my statement of "you" I'm not really talking to the parent I'm replying to, but every Tesla fanboi who gets butt hurt any time somebody points out a negative. I realize, now that Jobs is dead, you need a new messiah and his name is Musk, but really, Cristi isn't a bad thing.

    15. Re:Yes, unprovoked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I see people criticize Top Gear the way you just did over and over and I can think is that you don't get the show, or you've never seen it.

      As a fan of the show, what do I think it is? I think it's about a few adolescent boys that exist in 50 year old bodies and the hi jinx they get up to. And they frame this in the form of "a motoring show" in the sense that all the hi jinx are based around cars. And I also think that anyone who thinks it's a car review show and criticizes it for the quality of it's review is really, really out of touch with reality to what the show actually is. Just because a show doesn't fit what you think it should be doesn't mean it's bad because of it and shouldn't exist. You'd be an idiot to take their "reviews" as serious.

      Case and point, when they couldn't get a Bentley for their Albania mafia review, so they simply replaced it with a Yugo, and then proceeded to review it as if it were a Bentley. Yup, there's a show that is doing its all to scream "we are a serious car show, and we do serious reviews".

    16. Re:Yes, unprovoked by vux984 · · Score: 2

      . Any experienced sports car driver, like Clarkson claiks to be, could roll a Reliant Robin over inside of 50 yards

      And if I'd originally written 50 you'd have claimed it should only need 25. No real point even engaging. The point remains that he set out to make the robin look like all it does is roll over, when lots of people have managed to drive one without constantly going over.

      As for 'antics', punching somebody in the face isn't 'off-screen antics', it's assult with intent.

      I am not defending the assault, per se; nor was i even referring to it; By off screen antics I meant his persona in general. His columns, his books, his political views, his public appearances... etc.

    17. Re:Yes, unprovoked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ? They've got the producer. He decides how the show looks. Yes, the photography and editing team do a skilled job to interpret the producer's vision but it's not like they're irreplaceable. With the amount of money Amazon have I reckon they can probably afford a decent photography and editing team. Will it look exactly the same? No. Does it need to for the show to work? No. It might even look better.

    18. Re:Yes, unprovoked by vux984 · · Score: 1

      "Oh, it would have only lasted 55 miles on our track!" SO FUCKING WHAT? That's a frigging RACE you retarded shitepile!

      You do realize topgear runs pretty much every car that comes in on its track right? Every other car however, can be filled up and driven home immediately afterwards. That's a fairly signficant difference between other cars and the Tesla. They decided to make much ado about that point. Accept it and move on.

      How long would a car able to go so fast last on the same track? 50-80 miles tops.

      Did you not read my post? I actually answered that. I said 55 wasn't that bad on the track. I said my 911 needed to be filled up twice on a track day, plus a 3rd time to go home. I figure I was getting around 3-4 mpg... my range wouldn't be much better than a Tesla.

      But I could (and did) fill it in the space of time it took to wolf down a sandwich... twice; and then get back onto the track. My track day in a Tesla would have been... cut shorter to say the least; and I'd have had to sit around for a while charging it up again to go home too.

      And it would beat the same sized car in acceleration and speed OR in range on the racetrack. No similar car could beat it on all three. You'd need a proper "road legal" racer for that.

      That's just fangirl talk. It wins drag races. That's about it.

      Here's the Tesla S at the Nurburgring
      http://ecomento.com/2014/07/10...

      The car overheated around 5 miles in. Without overheating they figured around 9 minutes. That's pretty good (but it didn't actually do it... what with the overheating.) And 9 minutes while very good is NOT amazing. LOTS of high performance 4 door sedans can do that... Mercedes C55, BMW 335i, Audi S5... are all comfortably sub 9 minute cars.

      I like Tesla. I like the car. I like what the company is doing to the automotive world. But I don't want to own one (at least not one they've made so far). Its a pretty amazing car, and the torque is phenomenal... it wins drag races against almost everything.

      Its a good car, but not as good your making it out to be.

    19. Re:Yes, unprovoked by eth1 · · Score: 1

      55 miles on a track isn't really even that bad... but it would be a terrible track day car. I had to fill my 911 twice last time I took it to a track, and then again to get it home. But a complete fill on my car takes less than 5 minutes at the gas station next to the track. A tesla owner would not have that luxury.

      That actually sounds like an opportunity for Tesla. 55 miles would be really close to what you'd need for a typical 20-30 minute run session on track. I bet it would be feasible to have a "Tesla track day support" truck with a mobile version of the battery-swap machinery, and a semi-trailer full of charged batteries. They just set it up in the pit lane. At the start of the day/weekend, you swap out your "road" pack for one of the rentals, and then again every time you come off the track. The events I've been to, you'd need 4-8 batteries per car (depending on if it's a one or two-day event).

      It would probably take 5-10 owners together to get the cost down to something reasonable, and still be more expensive than a gas fill-up, but I'll bet it could be done (and allow Tesla to proof their battery-swap technology in a more controlled environment).

    20. Re:Yes, unprovoked by jeremyp · · Score: 1

      The Reliant rolling was in the context of an segment that was deliberately and obviously taking the piss out of a car that is a bit of a running joke in British culture. In fact he rolled it four times in the segment.

      Nobody watching it would have mistaken it for a serious attempt to evaluate the Robin.

      --
      All I want is a secure system where it's easy to do anything I want. Is that too much to ask ~~ Randall Munroe
    21. Re:Yes, unprovoked by jeremyp · · Score: 1

      "Oh, it would have only lasted 55 miles on our track!" SO FUCKING WHAT? That's a frigging RACE you retarded shitepile! How long would a car able to go so fast last on the same track? 50-80 miles tops. Less if it were a big car rather than a light racer.

      If you compare it to, say, a Lotus Elise, an expectation of an owner of a car in that class is that you can take it on a track day. So take it to Castle Coombe (for example) and after an hour, the battery is dead. What are you going to do for the rest of the day while it recharges? watch everybody else driving round after refuelling with petrol in about five minutes?

      --
      All I want is a secure system where it's easy to do anything I want. Is that too much to ask ~~ Randall Munroe
    22. Re:Yes, unprovoked by ripvlan · · Score: 1

      "Never let the truth get in the way of a good story!!"

    23. Re:Yes, unprovoked by painandgreed · · Score: 1

      Only a Tesla fangirl would get all twisted up in knots over the episode.

      Only a Top Gear fangirl would think that Top Gear is a car show that reviews cars.

      It si not about the cars. They could just as easily insult celebrities or trees all the time.

      It is basically Grumpy Old Man.

      Are you saying that it's a TV car analogy of some show like Jersey Shore?

    24. Re:Yes, unprovoked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, it wasn't. The three Top Gear principals went to the pub together. Only Clarkson was upset when the hotel restaurant was closed after they finished drinking.

    25. Re:Yes, unprovoked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, the general manager of the hotel cooked him a steak after he had made a scene in the hotel lobby for 40 minutes and punched someone.

      If Clarkson had not been a TV personality I'm sure the police would have been called and he would have been charged with disorderly behavior, drunk and disorderly, or something similar. And maybe common assault also.

    26. Re: Yes, unprovoked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      And it is really the perfect combination of review and entertainment. They provide some very interesting factual information, usually in the form of showing features and tech that are awesome/unbelievable. If you are familiar with the show you can recognize what they are doing for entertainment as well as get some good factual info from the program.

      People too dumb to tell the difference are the ones that complain about inaccuracy.

    27. Re: Yes, unprovoked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's about inline with how I feel driving then. Bicyclists and motorcycle riders tend to take flack from drivers because of the very large percentage of them that can't follow the rules. There are as many idiot cyclists as drivers. I've been flipped off by cyclists for safely passing them on public roads. I've seen them riding the wrong way on roads, ignoring stop signs, etc.

      Car drivers can be selfish and stupid, but more often than not bicyclists and motorcycle riders are too.

    28. Re:Yes, unprovoked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There's little doubt that Clarkson was using "Irish" as a insult.

      Strictly speaking, it may have been a racial slur. It can be argued that the Irish and English are different races, with different language and genetic roots.

      The English are basically of Anglo-saxon and French descent. The Irish (and Scottish) people are basically of Scandinavian descent. This is clear from their languages - Scottish and Irish Gaelic are strongly related to old Danish, English is basically Germanic with a lot of Latin mixed in.

      Perhaps xenophobic would be a better description of Clarkson's insult.

    29. Re:Yes, unprovoked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Was he lazy? Was he Irish? Was he a cunt?

      If someone is Irish how can calling them Irish be a racial slur?

    30. Re:Yes, unprovoked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, it's the TV car analogy of some show like Grumpy Old Men, where old celebs moan about things to comedic effect.

    31. Re:Yes, unprovoked by vux984 · · Score: 1

      Nobody watching it would have mistaken it for a serious attempt to evaluate the Robin.

      Nobody watching TopGear should take anything they do as a serious attempt to evaluate anything.

    32. Re:Yes, unprovoked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I understand you want to blather on about Tesla, but the simple fact is that Top Gear was dishonest in how it portrayed the performance of a Tesla.

    33. Re:Yes, unprovoked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You do realize topgear runs pretty much every car that comes in on its track right? Every other car however, can be filled up and driven home immediately afterwards. That's a fairly signficant difference between other cars and the Tesla. They decided to make much ado about that point. Accept it and move on.

      And you hook the Tesla up to a high speed charger - and then drive home with it. We'll accept this canard falls flat and move on.

      Did you not read my post? I actually answered that. I said 55 wasn't that bad on the track.

      You're not answering Top Gear's selective freakout. If the same episode showed them pushing a BWM or a Porsche off the track after 65 miles, Musk wouldn't have sued them, because they wouldn't have been dishonest. Starting to sense a pattern here?

      That's just fangirl talk. It wins drag races. That's about it.

      That's just more crap. This is Top Gear we're talking here, remember? Not Consumer Reports. Brand X having better acceleration and cornering than Brand Y is not some side conversation.

  14. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by damn_registrars · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The whole thing boils down to Political Correctness

    No. Not at all.

    Seriously, read what happened. Yeah, BBC has done plenty of bone-headed things in the name of PC. This, however, is not one of those things. Clarkson punched a staff member. He admitted to doing it. Physical assault is very clearly a violation of workplace terms there. Hell, if you punched a coworker at your place of employment could you reasonably expect to keep your job? I'm quite sure I could not and I am not nearly as highly regarded (or highly paid) as Clarkson.

    This ended up being about the fact that the same rules need to be applied all through the pay scale. Just because he is a celebrity, and a host of the most watched television program in the world does not mean that rules do not apply to him. Hell, if that had happened here in the US, he'd be facing a multi-quintillion-dollar lawsuit already.

    --
    Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
  15. Its good to be an arsehole! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Clarkson might be sexist and racist and a bully but the truth be that many guys think like him and love how Clarkson can get away with it and make a fortune at the same time. No surprise the others followed him and that Amazon wanted him. Money money money!

    1. Re:Its good to be an arsehole! by radarskiy · · Score: 1

      "and love how Clarkson can get away with it"

      For small values of getting away with it.

  16. Pirate anyway by speedlaw · · Score: 1

    Darn. The lads find the one service I don't subscribe to. I guess I'll have to find a stream like I did for the last season on the BBC. TG is special because you get to see them beat up the cars,not just give puff pieces on them. You know the X3 is wack...you know that lots of cars suck even tho they are expensive. There is a boor at every party. JC is that person. I'm sure If I understood the class system of Britain this would be even more interesting, but I live in the colonies.

    1. Re:Pirate anyway by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 1

      You know the X3 is wack...

      Yes, I think that's exactly how James May put it.

      --
      systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
    2. Re:Pirate anyway by silas_moeckel · · Score: 1

      I have a subscriptions and will still pirate it, i refuse to be beholden to use streaming services players. Wake me when they get their act together and get a functional API so things like plex/xbmc can embed them.

      --
      No sir I dont like it.
  17. Typical by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And this is the reason why systemd is soo bloated

  18. I'm entirely over Top Gear by rickb928 · · Score: 0

    And I have been for a few years.

    I've been tired of Wired being papered over with Top Gear since before my first cup of coffee today.

    I'm tired of Top Gear everywhere.

    Please make it stop.

    --
    deleting the extra space after periods so i can stay relevant, yeah.
    1. Re:I'm entirely over Top Gear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I was tired of it years ago.

      Same shit every week, only the cars change.

    2. Re:I'm entirely over Top Gear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fucking hipsters.

    3. Re:I'm entirely over Top Gear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh no.

      You don't like Top Gear.

      Wow.

      I'll go and write that in my diary. Here's what the entry will say: Some schmuck whose opinion doesn't count for shit to anybody other than his friends doesn't like Top Gear. Must stop all references to it.

      How egocentric of you. People here keep saying that Jeremy Clarkson is bad, yet you came in here just to tell us you don't like Top Gear. You do realise that you're not the most important person in the world, and that if we gave a shit you'd be the first person to get it, gift-wrapped?

    4. Re:I'm entirely over Top Gear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      letthebutthurtflowthroughyou.jpg

    5. Re:I'm entirely over Top Gear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm so sorry you don't like it.

      Unlike you, I do like it. And from best estimates, it appears that besides me, roughly 299,999,999 other people like it as well.

      If you think something shouldn't exist simply because you don't like it, then your ego is up there with the worst of the people I've ever met. The only problem is, I can understand how most of those peoples egos have gotten to where they are as they're incredibly successful. You however are just some guy on the internet. They're multi-millionaires and celebrities who's lives are so removed from my reality I really can't hope to understand them.

      How's this for you, you clearly like coffee by your statement. I don't like it. I'm tired of it being everywhere. The stuff is disgusting. Please make coffee stop and go away. Oh wait, that's right, I'm not an arrogant ass, and I realize that though I personally can't stand coffee I'll limit my disgust to throwing playful (verbal) jabs at friends who like it and when they want to go get coffee, I'll continue to settle for a nice iced chai latte. Because I'm not a self centered prick, and I can deal with things existing that I don't like.

    6. Re:I'm entirely over Top Gear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh no.

      You actually watched a show that runs from those times when I wasn't born... you still like it, because you must be granddad(maybe even older) and you don't like anything else in your life, but cars. Poor you.

      Wow.

      You have a diary... are you some douchebag version of Anne Frank, who swears in jidish? Nobody cares what you will write in your diary - even if you will survive next war. Top Gear is not THAT important to history...

      There are many different people who are reading slashdot - there are many who don't like it, there are even more who don't care - it is quite shallow show IMHO. For sure - I don't share the same attitude as Clarkson, but that is just question of bad taste if you like him. Worser thing than Clarkson are those mumbling idiot followers of him, to whom Top Gear is on a scale of religion. Keep your shit to yourself, dude - you are not the most important person either to defend some crap show...

    7. Re:I'm entirely over Top Gear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      PS I take my words back. Most probably you don't like cars, but only Clarkson. You probably don't own a car - I know couple of people who actually watch that show... and they haven't been behind a wheel. They have been only a passengers and Top Gear to them is something that is driving them through life... and because they don't have a clue, they take words of some person as truth... same aplies to TV and newspapers. Useful idiots.

    8. Re:I'm entirely over Top Gear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fucking hipsters.

      About as far away from a hipster as you can get.

      Way too bitter, cynical and openly hostile to people and things I'm not apathetic about; while doing the same crap now that I was doing, 10+ years ago and will be doing more of in the foreseeable future.

    9. Re:I'm entirely over Top Gear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      jidish?

    10. Re:I'm entirely over Top Gear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Lol, the reason Wired is papered over with Top Gear is that millions of other people are not over it.

      Millions of other people>you

      Sorry, that's just how it is.

    11. Re:I'm entirely over Top Gear by rickb928 · · Score: 1

      *whoosh*

      --
      deleting the extra space after periods so i can stay relevant, yeah.
    12. Re:I'm entirely over Top Gear by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't expect a good english here, as not everyone has english as their native tongue. English has very complex ortography rules and not knowing how word is written is easy to make mistakes in spelling.

  19. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by MrKaos · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The whole thing boils down to Political Correctness

    No. Not at all. Seriously, read what happened. Yeah, BBC has done plenty of bone-headed things in the name of PC. This, however, is not one of those things. Clarkson punched a staff member. He admitted to doing it.

    If we call a spade a spade, Clarkson is basically a dick. The only bad thing about this is that he didn't get a solid smack in the face himself.

    --
    My ism, it's full of beliefs.
  20. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Totally agree.

    Just because you are some sort of 'celebrity' (or rich person) you do not have the right to do whatever the hell you want and get away with it. The entertainment world is full of this sort of two-faced bullshit and the self-fulfilling media and entertainment industry and general masses just seem to gloss over it.

  21. enough already... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    all this fuss over one bellicose, egocentric, prima donna and a couple of sidekicks - it's sad. hopefully they'll quietly fade away buried along with all the other over and done with celebs on some cable / net channel...

  22. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Quod licet Iovi, non licet bovi.

  23. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by quenda · · Score: 5, Funny

    If we call a spade a spade, Clarkson is basically a dick.

    You say dick, May called him a knob, Clarkson would refer to himself as a "bell-end". Thats what he gets paid for - a professional arsehole would be a better metaphor IMHO. And we love him for it.

  24. Re: BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctnes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Only if you want to get anything done.

  25. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by mjwx · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Seriously, read what happened. Yeah, BBC has done plenty of bone-headed things in the name of PC. This, however, is not one of those things.

    This may not be about PC, in fact I highly doubt it but to say that this isn't politically motivated is bone headed.

    Clarkson has been at odds with the BBC's director of TV, Danny Cohen since he became Director of TV. Cohen has been gunning for Clarkson for years but hasn't been able to do anything as Clarkson and Wilman owned a significant part of Top Gear as TG was originally a joint venture between the BBC and Clarksons/Wilmans production company. Months before the "fraccas", BBC acquired Wilmans and Clarksons stake in Top Gear.

    However with the loss in revenue the BBC will feel over this and the inevitable failure of the Chris Harris led Top Gear, I suspect that Cohen will be out of a job within a year.

    This ended up being about the fact that the same rules need to be applied all through the pay scale.

    That's a cop out.

    The BBC is not above applying double standards and if this happened at a lower rank, you can bet your arse the person involved would be sent off for "anger management" and that would be the end of it... But as I said, the BBC is not above applying double standards.

    if that had happened here in the US, he'd be facing a multi-quintillion-dollar lawsuit already.

    Which would be settled for a fraction of a million instead of being the circus that it was in the UK.

    --
    Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  26. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Love him or hate him, being a "professional arsehole" doesn't let you off the hook for violating the law. Labour laws, more specifically.

  27. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by Trongy · · Score: 2

    Do you think the BBC should have disregarded his transgressions as they did with Jimmy Savile?

  28. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Not the parent poster but WTF mods? Modding him troll?

  29. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    > Hell, if that had happened here in the US, he'd be facing a multi-quintillion-dollar lawsuit already.

    And isn't it interesting that he isn't facing such a suit? The BBC is the victim here - Clarkson acted foolishly, and actually illegally, violently, although looking at the background, it's fair to say he was having difficult times and had had a crap day. But the BBC had to take the action they did, no question, and the consequence was that they had to put workplace ethics above income and ratings. And the producer he hit is the victim too.

    But to my total delight, there is no talk of bringing claims and courts into it. Basically honourable people. Let's try not to forget this!

  30. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    "inevitable failure of the Chris Harris led Top Gear"

    Sorry to be picky but I think you mean Chris Evans.

  31. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by delt0r · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Punching someone in the face because you spent too long at the pub to get a hot steak has nothing to do with political correctness. Clarkson even said weeks later that he regrets his actions. Probably noticed a missing paycheck.

    --
    If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
  32. Re: BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctnes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Only if you are a boxer :)

  33. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by ihtoit · · Score: 1

    if Clarkson had been caught with his cock in a six year old girl, he'd still have his job and we wouldn't have heard fuck all about it.

    --
    Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
  34. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by Maritz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This may not be about PC, in fact I highly doubt it but to say that this isn't politically motivated is bone headed.

    He punched a producer over some steaks being cold, and it was widely circulated. Your conspiracy theory is beyond bone-headed.

    --
    I do not want your cheap brainburning drugs. They are useless for work. And I am a working man today.
  35. there is one thing they will never top by ihtoit · · Score: 1

    turning a Reliant Robin into a fucking space shuttle. And actually launching it.

    --
    Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
    1. Re:there is one thing they will never top by RailRide · · Score: 1

      Well, they could try getting the "fuel tank" to actually separate the next time around...

      And then actually glide the RR to a controlled landing. That would really blow everyone's mind.

      ---PCJ

    2. Re:there is one thing they will never top by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      turning a Reliant Robin into a fucking space shuttle. And actually launching it.

      Sure great, how many years ago was that?

  36. Profit and profit again. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    1. Start production company Bedder 6
    2. Get bbc to fund and broadcast a show to develop three tv personalities
    3. Sell production company to the bbc. (Clarkson received £8.4million for his 30 per cent stake in Bedder 6). The main asset of the production company are the tv personalities who remain under contract at the discretion of the bbc.
    4. Profit
    5. Engineer a fracas to cause the bbc to not renew the contracts thus killing the top gear franchise.
    6. Parachute the production team into a new show with the same assets you've already sold once.
    7. Profit again.

    Smooth operator. I wonder how much you get for getting punched in the face but refuse to take legal action.
     

  37. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1, Interesting

    It wasn't just the punch either, he had been on warning for a long time after several racist comments, some of them broadcast. He's one of those people who likes to think he ins't a racist, but really is and can't always keep it from coming out.

    It will be interesting to see what happens now, because Amazon is likely to give the team more leeway. The thing is, he won't be able to avoid more incidents like those, and there will be complaints... But is Amazon regulated under TV broadcasting rules? Will they just take the negative publicity and figure that it's all good in the end? Or will it just get so bad that even they have to drop him?

    --
    const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
    SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
  38. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by Stuarticus · · Score: 5, Insightful

    People enjoy the fact he acts an arse, him actually being an arse is a bit different. People often love "characters" on television they would despise in real life, sadly Clarkson let his idiot persona take over his real one.

    --
    If you think someone isn't free to have a different definition of "freedom" you may be a tyrant.
  39. And the world goes "Who cares?" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    At least now it may be in the fiction category where even they (when defending hack jobs) say it should be, rather than a factual programme as it was listed under the BBC (hah! FACTUAL? TG wouldn't know a fact if it got its tits out and shoved them in Clarkson's face).

    Oh, and retards, it isn't "political correctness" to fire someone for abusing their power over others and being violent.

    If the shitstain had been a CEO of HP or some shite, you'd not be whining about his being canned, you'd be whining about him NOT being canned, and rightly so.

    1. Re:And the world goes "Who cares?" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If the shitstain had been a CEO of HP or some shite, you'd not be whining about his being canned, you'd be whining about him NOT being canned, and rightly so.

      Only if that CEO is a woman. If it's a man, then Slashdot would consider it political correctness to fire them over physically assaulting a co-worker.

  40. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by gsslay · · Score: 1

    The difference is that the BBC, as a publicly funded enterprise, should uphold the highest of values and everyone has some kind of say in how it is run.

    You can be a total dick on Amazon Prime if you like. People who don't like you simply will not pay for you and won't watch you. There will be very little outcry and no-one will be demanding your job, your boss' job, and the downfall of your company.

    Bottom line; people care about the BBC (for better or worse), no one cares about Amazon Prime.

  41. Boo fucking hoo. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Three grandparents died of cancer. NONE OF THEM smacked someone in the face EVER because of it.

    Clarkson is a fucking disgrace. And you cocksuckers are worse.

    1. Re:Boo fucking hoo. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, your grandparents must have been kinder. When my dad first got diagnosed with MS, I got smacked around a lot for making very minor mistakes when I was small. He was scared, he was frustrated, and he didn't handle it as well as he could have. I don't believe his diagnosis justified it, but I recognize that it was very much a contributing factor to why. Just because your grand parents took it well, doesn't mean everyone else does.

  42. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by Feral+Nerd · · Score: 4, Informative

    Seriously, read what happened. Yeah, BBC has done plenty of bone-headed things in the name of PC. This, however, is not one of those things.

    Clarkson has been at odds with the BBC's director of TV, Danny Cohen since he became Director of TV.

    There is somebody that Clarkson has met that he didn't end up being at odds with?

    This ended up being about the fact that the same rules need to be applied all through the pay scale.

    That's a cop out. The BBC is not above applying double standards and if this happened at a lower rank, you can bet your arse the person involved would be sent off for "anger management" and that would be the end of it... But as I said, the BBC is not above applying double standards.

    I don't think that this hullabaloo about the firing of Jeremy Clarkson (aka. the unjustified politically motivated attack PC attack on Clarkson) is entirely about him punching that producer. It is also about other incidents of him punching people and just generally being a pain-in-the-ass arrogant diva who has gone out of his way to make enemies. He had it made, all he had to do was think before he talked and not punch people over food deliveries or because they published photos of him snogging a woman who isn't his wife but Clarkson being Clarkson had to screw it up by being a dick. It's nobody's fault but his own.

  43. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by thegarbz · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If it wasn't that BBC insisted that all its employees must accept their Political Correctness doctrine, Mr. Jeremy Clarkson would still be hosting the Top Gear program at BBC

    I suggest you go to work tomorrow and when something doesn't run 100% smoothly shout at another employee and then punch them in the face. See how long you get to keep your job, and see if using the word "political correctness" helps you at all.

  44. Re: BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctnes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Amazon Prime isn't regulated under any TV broadcasting standards in the US since it doesn't use any public airwaves. (Technically pure
    cable channels aren't either, but they tend to pretend they are, which is why BBC America censors BBC shows. For example, when Clarkson called TTs "titties" that got bleeped.) No clue about the UK or anywhere else. Another article suggested Amazon plans on licensing the new show for broadcast so there's a good chance they may limit what they do even though they don't have to.

    Honestly the best part about this new Amazon show is that they no longer will be limited by BS BBC political correctness. Not having to tiptoe around offending anyone should make the new show quite a bit more fun.

  45. But cyclists are the enemy!! by EzInKy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Seems nearly everyone of them feels they can peddle anywhere despite local laws. My city has sacrificed car lanes to make bike lines and bikers still ride the wrong way on one way streets, let alone to mention sidewalks. What is needed is a biker's license equal to a driver's license and equivalent penalties for violating the rules of the road. Breeze by a stop sign? Be subject to strip search just as everyone else is.

    --
    Time is what keeps everything from happening all at once.
    1. Re:But cyclists are the enemy!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Seems nearly everyone of them feels they can peddle anywhere despite local laws. My city has sacrificed car lanes to make bike lines and bikers still ride the wrong way on one way streets, let alone to mention sidewalks. What is needed is a biker's license equal to a driver's license and equivalent penalties for violating the rules of the road. Breeze by a stop sign? Be subject to strip search just as everyone else is.

      And the jackasses who still ride their bike on a busy road while the bike path that was made for them is only 6 feet away.

    2. Re:But cyclists are the enemy!! by delt0r · · Score: 1

      Poor ExInKy, show me on the doll where the cyclist touched you.

      --
      If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
    3. Re:But cyclists are the enemy!! by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      There has never been an instance where a bicyclist plowed into a family car and killed its occupants. There have been many other cases of the revers happening. When it does, to motorists is not prosecuted.

      So ride a bicycle. It is fun.

      We call this cognitive dissonance.

      Riding a bicycle where cars aren't is indeed fun. Riding a bicycle where cars are is terrifying, if you love life and understand how fragile it is. This is why I own a MTB whose rubber cannot even sustain contact with asphalt. Super nice on single track, though.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    4. Re:But cyclists are the enemy!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Seems nearly everyone of them feels they can peddle anywhere despite local laws. My city has sacrificed car lanes to make bike lines and bikers still ride the wrong way on one way streets, let alone to mention sidewalks. What is needed is a biker's license equal to a driver's license and equivalent penalties for violating the rules of the road. Breeze by a stop sign? Be subject to strip search just as everyone else is.

      Bicyclists are subject to equivalent penalties for violating the rules of the road.

      What you probably want is that cyclists be held to a stricter enforcement. I doubt you are asking for strict enforcement if you are driving and violate a traffic law (fail to come to a complete stop, go slightly faster than the posted speed limit, distract yourself with a cell phone, etc - all the things drivers do every day that you no longer pay attention to because it's so common). Instead, you want to crack down on the "other" - that is, cyclists.

      Cyclists are especially annoying since like motorcycles and pedestrians, they usually are rare enough that you have to consciously train yourself to look for them while you drive. With most people unaware of foveal vision, and with your brain actively filling in gaps in your perception, cyclists (like motorcycles and peds) can appear to come out of nowhere. That's quite handy when it comes to shifting blame.

  46. Who cares? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If you are into watching a bunch group of washed-up,old, failed BBC "presenters" then this is the show for you. If not---then so what. You are free to watch something else. I don't watch every show that is streamed. Do you?

  47. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You love him - there is majority of people who don't actually give a damn about him... be open minded - take a look in youtube - there must be someone more appealing than Clarkson and who is doing great things.

  48. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by FictionPimp · · Score: 1

    If there is one thing that the media and the internet has taught me. EVERYONE is a racist. EVERYONE. You are a racist, you just don't know it yet. It's coming though, something you say offends someone of a different race, trust me. I'm a white male, my existence alone is racist.

  49. Amazon wins, BBC loses by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I totally get that Clarkson was in the wrong for punching a Top Gear producer over a scheduling issues with dinner.Apparently on a on location filming Clarkson became upset over the fact that at the end of shooting day the restaurant at the hotel already had closed and Clarkson was upset about this. Frankly, I would have been too. In reality, I think the BBC over corrected and this issues should have been handled as a suspension, lost pay, some other means other then totally dropping Clarkson and basically the BBC hurt themselves much more then Clarkson. They should have known the three (Clarkson,Hammond,May) would quickly bounce back from this. The public out rage over Clarkson's removal should have been a clue. Oh well, Amazon most certainly has a hit on their hands, with the long time former producer of Top Gear coming over to produce the new series.

  50. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by tompaulco · · Score: 1

    People enjoy the fact he acts an arse, him actually being an arse is a bit different. People often love "characters" on television they would despise in real life, sadly Clarkson let his idiot persona take over his real one.

    Yes, exactly. People love Woody Allen movies about sexual deviants. If he had made a movie about hooking up with his adopted daughter, people would have loved it. When he did it in real life, people were shocked, although they now have come to accept it.

    --
    If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
  51. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    but Clarkson being Clarkson had to screw it up by being a dick

    That's why people love to watch him!

  52. Slashdot is entirely over rickb928 by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    And has been for a few years.

    I'm tired of whining.

    I'm tired of whining everywhere.

    Stop.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  53. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    When he did it in real life, people were shocked, although they now have come to accept it.

    Nobody really shocked in real life has come to accept it. Anyone who was actually shocked by it then still feels queasy about it now.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  54. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    To be fair I've often thought about punching someone at work in the face. The trouble is I didn't get paid £5,000,000 last year so I'm not able to suddenly and catastrophically lose my job, even if I wanted to.

  55. Re: BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctnes by drinkypoo · · Score: 2, Funny

    (Technically pure
    cable channels aren't either, but they tend to pretend they are, which is why BBC America censors BBC shows. For example, when Clarkson called TTs "titties" that got bleeped.)

    Ah yes, the BBC, where you can show titties but you can't say titties. And then talk about how superior you are because your media is more sane.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  56. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by drinkypoo · · Score: 1, Troll

    Clarkson had to screw it up by being a dick

    Hahahaha you still think this was a screw-up? It cost Clarkson basically nothing and got him a bunch of free publicity, and he's getting precisely what he wanted. You ignorant tool. You think that because Clarkson's character is a buffoon that he's an idiot? You really think you're something special, don't you?

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  57. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    Clarkson even said weeks later that he regrets his actions.

    It's good to know that you believe everything you read. It just so happens that I've got a relative in Nigeria who would like to communicate with you via email.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  58. Amazon Prime? by tompaulco · · Score: 1

    Are they going to ship it to me for free within two days? No, it is Amazon Prime's streaming service. I can't figure why those are bundled together. I'm sure it's great for people who subscribe. But I am not going to subscribe just for Top Gear, and I don't buy enough online to justify the monthly fees. I don't like streaming content. I'd rather have a DVD.

    --
    If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
    1. Re:Amazon Prime? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Are they going to ship it to me for free within two days? No, it is Amazon Prime's streaming service. I can't figure why those are bundled together. I'm sure it's great for people who subscribe.

      Oh, I thought you were smarter than that, based on your posting history. It's good for Amazon, that's why they are bundled together.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  59. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just because you are some sort of 'celebrity' (or rich person) you do not have the right to do whatever the hell you want and get away with it.

    Yes you do and this is just another example of it. He did get away with it, he doesn't have to face real consequences like criminal charges, just moves on (with his sidekicks) to do the same (for no doubt a generous paycheck) at another employer and doesn't stop being an arrogant dick for a second, calling the BBC inferior (biplane vs. rocketship comment).

  60. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    However with the loss in revenue the BBC will feel over this and the inevitable failure of the Chris Harris led Top Gear,

    The internets have been calling for a Chris Harris-led Top Gear since the show was cancelled... it's got a fair shot if it doesn't try to be the old show.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  61. It goes without saying by Virtucon · · Score: 1

    "What could possibly go wrong?"

    --
    Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
  62. Re: BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctnes by unapersson · · Score: 2

    Of course you can, I bet it only got censored in the US.

  63. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The moto of the internet

    "never forget never forgive"

  64. except.... by argStyopa · · Score: 1

    ...Frankly, part of the charm of the show was the sort of kludgy, clumsily-produced, backyard-BBC feel to it.
    As much as I look forward to the show, it's not likely to succeed.

    1) there's no flipping way any American audience will stand around. Holy shit, I've always been amazed at how desperate one would have to be to be on TV to stand in a crowd of people, mostly in the dark, for the hours and hours it would take them to shoot that show.*
    * unless you're a hottie, in which case you'd clearly have been escorted to the front of the pack to stand innocuously in the background behind Clarkson & crew as they monologue. Usually, I can't be the only one to notice that?

    2) I cannot *conceive* of them being able to do most of the stuff they did on location. The legal climate in the US simply won't allow half the crap they do as too dangerous to the stars, or the other half as too dangerous corporate exposure to outside lawsuits. Notice it's called Top Gear, not Safety Gear. Hell, I doubt US lawyers would allow them to put a star in a reasonably-priced car without wrapping them in bubble wrap, much less make the astonishingly-politically-incorrect comments for which Clarkson is famous.

    --
    -Styopa
    1. Re:except.... by nealric · · Score: 1

      The daytime talk shows have no problem finding people to sit around and watch people argue. I'm sure TG would have no problem at all finding a studio audience. Besides, they have done plenty of shows in the U.S. and plenty of stunts. They will be fine.

    2. Re:except.... by squiggleslash · · Score: 1

      There's nothing in the story implying that the show will be made in the US. Indeed, the quotes are from Amazon Prime's EU division.

      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    3. Re:except.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You do realise that the audience isn't standing around while the team go off and film the outside segments?

    4. Re:except.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If it's filmed in the UK will the legal climate in the US have any effect on it?

  65. Re: BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctnes by mOzone · · Score: 2

    if i hire steve-o from jackass for a cooking show i know its gonna have ball sac's in it
    if i hire clarkson for a tv show hes gonna be a brash asshole and talk out his arse

    these are facts BBC knew the man and how he acted before they issued him 10 contacts

  66. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Clarkson has earned the right to be a dick.

  67. Was hoping Netflix rumor was true by ripvlan · · Score: 1

    As a Netflix user - I was hoping that rumor to be true.

    I've been purchasing TopGear through iTunes for years because my local cable didn't carry TopGear UK (or it was in a package I didn't want to fork over an extra ++ $50 / month). I did the math. TopGear was $44 / year. Cable wanted an extra $52 Per Month.

    Now I have a reason to buy Prime - faster shipping by itself wasn't worth it previously.

    Amazon made a good move. They know this show will drive demand - and if the show lives up to expectations - Amazon stands to make money, and expand Prime. Which makes more money.

    Now the USA needs a Federal Tax code :-P

  68. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by LordSkippy · · Score: 1

    This is what I don't get. Clarkson has this British bloke persona, the kind of guy you can have a pint with and not have to worry about the conversation delving into fashion design or spa treatments. Basically, the opposite of the effeminate metrosexual.

    Yet, he basically punched someone out over catering.

    The last words out of the mouth of the guy he hit had better have been "vegan only."

    --
    My karma is in a nose dive
  69. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by Feral+Nerd · · Score: 1

    Clarkson had to screw it up by being a dick

    Hahahaha you still think this was a screw-up? It cost Clarkson basically nothing and got him a bunch of free publicity, and he's getting precisely what he wanted. You ignorant tool. You think that because Clarkson's character is a buffoon that he's an idiot? You really think you're something special, don't you?

    Hahahahahaha If anybody here is an ignorant tool it's you. Are you really trying to convince us that Clarkson pretended to blow his gasket and punched Oisin Tymon in the face to get out of his BBC lucrative contract and strike it big on Amazon Prime of all places? I am simply awestruck by the genius of that plan.

  70. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by nealric · · Score: 1

    I preface this by saying none of the following excuses the conduct, but I do think many of the accounts leave out some of the context behind the punch. Clarkson was going through a divorce and had just been told he had cancer. The day of filming had not gone well, he was tired, and drunk. He profusely apologized in the morning and went to the BBC himself to confess. He did something wrong, he made a mistake, but the reports make it sound like it happened because he was a terrible human being rather than a decent one with some flaws.

    I think the end result of the fracas will actually be a win all around. The trio will be forced to get out of the rut they had been in. BBC gets out of a show they were never really comfortable hosting. Those that never liked TG no longer have it shown over the airwaves. U.S. fans no longer have to pony up for BBC America or resort to torrenting the show. Amazon gets a nice crown jewel for Prime streaming.

  71. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by golgotha007 · · Score: 1

    I think Clarkson crossed the line when he challenged BBC in a public forum. BBC felt that it couldn't back down, which meant its only recourse was to fire Clarkson. It's unfortunate because I'm a Top Gear fan, and I rather like Clarkson's sometimes rude demeanor.

  72. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Who the fuck is Chris Harris? Or are you thinking of Keith Harris and Orville as co-presenters?

  73. A-haha-ha-ha-ha - gipsies. by denzacar · · Score: 1
    --
    Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
  74. Not a fan of Amazon Prime by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I got Amazon Prime. Although I like the free shipping (on the 15-20 odd items I buy per year from Amazon), their video service sucks. I can watch Breaking Bad on Netflix for whatever it is I pay for Netflix ($8/month I think). I pay roughly the same amount per month for Amazon Prime ($100/year), but I also have to pay for individual episodes. What's the attraction, really?

  75. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Who the fuck is Chris Harris?

  76. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    his BBC lucrative contract

    You really think nobody would pay him more than the BBC? Seriously?

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  77. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by servant · · Score: 1
    Clarkson was at fault. BBC is at fault. Society is at fault. We like to watch Clarkson BECAUSE he is not above being non-PC if he thinks he has a reason. Then he lets the rest of us judge him after the fact and laughs all the way to the bank because we (indirectly) pay him for the privilege.

    If you don't like him, don't watch him.

    Personally, I think BBC shot their golden goose, but hey, they have tax money to fall back on so who cares! (BTW, I might not be right, but I really don't care.)

    --
    ... "When you pry the source from my cold dead hands."
  78. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by damn_registrars · · Score: 1

    Clarkson was at fault. BBC is at fault. Society is at fault. We like to watch Clarkson BECAUSE he is not above being non-PC if he thinks he has a reason.

    You can assign blame however you like, but the punch was thrown by Clarkson. Nobody physically forced his hand. If he really is the same person on and off screen, he may want to consider seeking psychiatric help.

    If you don't like him, don't watch him.

    Personally I think he's hilarious. I've been watching Top Gear for about a decade or more now. That is not an endorsement for him to be as arrogant off screen as on, though; I view Top Gear as a source of entertainment. People who watched Breaking Bad didn't expect Bryan Cranston to be a meth cooker in real life; why would I expect Clarkson to be the same person in real life that he portrays on TV?

    --
    Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
  79. Cool tech news bro by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Might as well start reporting on lion hunting.

  80. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by delt0r · · Score: 1

    So i should assume Clarkson himself made up the whole thing? Cus he is the one that said it. And there are literally ZERO cases where punching a work colleague is ok. What the fuck are you drinking buddy. Cus its not just poo.

    --
    If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
  81. Re:BBC - hammered by its own Political Correctness by drewlake2000 · · Score: 1

    The only good thing the guy did was punch Piers Morgan.