Plan B Forum

'Top Gear' Host Clarkson Slammed For Saying Strikers Should Be Shot

12:05 pm

December 1, 2011

by Mark Memmott

There are calls for Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson to be fired by the BBC because he said on the air last night that the U.K. public sector workers who staged a massive strike Wednesday should be shot "in front of their families."


The sometimes outrageous Clarkson was appearing on the BBC's The One Show. One of the program's "presenters" later apologized to viewers for another comment Clarkson made, about people who kill themselves by stepping in front of trains. Clarkson had suggested trains shouldn't stop when that happens because "it won't make them better."

A BBC spokesman later said the apology also covers the comments about strikers.

Sky News just moved a "breaking news" alert that Clarkson has also apologized for his comments.

UNISON, Britian's largest public sector union, says it's considering taking legal action because Clarkson's comments were an "incitement to violence." And it wants Clarkson sacked.[ oh lighten up you turds]

Back in February, Clarkson came under fire for a comment he made about Mexicans.

Here is a full transcript of an exchange involving Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson on BBC One light entertainment programme The One Show, in which he was asked about Wednesday's public sector strikes.

Matt Baker [presenter]: Well Jeremy, schools, hospitals, airports, even driving tests, have all been affected. Do you think the strikes have been a good idea?

Jeremy Clarkson [guest]: I think they have been fantastic. Absolutely. London today has just been empty. Everybody stayed at home, you can whizz about, restaurants are empty.

Alex Jones [presenter]: The traffic, actually, has been very good today.

Jeremy Clarkson: Airports, people streaming through with no problems at all. And it's also like being back in the 70s. It makes me feel at home somehow.

Matt Baker: Do you know anyone who has been on strike today?

Jeremy Clarkson: Of course I don't, no. What, somebody public service? No, I don't. No, absolutely. But we have to balance this though, because this is the BBC.

Matt Baker: Yes, exactly.

Jeremy Clarkson: Frankly, I'd have them all shot. I would take them outside and execute them in front of their families. I mean, how dare they go on strike when they have these gilt-edged pensions that are going to be guaranteed while the rest of us have to work for a living?

Matt Baker: Well, on that note of balancing an opinion, of course those are Jeremy's views.

Alex Jones: Only Jeremy's views.

Jeremy Clarkson: They're not. I've just given two views for you.

Mr Clarkson said he had not intended for the comments on The One Show to be taken seriously and was "happy to apologise" if offence had been caused.

Trade union Unison had called for the Top Gear presenter to be sacked by the BBC over his "appalling" comments.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15993549

Lord Jim wrote:Gee, you book a bomb thrower on your interview show, and then you get indignant when he throws bombs...

The whole thing smells like a contrived publicity stunt to me...

The One Show and Clarkson both get free publicity when he makes these off the wall remarks, and then they get free publicity a second time when they apologize for them....

Lord Jim wrote:Wow...


Talk about whipping up a phony controversy by taking something completely out of context...

That's a classic; it should be put in journalism text books...

And he apologized?

What the hell for?

However, the BBC was facing fresh questions today after Clarkson reportedly claimed that producers were warned in advance and approved of the comments he made on The One Show.

Clarkson, who appeared on the programme to promote his Christmas DVD, told The Times that he had informed the production team before transmission of the details of what he insists was only a joke remark.

The show's producers thought it would be entertaining if Clarkson offered an extreme view of the strike that was not meant to be taken seriously, the newspaper reports.

Downing Street issued a tongue-in-cheek statement last night on the subject, saying. "Execution is not government policy and we have no plans to make it government policy."