Can 30,311 British citizens subjects be wrong? That's how many inhabitants of the North Sea island nation have signed an online petition calling for Prime Minister Gordon Brown to step down and make way for Top Gear presenter and notorious "Little Englander" (a.k.a. xenophobe) Jeremy Clarkson. Yahoo! News reports the petition is getting more attention than petitions for issues like fuel duty rates. Apparently Downing Street is taking the petition seriously; they routinely remove petitions from the official government website that The Oxbridge Powers-That-Be consider spurious. If they leave the Clarkson for PM petition alone, it will hang around until its closing date of April 17. Even the conservative Daily Mail newspaper is getting on the bandwagon: they ran a page full of suggested policies Prime Minister Clarkson should adopt. If he'll accept suggestions from the Colonies, I humbly recommend appointing Hamster as Transport Minister.
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Mr Clarkson is not a xenophobe, yes he is very outspoken, but he is not a racist. Mr Clarkson is very open about people who come to the UK and respect UK ways and values. What he doesn’t like is people who make him feel guilty for living his life (i.e driving cars which contribute to “killing this world”. Smoking. etc). Who knows? Mr Clarkson could revive the UK’s car industry?
I think Mr Clarkson as prime minister would be an excellent choice. The UK has the resources and talent to be a major player in the world, but it’s lazy politicians who think the UK’s future lies becoming the world’s biggest importer and buying from our foreign “friends”, when the UK can make products as good as the rest of the world.
P.S. When Mr Clarkson talks about Americans being “fat” I think he means “Morbidly obese”. Mr Clarkson always jokes about being tubby himself. But compared to some of the dumper trucks I saw when I was in Florida, Mr Clarkson is a matchstick by comparision!
P.P.S Let’s the UK Vs US bashing begin! This could be the “James May” article string all over again!
Brilliant!
One can just imagine all of London going up in a puff of smoke if JC was ever actually made PM.
The guy is the ultimate non-Politician. Never afraid to offend, never afraid to be wrong.
He’s done more to dismiss the stuffy British stereotype than anyone else, ever. I’ve always looked at him a a cross between John Cleese, Howard Stern, and Larry the Cable guy.
KatiePuckrik : You minx. OK, feel free to bash Mr. Clarkson, or his American equivalents. TTAC's posting strictures are clear: no flaming the website, its authors or fellow commentators. That said, I do NOT want to see U.S. – U.K. rancor infesting the comments section under this post. A little not-so-gentle ribbing, fine. But no flame wars. For my part, if you don’t think Clarkson is a xenophobe (no one said racist), you must have missed the entire BBC series where he attacked a different country’s food, cars, culture, etc. (lording it over a representative national stooge) every single week. For an hour at a time. Clarkson literally threw the country (a bit of his map) into the waste basket– sorry, rubbish bin, to the cheers of the studio audience. I'm not PC (obviously), but this was OTT. Not that it matters, by Jezza would not be my first choice for PM. Or my second. Or…
Mr Farago,
If we’re talking about the same series (and I think we are), then I wouldn’t have called that xenophobic. It was a caustic eye over other cultures. Good and bad.
But “xenophobe” denotes that he claims British is best and no-one comes close and that simply isn’t true. He slated MGRover for their poor offerings and he tore apart Rolls Royce cars for just nailing together the bits which get sent over from Germany. But he does praise German, Italian, even French cars!
The only crime which Mr Clarkson committed was saying what all sane British people were thinking.
P.S. I worded my first post purposely to tease and be cute about TTAC without going too far. I suppose you could call me a bit of a “cute teaser”…..! ;O)
Kattie, your forgetting the majority population of my fine nation can really dish it out, but can’t take it. I blame it all on the “everyone is a winner” mentality that festers in our pre-schools, and MTV.
If I were a Brit, I’d vote for Clarkson as PM.
KatiePuckrik : You’re spinning. He most certainly claimed British was best. His hate– not sarcasm, hate– on America (and, to be fair, the rest of the planet) was obvious to anyone who either A) doesn’t share that opinion or B) isn’t a Clarkson apologist. The TV series in question was, to this well-traveled, sarcastic, pull-no-punches, let the chips fall where they may car reviewer, well out of order. His sarcasm did NOT come from a place of love. Not that is has to, but I’m just saying that, in the words of the Governator, it was unconscionable. But make no mistake: I love JC’s writing and hold him high esteem for blazing a trail for The Truth About Cars.
From the horse’s mouth:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,24389-1705780,00.html
(Or rather, since Clarkson is a brit, from the horse-toothed man’s mouth… haw haw)
We co-exist like birds. You don’t find sparrows joining in with a flock of starlings. You don’t see yellowhammers swooping down on a cherry tree with a pack of fieldfares. But crucially you don’t see them fighting either.
This, I think, is the lesson we should learn in these difficult times. Instead of forcing a Pakistani teenager to swear allegiance to the flag and learn English and get some crummy certificate of Britishness from the local mayor, why not let him be a Pakistani who happens to live in Bradford? Let him go to a Muslim school. Let him support Pakistan when they play England at cricket. Let him be what he wants to be.
“Spinning”?!
I’m just sticking up for Mr Clarkson and trying not to demonise him. I admit that he does come down hard on America, but don’t think for one second that Americans aren’t guilty of the same thing.
Case in point, Jon Stewart (fantastic satirist) thinks that all British people sound “gay”. So, is he a “xenophobe”?
“Jon Stewart (fantastic satirist) thinks that all British people sound “gay”. So, is he a “xenophobe”?”
No – just another example of the American Male’s peculiar sexual insecurity. I have an American friend who refused to wear Speedo shorts on the beach in Marbella because “They look gay”. He was the only guy on the entire beach flapping around in sodden knee-length board pants. People were staring and giggling, but at least he didn’t ‘look gay’.
(Actually, there may be a lesson for GM in this story somewhere, but i’m damned if I know where…)
Just watch the Top Gear episode when they toured the South.
They deserved to get chased out of Alabama. And then attempting to foist their crap-arsed wrecks on poor black folks from New Orleans.
They deserved tarring & feathering. Still TG beats Car & Driver TV hands down.
(Katie & Rob, would you two get a room?)
I humbly recommend appointing Hamster as Transport Minister.
…or Royal Crash Test Dummy.
They deserved to get chased out of Alabama.
You say that like getting chased out of Alabama is a bad thing.
Katie, you can’t compare Jon Stewart to Clarkson.
Look, some of Clarkson’s stuff is hilarious and I honestly love him and the show to death. That bit when he drives the Corvette Z06, turns on the navigation system, and have it direct him to a fast food restaurant is hilarious. But like R.F. said, some of the other stuff is a little over the top. I can both love Top Gear and distinguish that they sometimes go a little far.
When Jon Stewart says that Jewish people are greedy or that New Jersey is a dump or that Brits sound “gay” he’s speaking, as you said, as a satirist.
I’ll vote for Clarkson if Britain agrees to take back Simon Cowell.
I think Clarksons over the top US bashing is mostly because he’s more like a stereotypical American than he’s comfortable with.
I’m very curious as to what qualifies as a “xenophobe” by American standards as compared to the viewpoint of other nations. I’ve grown up in America and to say that Clarkson is a Xenophobe is like saying running with scissors is the biggest threat to human health and safety. He demonstrates a small degree of dislike of other culture’s bad habits, but he’s not a xenophobe.
I’ve been attacked by racists with baseball bats because I am not white. That demonstrates xenophobia.
I’ve had people spit in my face for not being white. That demonstrates xenophobia.
Jezza makes humor out of the stereotypes that his audience holds for other societies and for ideas different from England’s status quo. I’ve seen enough American TV to see that Americans do the same towards other nations and other minority groups.
I suppose there is an underlying belief that anyone who mocks other nations does not deserve to be prime minister. But you could also make the argument that drug users, adulterers, and liars should not be in a position of political power; but obviously that’s not the case.
holydonut : Well, one this xenophobia is not is racism. The freedictionary.com defines it as “A person unduly fearful or contemptuous of that which is foreign, especially of strangers or foreign peoples.” We can debate whether Mr. Clarkson's contempt is "unduly," but they’re clearly using the word “foreign” here as meaning supranational. And I also believe a closer examination of Mr. Clarkson work will reveal that he reinforces the anti-Johnny foreigner stereotypes that his countrymen hold, rather than making fun of them. And I suppose it's true: I don’t want a representative who mocks other nations. This is a problem?
I dunno, I think machine gunning a Corvette from a helicopter was hardly an act of love.
Xenophobia has at its core a fear of outsiders, often manifested in hatred or contempt for them. JC doesn’t seem to fear non-Brits, so xenophobe isn’t quite accurate. Maybe “ultranationalist”. Or “really bitter over Britain losing its empire and needing its former colony (the US) to save its ass in WWII.”
I don’t take Clarkson’s stunts and commentaries any more seriously than I take Stephen Colbert’s. Clarkson just refuses to wink out of respect for his intended audience.
R.F. is dead on about the reinforcing part.
And not wanting a P.M. who mocks other countries isn’t the same as not wanting a representative whose cheated on his wife or used drugs (though obviously those aren’t good traits for a representative either), it’s more like not wanting an accountant whose bad at math or not wanting a cleanup hitter that doesn’t hit for power.
Also, Colbert doesn’t wink. He stays true to character in almost all instances. But c’mon guys, even if you don’t take Clarkson seriously (and again I love the show and think he’s hilarious most of the time) let’s not pretend he’s doing satire.
I view xenophobia as hating anything that is different. Which in turn means that the disdain is not for other people, but simply for anything against what is acceptable and normal. Reinforcing stereotypes is only a very slight xenophobic reaction.
I think Clarkson’s deriving humor at others’ expense is awkward for a politician, but I appreciate his doing so far more than the deceit spewed forth by the traditional politician. In the quest to be unoffensive, today’s politicians have become expert liars. While they’ll never say that they dislike other nations, they are quick to place their own nation’s ideology on a pedestal at the expense of the beliefs and cultures of others.
The traditional politician demonstrates a degree of xenophobia that manifests itself differently than what we view from Clarkson… because with Clarkson we get entertained. With the normal politician, it is much more subvert and dark. It is never enjoyable to be the brunt of the satire or joke… but with Clarkson it tends to remain an innocuous joke.
I think the biggest barrier to Clarkson being in a position of power is that he seems to rarely take things seriously. I realize he is simply putting on a show for his audience. Who would have known that wrestlers, singers, and actors in America could be capable politicians?
To quote the man himself: “I think you made the mistake of believing I mean what I say.”
He’s an actor – he plays a character.
Pretty much the same as many Americans feel about the French.
And American’s are fat, morbidly so. You call a spade a spade.
He also caters to his audience which is Britain. Can he help it if his show airs in other countries?
Could he be more PC? Sure but then he wouldn’t be as funny.
The thing I find more sad is the episode the dyno’d the GT500 wand were amazed that there wasn’t 500hp to the rear wheels. just goes to show that they are TV personalities and not really car reviewers with any real knowledge of cars.
Oh yeah, that GT500 review killed me too. I couldn’t believe they acted like they expected 500HP to go to the rear wheels… I kept thinking maybe it was some sort of special dyno where they use some sort of special computer to calculate the crank HP instead or something? Either way, they had to be doing that for show, no way could they not know something so outrageously obvious… right? I mean there must be some other explanation?
@Steve_S
And they also make fun of an AMG 63 having only a 6.2L engine. I don’t think anyone is disputing that they are Entertainers foremost and pragmatic individuals second.
The area of contention is that if an American makes fun of other nations and groups, then it is considered satire. But if a British individual in a completely different culture does the same, then he is a xenophobe and obviously doing harm with his humor.
holydonut : The area of contention is that if an American makes fun of other nations and groups, then it is considered satire. But if a British individual in a completely different culture does the same, then he is a xenophobe and obviously doing harm with his humor. I don’t see it that way. I think the areas of contention involve context and tone of voice. And since when is America considered humorless about its own culture or the culture of others? You must not get the comedy channel, in either sense of that verb.
While I tend to give Clarkson the benefit of the doubt regarding the true intent underlying his tone and voice, the bottom line is you don’t suddenly put the crown on the court jester, regardless of whether he is truly the smartest person in the room. You just don’t.
I care not a whit how xenophobic Mr. Clarkson is. He puts on a damn fine show. Period. The fact that it is the 2nd most downloaded TV show by Americans says a LOT about how poor our TV industry is here in the USA.
As for the petition… well the petition is not really perfect. I signed it not long after it went up, and have no eligibility to vote in the UK. All I did was pop in my address where I lived (as a US Citizen… a legal alien) in the UK from 1996 until 1998, and presto, I was able to sign the petition. ;)
As Florida and Ohio have proven, as long as a system can be gamed, it will be gamed.
Anyone still have a “Dan Gurney for President” T-shirt?
–chuck
I say, if it was possible, he should be our President. Then maybe we could stop all of this global warming crap.
@ Robert Farago :
I never said America doesn’t mock itself with its own humor outlets; I am wondering why you are accusing me of saying this and then dropping a witticism as a consequence.
The situation remains that if Colbert, Lewis Black, Chris Rock, Sacha Baron Cohen, etc were to poke fun of any minority group or culture, then many Americans (and readers of this site) decide that their humor is satire and not a demonstration of xenophobia. And I agree, these individuals pander to the ideology of their audience. They are entertainers.
But if a British man performing for an audience halfway around the globe does the same, we feel fit to judge him and vilify him as a xenophobe. I do consider calling someone a xenophobe to be a very serious accusation. You’re saying he demonstrates contempt and hatred for America, and given the choice, would want others to do America harm or to take action against the interests of Americans.
We download Top Gear because it is distinctly different than traditional American television. But then many here are using traditional American notions of proper behavior to judge the show. As it stands, Clarkson is not promoting acts of aggression against Americans, and he is not creating an atmosphere where he wants Englanders to treat Americans with utter contempt. He is using British humor to poke fun of the stereotypes towards Americans.
It should be noted that Sacha Baron Cohen is British himself, so it’s not like we don’t appreciate British humor, lest we forget the comedic antics of Monty Python or Benny Hill.
I just curious to see Mr Clarkson’s reaction to Jag/Land Rover possibly being acquired by Tata.
The average Brit considers himself much more “car savvy” than the average American. Many Britons are supplied company cars as a way of getting around the high income tax rates there. Since they get new cars more frequently, they tend to stay more abreast of the latest automotive developments. And when you factor in the never-far-from-the-surface class consciousness factor in the UK, upward mobility takes on a whole new meaning. That said, I would posit that “car talk” at a UK pub is about as knowledgeable as “sports talk” or “political talk” in US bars; ie, not terribly fact-based.
JC is entertaining, but to this American, he reinforces that old English stereotype, the silly-ass Englishman. What a tosser.
I’ve just remembered someting else!
People say “I wouldn’t wants someone xenophobic as prime minister”. Is this the same country who renamed “French fries” to “freedom fries” at capitol hill canteen?
Face it, Americans have the same prejudices and biases as any other race.
Difference is, Jeremy Clarkson doesn’t hide it. The reason he wouldn’t cut it in the political world is because he’s too honest.
And let’s not start the “Not really a fact based journalist”, because he gives his opinion on cars with facts (that’s what a reviewer does). If the facts weren’t correct, don’t you think car companies would sue?
I’ve seen it before on TTAC. Americans can joke about Americans (especially Detroit) with no problems whatsoever. When a foreigner says it, that’s a different issue…….
I got told by a TTAC commentator that my opinion can’t be valid on Detroit because I don’t live in the United States. I also am not homosexual, therefore, I can’t advocate equal rights for homosexual couples……
Don’t get too excited over Mr. Clarkson’s brand of humor. Many British entertainers have rubbed it into foreigners for being fat, stupid and a host of other negatives. They do it for laughs that’s all. In the seventies the Irish were the butt of many jokes but very few took it seriously. I lived on Ireland’s east coast which was close enough to receive BBC and ITN television and therefor hear all these Irish jokes. Like almost everyone else I knew in Ireland, I laughed my head of as much as any British viewer. Pakistani’s were always taking it on the chin also and I am sure some were offended but I think they mostly ignored it. I have lived in Canada for 25 years and I often tell Irish jokes to Canadians and Irish alike for the sake of a good laugh. It’s good to laugh at yourself once in a while. While I have been butt of many Irish jokes, I have never been treated in anything other than appropriate respect.
BTW, Clarkson has heaped high praise on American technical and engineering achievements. For example, if you ever get the chance, ask him what he thinks of the Lockheed SR71 spyplane but be sure to step back a few feet before he answers!
KatiePuckrik :
People say “I wouldn’t wants someone xenophobic as prime minister”. Is this the same country who renamed “French fries” to “freedom fries” at capitol hill canteen?
And which has an incompetent, probably xenophobic president. If we had a parliamentary system, like the Mother Country, we could have dumped the bum several years ago, except he never would have made it to the top spot.
Regarding Clarkson, I’ve never seen him, and I find his reviews not worth reading, but I’m going to have to watch him now. He has too many good recommendations. Sounds like he has a bit of Imus in him.
Whoa whoa whoa hang on. This has nothing to do with race v race or British v American. The people who changed the name of French Fries to Freedom Fries are idiots. And there are PLENTY of Americans who think that. No one EVER claimed that there no xenophobic or racist Americans. (There are plenty, after all, this is a rather large country… in fact I’d bet that Americans have a much higher percentage of idiotic racist xenophobes than the UK.) And there are plenty of cultured, educated, smart Americans who abhor xenophobia and cultural insensitivity like that sometimes displayed by Clarkson. Clarkson’s difference isn’t just that he’s “honest.”
holydonut:
Listen, there’s plenty of American entertainers who are very culturally insensitive. I’m not trying to say all American entertainers/comedians are more cultured than Clarkson. But here’s the difference between them: when Colbert or Stewart or even Cohen say something outrageous, they are doing it in the spirit of showing how ridiculous such an assertion is. It is of course, entertainment, but their comedy is seeking to illuminate the stupidity of such prejudices. Farago made a great point that I’ll repeat now: Oftentimes when Clarkson is making a joke that’s over the top, he is in fact, trying to reinforce that prejudice. And yes yes, he’s freakin’ hilarious, I love him, but we shouldn’t exactly admire him for his world view… and thats OK of course, he’s just trying to be an entertainer after all.
Americans can joke about Americans (especially Detroit) with no problems whatsoever. When a foreigner says it, that’s a different issue…….
A different issue for whom? Do you see what you just did there? You lumped us all together. That will set off many of those captured under your wide net every single time. Clarkson does the same thing, but does it for shock and humor value for a British audience. It’s not like he’s trying to be taken seriously in a discussion thread dominated by American individualists. And yes, it is more obnoxious for you to make gross generalizations about us than it is for us to make gross generalizations about ourselves. This is true regardless of whether we accept your stereotyping from across the pond with the thick skin befitting some of the most fortunate people on the planet, or whether we instead accept it with the exceedingly thin skin you seem to presume we all have.
I got told by a TTAC commentator that my opinion can’t be valid on Detroit because I don’t live in the United States.
Speaking on behalf of all Americans, we apologize unreservedly. We offer a complete and utter retraction. The imputation was totally without basis in fact, and was in no way fair comment, and was motivated purely by malice, and we deeply regret any distress that such comments may have caused you, or your family, and we hereby undertake not to repeat any such slander at any time in the future.
Mr Strippo,
When I said “Americans can joke about Americans (especially Detroit) with no problems whatsoever. When a foreigner says it, that’s a different issue…….” It was in context of how Mr Clarkson gives American cars a right kicking (American Ford Focus?), much like TTAC and their commentators. But because he’s non-american it’s xenophobia. Much like the “James May” article.
As for your second comment, well, I think we all know how pointless it was, so we’ll leave it at that…..
When I said “Americans can joke about Americans (especially Detroit) with no problems whatsoever. When a foreigner says it, that’s a different issue…….” It was in context of how Mr Clarkson gives American cars a right kicking (American Ford Focus?), much like TTAC and their commentators. But because he’s non-american it’s xenophobia. Much like the “James May” article.
Thanks for clarifying, but the context you inadvertently gave it was personal. Reread it and the text following it. I like that you write with passion, but it can lead to some misunderstandings when you let the stream of consciousness get the better of you.
As for you second comment, well, I think we all know how pointless it was, so we’ll leave it at that….
Don’t call me stupid.
(Joke. Cleese. Movie reference. Never mind.)
Can someone please give me an example of how Clarkson’s humor is “over the top” and beyond the normal scope of an entertainer creating absurd contexts to entertain his audience?
Maybe I missed a particular episode (I saw the journey through Southeast Americana). Maybe you’re saying it is irrational for Clarkson to perpetuate this notion by being scared of getting shot in America? Or perhaps you’re asserting that painting “NASCAR SUCKS” on the side of your car is over the top and extremely xenophobic.
Lord knows we all are very serious when talking about Rugby or Cricket… or Canada as an equal nation to America… or the quality of the drinking water in Mexico… or the outsourcing of phone call centers to guys named “Jeffery” in India.
Can someone please provide me with a context where Clarkson is upset that people outside of the UK see Top Gear or read Top Gear Magazine? I’d like to see evidence that the man has demonstrated purely xenophobic views and is genuinely passionate about hating all people and ideas that originate from outside his home country.
It was in context of how Mr Clarkson gives American cars a right kicking (American Ford Focus?), much like TTAC and their commentators. But because he’s non-american it’s xenophobia.
Not really the point. When Americans criticize American cars, they are generally just criticizing the cars and the company that made them. When Clarkson does it, he’s often using the cars as a vehicle (pun intended) for heralding British (or perhaps specifically English) superiority and for launching a general assault against the American people, their culture and their values.
The fact that Clarkson plays off of negative stereotypes comes off as xenophobic. His reviews of American cars often say a lot more about his perceptions of American culture than they do about the cars.
I like Clarkson for his adept wordplay, but it’s fair to point out that his voice caters strongly to that segment of the UK population that resents having lost its empire and doesn’t particularly like playing second fiddle to the big kid across the pond. When the Chinese finally push us to second place, I’m sure that we’ll exude similar resentments, too.
That being said, there does seem to be a general disconnect between American and English humor. The main difference is that Brits and Americans use sarcasm differently. The Brits often use sarcasm for humor’s sake, while Americans typically reserve it for attacking others.
When Americans use sarcasm as humor, it is often quickly followed up with a “just kidding” to inform the recipient that no offense was intended. With the English, you’re supposed to get that from the context. If you aren’t trained to see the context, then yes, you could be offended.
What’s wrong with calling French fries “freedom fries?” In France they aren’t called French fries, but rather fried apples of the earth. And the Belgians, not the French, are the world champion eaters of frites. (For good reason, too: the frites I ate in Brussels tasted much better than the chips I ate in London. Katie, I hope you don’t mind me saying that.) A Belgian told me the French use “frite eaters” as a derisive term for Belgians.
Folks, let’s observe the proper meaning of words. Xenophobia means fear of foreigners or strangers; it doesn’t inherently involve contempt or hatred. But humor with a mean streak in it reveals hostility. The way a comedian treats innocent bystanders is a tipoff to his deeper motivation.
I wouldn`t protect Clarkson! You have to feel the thin line between humour and derogatory and insultive remarks. Claiming` that the only good thing coming from States is `right turn on red“ is insultive, especially from a person that represents country ,whose biggest invention is a tea bag. Or stating` Buick Park Avenue was built by idiots and is driven by them`.What is the humour here?
But british are arrogant, they always depict their cars as the best, while actually their land rovers or whatever is left over from their industry , are very average.British quality is even worse than american. No wonder they have to import everything. No wonder their national and external debt calculated per capita, is the highest in the world. At least Americans know how to keep their mouths shut and not brag about things that don`t deserve it. Not the brits case.
Of course, Clarkson is right about quality issues of American cars and their obsoletness, but he should be more of a gentleman.( Clarkson, learn from Damon Hill!) In this case japanese engineers had rights to rip american cars apart on TV. But they never do it. And i love the picture of Clarkson! You deserve it son of a …….! I am just sarcastic here…not insultive.
“a person that represents country ,whose biggest invention is a tea bag”
Jet engine, Computers, Production line, Habeas Corpus, The right to silence when questioned, Presumption of innocence in law, Submarines, Radar and the Cavity Magnetron, The Laws of Thermodynamics, Calculus, Newton’s Laws of Motion, The Theory of Evolution, The structure of DNA, Splitting the atom, Aluminium, Insurance, Television, The electric motor, the electric generator, hydroelectric turbines, the incandescent light bulb, radio, the thermionic valve, Penecillin, Epidemiology, Sterile surgery, Stainless steel, the float glass process, Capitalism, Communism, Central State Banks, Mortgages, the Mould Board Plough, the seed drill, the supersonic transatlantic-range airliner, the power loom, the automated textile spinning mill, genetic fingerprinting, switched packet computer networking, the tank, the aircraft carrier, the guided missile, photography, liver transplants, heart/lung transplants, en-vitro fertilization, cloning, railways, tarmac roads, vulcanised rubber, The Bessemer Process for making steel, the supercharger, the balance-wheel clock escapement, steel ships, the breech-loading gun, Postal stamps, the wind-tunnel, anesthesia, HTTP and webpages
Oh, and the teabag, of course.
You all do realize that Clarkson actually put up his own money (those worthless British Pounds) to buy a Ford GT… only to have it fail miserably for him? Last I checked Ford was an American car company. Methinks he, like millions of others on this planet, won’t buy another American car in their lifetime because of their notions that Americans cannot produce quality products.
Is that xenophobia? No, that’s just common sense.
Hi,
Although I’ve been reading this site for some time, this post about Clarkson compelled me to sign up and speak out. With all-due respect to Katie, I have this to say:
After discovering the extreme anti-Americanism on YouTube in general, and Clarkson’s videos to really top it off; I’ve done some research (Telegraph online I believe, and other sites) on Clarkson and don’t know what to make of him. He speaks in such a very condescending tone of voice about Americans directly and indirectly by bashing our cars. Go on YouTube and type “Jeremy Clarkson On America”.
I’ve given a lot of thought on this subject in the last few weeks, and conclude like the others have stated, that this is not at all humor. Our humor towards other countries are comparably very light in tone from what I’ve seen, and would be very embarrassed and outraged if some American pulled these stunts on Britain or other countries.
Okay I’ve read all replies here and looked at them from both sides. Speaking from experience, I’ve lived in England for over a year now and after living in the States for my entire life, all the stereotypes and generalizations that are made about British people are for the most part TRUE!! They are self righteous, stiff necked, velvet toned, egotistical, pompous, arrogant S.O.Bs, not to mention rude as hell. I suppose the words “excuse me” or “pardon” don’t exist here cause I’ve never heard it. At least for the most part. If I didn’t have a choice right now I would be back in the States in a heartbeat. The overall mentality here is that they(Brits) are the superior country in all respects. Everything we(Yanks) do they can do better. I remember once I got into an argument with a Scottishmen at a local pub about how great a country they have and how they “invented” the US. I laughed in his face and we settled the argument with a game of pool. Even their pool tables are lame, half the size of our smallest tables. Either way I won and chalked one up for the USA. He was pissed. After living here, I wholeheartedly believe that the views of Clarkson are mostly the views of the people. That’s just the way they are. Sad!
And then you woke up
I just posted this on the “Jeremy Clarkson On America” YouTube vid just now, but I want to share it here:
“FWIW, I’m not trying to imply that honest, constructive critisism from someone outside the U.S. is a bad thing at all, be it towards people or cars, but can be a great thing if done with tact and sensitivity to that respective country. I wish Jezza was at least a bit more formal. If that were the case with Clarkson, I’d be a big fan and sign that petition if I was allowed!”.
I would’ve included the link, but don’t know if that would be wise, with respect to this website.
This makes you wonder what is uttered about American cars by the the folks at AutoBild, Carros, and other “non-English” outlets.
It’s also a good thing Clarkson didn’t have to stop by at the DMV to get any temporary tags for the cars they bought. Then he’d have some really horrible things to say about America.
Holydonut, I’m curious whether you’re familiar with the body of Clarkson’s work. It’s not as if he’s just an automotive writer, he’s also a regular columnist in The Sun tabloid and in The Times.
He doesn’t just limit his criticisms of the US to some lousy cars, he is also consistently bashing on Americans in rather personal ways. One of his more colorful descriptions of Americans was as a nation of “250 million wankers living in a country with no word for wanker.”
Or take this piece that he wrote for The Sun about the Katrina debacle ( http://www2.nationalreview.com/images/paperforgreg.jpg ) in which he made this comment:
American may have given the world the space shuttle and, er, condensed milk, but behind the veneer of civilization, most Americans barely have the brains to walk on their back legs.
He then proceeds to liken Americans to lobsters (“the stupidest creature on God’s earth”), before implying that Bush’s frequent verbal gaffes are representative of the nation as a whole.
Or take a look at this clip from a TV show in which he claims these people are “average Americans”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJXmecIR5PQ
Let’s face it, if an American commentator made regular fodder of mocking the English in print and on television, it would not be published or televised regularly in the UK just for humor’s sake, even if it was meant as a joke. They would not appreciate the level fo vitriol being directed to them as a whole, particularly by an outsider.
And the tone of Clarkson’s pieces show that it isn’t just a joke, but an appeal to anti-Americanism. It’s not just a criticism of the vehicles, as you might find here, but an attack on the society as a whole.
I don’t know whether or not Clarkson means it, but he is clearly an opportunist who plays up to the visceral Rule Britannia loathings of The Sun’s readership. The fact that he gets paid quite well to comment regularly in this vein tells you that there is an audience for it, and what does that tell you?
salmon8er- Did you know that most of the stereotypes are true. Give me one, and I bet it is true. All you will be able to find is an exception( like I know one gipsy who works hard,bla,bla, bla). But exceptions only approve general rules.There is no achievement in the world that would allow you( me) to be arrogant. Gipsies have a curse-may you become arrogant! because arrogancy brings loneliness, for your friends leave you! What is sad with brittons, that behind their claims of being better than Americans stands only vapourware. I couldn`t tell that about germans, or japanese. Or actually Americans themselves.I couldn`t find a single category in which Englishmen would surpass Americans. actually i am surprised how such a rather big , rainy country manages to get only 4-5 gold medals in Olympic Games. I admit that japanese and germans beat americans in car building, Russians beat Americans in civil aircraft, helicopter, missile and submarine building. french beat Americans in nuclear programs and train building. Japanese are also better in electronics, robots, semiconductors, shipbuilding and precision movement building. but Brits are better…uhm…uhm…egh..egh..hmmmm..right, you have Harry Potter. And marmelade( couldn`t write the gay pronunciation here) on a toast. :)
jurisb:
Here are a couple of stereotypes off the top of my head I heard before I had to move to this dreadful depressing country. I was told that their teeth were beyond awful. Yellow and nasty as if there were no such device as a toothbrush or braces. Snaggletooth! I’ve seen this myself as I go out to the pubs and clubs and socialize. I was also told that if I were to get into a fight with a Brit it would certainly never be one on one. Their whole clan would jump you. That’s why we’re told to never go out to an unfamiliar place by oneself. I can’t make claim to this although I have friends that have experienced this first-hand, where they have been jumped by a group of Brits outside a pub. Also I was told that they can be pretty rude. I initially summed that up as cultural misinterpretation. After living here I can say this after living in many parts of the world that the Brits are by far the most rude people I have come across. And after living in S. Korea for a year I thought they were rude but the Brits tops them. I remember standing in a frozen food aisle at the local grocery store not more than a foot from the glass door looking at the products when I notice a Brit on my left walking straight at me. He literally bumped me back to walk by without saying not a single word. No “excuse me” or “pardon me”. I looked back and the entire aisle was empty. WTF!!! That has happened more than once. I was totally stunned the other day because for the first time I heard someone say to me “Excuse me”. Remember that I have lived here for over a year. This is no exxageration, that was the very first time I heard someone being polite. I don’t even want to get into the way they drive or how certain words are pronounced. RETARDED!! And another thing, I disagree about the Russian building better aircrafts or helos. The others are true IMO.
Or take a look at this clip from a TV show in which he claims these people are “average Americans”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJXmecIR5PQ
He could have come to Boston, and more specifically, perhaps, the area around Longwood Medical Center, or alternatively, Harvard Square, but I’m not sure we’re any more representative than Las Vegas. It’s worth pointing out in Clarkson’s favor that the US did vote for Bush, twice, despite the fact that he demonstrated his incompetence quite clearly in the debates with Gore, and has continued to demonstrate it almost every time he has opened his mouth.
Moreover, even if you accept the hypothesis that Clarkson is xenophobic, or just plain biased and unfair, how representative of Brits is he?
People are people probably regardless of nationality. There are gems and embarrassments everywhere.
Yes, Clarkson is rude, arrogant, and pompous. He intentionally makes fun of societies based on his stereotypical notions. Heck, some people even interpret his humor to be mean spirited and the ramblings of an idiot. But the man is not Xenophobic. Just because you can make fun of American stereotypes hardly qualifies you as a xenophobe.
Did you just skip over the fact that he actually purchased a Ford product? Did you never read how he had praise for the Ariel Atom? Has an American ever walked up to him and had Clarkson yell expletives and insults at them? I’ve heard numerous Americans make fun of Indians, the French, Mexicans, Gays, Girl Scouts, and proponents of Ethanol. They do this for the sake of getting guffaws from their colleagues and audiences. The true xenophobes are the ones building walls to keep the Mexicans out. The true xenophobes are the ones setting fire to crosses in gay citizens’ yards.
It’s okay for a US Citizen spending 1 year in England to label Englanders people as sad. I really doubt that salmon8ter is a xenophobe who really hopes that England just vanishes off the Earth. I really doubt when he hears a British accent, he feels an urge to beat somebody upside the head. But he’s entitled to describe what he thinks; and unless he acts negatively with his intuition, he is not a xenophobe. And if it’s an consolation, I view a negative reaction as one that causes a detriment to someone else. Making generalities and stereotypes is what Humans do. Either you’re saying we’re all xenophobes, or you’re simply stating that Clarkson is one simply because his comments are actually put into print.
I totally understand why you would assume that Clarkson is undeserving of being a political figurehead. Since that’s your opinion and you hold political figures in high esteem. But the crux is whether or not Clarkson is a xenophobe for calling Americans fat and lazy. And in my view he is not. He’s a prick, but he’s not a xenophobe.
holydonut : The true xenophobes are the ones setting fire to crosses in gay citizens’ yards. But he’s entitled to describe what he thinks; and unless he acts negatively with his intuition, he is not a xenophobe. Again, I strongly advise you to look up the definition of xenophobia. I has nothing to do with homophobia. And one does not have to “act out” to be a xenophobe. In short, ignoring/redefining the framework of this debate does not constitute a valid defense of Mr. Clarkson's work. Have you taken the time to investigate the references to Clarkson material demonstrating his venomous anti-American views? If not, as you do, ask yourself a simple question: is JC “making fun” of Yanks or simply insulting them? It’s a fine line– which Clarkson leaps across with both feet, on a regular basis. I appreciate people who make fun of people, countries, automakers, anything– especially when they do so with a keen wit. I can assure you it’s not a matter of “it stops being funny when it starts being you.” It's a matter of tone. When things get genuinely nasty, for me, it stops being funny.
I tend to liken Clarkson to Hunter Thompson. And am a fan of both. Thompson was hardly one to get all the facts straight, but that didn’t stop him from being spot-on so often, not to mention highly entertaining to many and equally disdainful to others.
Change that to P.J. O’Rourke, and I’ll buy you a beer!
H Man: I tend to liken Clarkson to Hunter Thompson. Hunter S. Thompson was extremely sympathetic to foreign cultures. Read his early work as a South American correspondent. And Thompson did get his facts straight. The writer had less and less of them as he devolved into Dr. Gonzo, but the facts that Thompson marshaled and sent into battle were, generally speaking, accurate. Again, read Thompson's earliest work for his “purest” journalism. In which Thompson offered genuine insights into the human condition– especially greed. Clarkson is a buffoon by comparison, offering nothing more than puffed-up pride and xenophobic prejudice. Hunter S. Thompson MAY have admired Jeremy Clarkson's writing style– both are wonderfully Hemingway-esque– but Thompson would have despised Clarkson for his lack of intellectual depth.
Farago:
Yes, I’ve looked up the definition of Xenophobia. To qualify as such you need to have an irrational fear or dislike for things that are abnormal, strange, or foreign. It could be a culture, a lifestyle, or anything that is not simply not normal. A homophobe dislikes an individual because they are gay. A xenophobe would dislike that person because they were different than normal. But I’m not here to argue semantics.
I ask again, and you’ll probably ignore it… but why would JC even bother buying an American car if he unilaterally dislikes America? Simply because he lacks some utopian ideal of proper journalism, you feel fit to brand him with a term reserved for racists, fascists, and bigots.
I bring up the other points to identify that Clarkson does not have a unilateral hatred for America. He does not entice others to take action against America. He does not set out to undermine someone’s efforts simply because they hail from America.
Xenophobia manifests itself in numerous ways. If simply holding stereotypes makes people xenophobes, then the term loses meaning. Everyone holds stereotypes and acts on them to varying degrees. By your definition, any negative tone with “two feet over the line” would constitute xenophobia. You draw your own subjective line regarding the subject and I’ve drawn mine. I feel dialog helps us identify where different viewpoints hold different values. But given that you’re the author of posts, I am providing my commentary trying to convey that there is an alternative point of view.
I don’t believe Clarkson has crossed the line of going from a silly old man and becoming a xenophobe. You seem to view venom as anything besides an innocuous comment or tounge-in-cheek antics.
You cited the times Clarkson has straight up stated that the Average American is an idiot. But when comments are made in this discussion thread about the average Brit being a stuck up arrogant fool, those comments seemed to pass without much consideration. Xenophobia is a step beyond simple name calling based on some silly stereotypes when someone is pandering to their audience. Heck, you felt fit to call Clarkson a buffoon even though you’ve never met him or sat with him to learn his true motivations. You’ve formed some idea in your mind, and you stated your opinion.
It would not be fair for me to brand you as a xenophobe. But you obviously dislike pompous idiot journalists that write mean-spirited things about America. That could be construed as slightly xenophobic as you’ve demonstrated you have no qualms about questioning the intellectual depth or literary acumen of such writers who lack your ideal journalistic tact. Clarkson would be an abnormal journalist when compared to the normal group of quality writers. But the key is you’re not a xenophobe. You simply have formed an idea of Clarkson, and you write words in support of your ideas.
Clarkson always finds a crowd where he can stand out- meaning uneducated classes of U.S. society. Being a presumably educated Britton, he walks along the cheapest dumpsters of trash-suburbia in deep south second-hand junk yards and then undresses the manner and style lacking rednecks , declaring the whole America idiotic and fat.Could he stand out in the crowd of fine tuned car experts and engineers somewhere near Lansing or Palo Alto?
About stereotypes. One was about Scottsmen being stingy( excessively thrifty). I lived in canada for 4 months in host family. And the host was A Scottish lady.What was funny that she didn`t have a lawnmover and was cutting all the grass with hand scissors. Never mind. SHe also managed to tape the light switches in kitchen. When confronted with an eye bulging`why`from my party, she stated, that those lightbulbs consumed too much electricity. So whenever in morning I wanted to detect some food, I had to use lights from fridge. When winter came I had to sleep with my clothes on ,because the whole house was freezing.So I was shaking more than Pamela Anderson with Tommy Lee Jones on. Of course she had a thermostat, which she could simply turn up, but that was probably sacriligeous to Scottish beliefs of` self-sustainability` of body temperature. Guess what, she took an iron ( that heavy metal thingy women use for sliding around on wrinkled pieces of clothes) , took a plastic transparent film and melted the film around the window sash( frame). So I could barely see what was going on outside. Not that I cared much, but anyways. Her car( pre-jurassic Dodge caravan) had a sticker- `Proud to be Scottish.Tell me about stereotypes.
holydonut :
Yes, I’ve looked up the definition of Xenophobia. To qualify as such you need to have an irrational fear or dislike for things that are abnormal, strange, or foreign. It could be a culture, a lifestyle, or anything that is not simply not normal. A homophobe dislikes an individual because they are gay. A xenophobe would dislike that person because they were different than normal. But I’m not here to argue semantics.
It’s not semantics. It’s the G.D. definition. Widening a word’s meaning to suit your rhetorical needs is preposterous. Xenophobia = unreasonable fear of foreigners. Not lifestyle or skin color (as you first suggested. Nationality. I refuse to engage in any further debate with you unless you accept that narrow, commonly accepted definition.
But I will say this: I have met Jeremy Clarkson. I had a lengthy conversation with him prior to a meal. Likeable guy. Bit nervous. Xenophobe.
This article string was brought to you by the word “Xenophobe”. Next week on the The Truth About the English Language: “Quality” and “Reliability”, do they mean the same in English as it does in Japanese and German……?
Farago:
Here is where I get my definition of Xenophobe.
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/xenophobia
Now that we have clarified our little disagreement on semantics… can you please provide your insight as to why Clarkson bought an American car?
He didn’t have an irrational fear of the Red White and Blue, and he didn’t demonstrate utter disdain for something simply because of its country of origin.
When Clarkson met you, he didn’t immediately seek to exit your company because you didn’t sound British. But i suppose his shifty eyes may hide a deep hatred for having had exchanged words with you.
Clarkson is a cantankerous old man. His editors, producers, and audience wholly condone his odd mannerisms and pretension. It’s not like Top Gear is a live show… he just says stuff and sees what sticks in the final cut. And his audience eats that stuff up. But Clarkson is hardly a true xenophobe. He has odd tendencies, but I find it comical you could actually exchange pleasantries with someone that you now claim to have an irrational fear of Americans.
To put things in a different perspective; the publication lends itself to the tone a writer is allowed to take. We read this site because of the writing style; and people download Top Gear for its presentation style.
I remember reading an article here on this site by Leslie Wimbush that likens the hanging speakers in a Dodge Caliber as a pair of testicles. Such a novel take on cars is not available to readers of other publications. Dan Neil could never get away with saying that. His editors would strike him down. Wimbush had to come to your site in order to get her true voice out. The feedback she gave for your site seems vastly different than what made it into Canadian Driver.
https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/reviews/dodge-caliber-awd-rt/
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/lw/caliber_rally.htm
Waiter? Check, please.
Why Clarkson bought an American car? Well, probably he believes that ford is british, as many fords got tuned engines by Cosworth, and GT`s chassis was tuned in Big ,pardon Great Britain. The same way ford can be considered german. I would frankly consider Ford ( at least the serious models)a Japano-german enterprise.
Katie Puckrik– Quality and reliability.An old , primitive vacuum cleaner that is assembled from not precisely cast parts, can be strong and reliable. Still you would not attach a word `quality` to it. Reliable means defect -prone, or defect -proof throughout of its life-cycle. So reliability could be a defect resistancy. ( damn, should a Latvian boy talk about it?) While quality can be associated with performance of the product , the way it is built. Quality is level of assembly and workmanship at the given time of testing. While reliability is longevity of this workmanship.Quality measurment is rather subjective and evaluates a product at the testing time. reliability is objective and measures amount of defects found throughout the life cycle or in any chosen period of time.Quality deals with texture, fit and finish and ingredients value, reliability- with texture durability.
aw lay off Clarkson. I think he is a riot. More so, because I can understand him without sub-titles which is more than I can say for a lot of Brits. The last thing I saw on TG was the segment about “caravanning”, I heartily concur.
Clarkson bought a Ford GT because he thought he was buying a European car, not so much an American one:
So why, you may be wondering, do I own a Ford GT? That’s simple. The body is British, the gearbox is British, the steering rack is from an Aston, the chassis was set up by a couple of guys from Lotus, the wheels are German and the brakes are Italian. The power is American, yes, but it’s tamed and sophisticated by Europeans. It’s a metaphor, in other words, for the perfect world.
http://www.topgear.com/content/features/stories/2006/08/stories/15/3.html
You can love Clarkson or hate him, but you have to be drinking some serious Kool-Aid to believe that he doesn’t play up the anti-American rhetoric in his columns, automotive or otherwise. Which is odd, when you consider that Kool-Aid is an American product.
@pch101:
First off, that quote sees to reinforce the notion that Clarkson has no problem with the vehicle being a combination of the efforts of many nations put together. Which would invalidate the notion that he is a xenophobe. But he could still be against American policies and ideals.
bfg9k mentioned this way back in page 1 of this discussion. Having a “poor” view of America doesn’t qualify as a full blown Xenophobe. There are hundreds of millions of people on this planet that dislike America and her policies. We can give all sorts of reasons for their motivations, but most likely it’s not xenophobia. I think it has more to do with our foreign policies.
I’m guessing you read the rest of his article. It sounds eerily similar to the rantings of people from within this thread who hold negative views of other nations. He thinks Americans are aggressive drivers and rude based on his experience. Some people in this discussion thread view Englanders to be rude and self centered. That’s hardly Xenophobic. This doesn’t demonstrate fear or hatred… just opinions.
Then Clarkson points out in your article that he thinks the Roush Mustang is a spot-on bargain; but he doesn’t want to draw the ire of those who see him in the car. It’s not that he hates the “fried-chicken” aspect of the car. Rather, he thinks the drumstick won’t fit well in England. And instead he opts for a Frankenstein of a car. Lots of countries buried in it. Again, hardly Xenophobic.
You can read between the thousand of lines all you want, but it always comes back to Clarkson’s issue is with what he perceives to represent America. But if he meets a single American he won’t immediately form an irrational hatred or dislike for that person. And more importantly, he doesn’t have an irrational hatred or dislike for the other nations in this world.
you must have missed the entire BBC series where he attacked a different country’s food, cars, culture, etc. (lording it over a representative national stooge) every single week
Well, I saw most of those episodes, including the one about The Netherlands, and it wasn’t negative at all. At least the part about the Netherlands wasn’t…
Yes, he made some easy jokes about drugs and all the other “liberal” policies of my country and the horrible traffic jams on the highways (or motorways), but nothing to be offended about. And he applauded the movement of some people against speed cameras. Probably since this (yet another) form of extra taxation on driving is just as bad if not worse in The Netherlands as it is in Brittain.
Only really negative episode I saw was about Belgium, but that’s just being realistic…
Now if you’re talking about the TopGear America special, that’s a different story. As a European though, I have to say I enjoyed it a lot…Very funny, if a little childish.
You can read between the thousand of lines all you want, but it always comes back to Clarkson’s issue is with what he perceives to represent America.
You conveniently skipped his rant in The Sun, his description of Americans has a collective of 250 million wankers, and his man-in-the-street interview segment from Top Gear that I linked above. Clarkson frequently denounces Americans for being “stupid”. I would have to be stupid indeed to not understand that when Clarkson says Americans are stupid, his intent is to communicate his belief that Americans are “stupid”.
Does Clarkson mean it? Irrelevant, really. More to the point, he’s enormously popular in Britain, and this Americans-can’t-walk-on-their-back-legs rhetoric is a large part of his formula for his riches and life in a manor house. So at the very least, it’s profitable.
The issue isn’t so much with Clarkson, but with the fact that xenophobia sells so well to a large part of his audience. Which tells you more about the audience than it does about the author.
Please, please America, in whatever ways your Nation may change in the future years, please I beg of you, remain just as thin-skinned and self-righteous as you are.
To do otherwise would rob the rest of the world of a vast goldmine of unintentional comedy that is truly beyond price.
@2ronnies1cup…Watching Clarkson I always have the same thought. Do you guys have Orthodontists in the UK? Or Teeth whitener? Just asking.
@mikey
Orthodontists? Teeth-whitener? – What are they?
We do have famously stiff upper lips.