http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-31824040
So, what does this mean for the show? (I suspect Clarkson will end up on a program on some other network...)
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."
- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012
A bunch of whinging wankers getting their knickers in a twist.
That's what I think of the morons who just did this. They're shooting themselves in the foot.
It's probably the end of the line for Top Gear. I can't see them continuing without Clarkson. I don't think Hammond and May would bother at this point. They've had a good run and probably can look forward to other jobs themselves. May and Hammond have already done several other shows while doing Top Gear. Hammond's "Brainiac - Science Abuse" and May's projects like Toys and other mini-documentaries come to mind.
If they DO try to replace Clarkson it won't work, and the show will absolutely tank. The fans won't stand for it. I know I wouldn't.
The downside of political correctness . . .!
Generally, in any job, punching a colleague is grounds for a stern letter from HR
________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?
We still don't know what exactly happened. I've looked around at several news sources and there's conflicting reports on how much of an altercation it was. Clarkson himself hasn't really said anything. Hasn't given his side of the story. Meanwhile there appears to be confusion inside the BBC of the "we haven't got our stories all straight" variety.
I suspect there's actually more - and less - about this whole thing than has been reported so far.
Meanwhile, there’s a Change.org petition asking for his reinstatement under the name:
Freedom to fracas.
At the time of post it's closing in on 750,000 signatories.
A petition to
sack Clarkson is straining to break 5500.
I'm still of the opinion that BBC are going to double-down on their idiocy of sacking Clarkson by outright canceling Top Gear altogether. That sounds like the absolute worst thing they could possibly do. So I'm totally expecting they'll do it.
Clarkson has caused trouble for the BBC with Ofcom in the past ... I wouldn't be surprised if they think they're getting rid of an albatross around their necks.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."
- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012
I have to agree that of the terrible trio, Clarkson is the glue that holds the show together. I've watched a few episodes of top gear US and Aus, and they just dont have the same chemestry, and that makes it fall flat to me.
and quite a bit of that chemestry comes from Jezza being... well... Jezza
Hear that thunder rolling till it seems to split the sky?
That's every ship in Grayson's Navy taking up the cry-
NO QUARTER!!!
-- "No Quarter", by
Echo's Children
And that's it for Clarkson. He's officially sacked.
http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-32052736
---
The Master said: "It is all in vain! I have never yet seen a man who can perceive his own faults and bring the charge home against himself."
>Analects: Book V, Chaper XXVI
There is NO Top Gear without Clarkson. And the other two have already indicated they're not on board if he isn't. So Top Gear is well and truly dead and buried no matter what the BBC intend to do. They can try to continue it, but it simply won't work. The entire Top Gear franchise of related programs will go away as well. It's truly the end of an era.
RIP Top Gear. It was fun while it lasted.
One slight personal upside:
Top Gear was the last excuse keeping BBC America in the cable package. So now our household can save a little money.
You can't hit your coworkers and expect to keep your job. I don't care who you are
________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?
I don't like the death of the show, but I can't fault BBC for firing Clarkson. Assaulting a co-worker can't be tolerated, no matter who the people in question are.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."
- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012
Don't you just love the hypocritical irony of a network that shields a pedophile sex offender for decades but sacks the most popular presenter of their highest grossing show for bloodying the lip of a producer? Why you'd almost think the latter was to try and make up for the former.
Google "Jimmy Savile BBC" if you don't know what I'm talking about.
Probably part of the reason why they sacked him. To 'learn' from the mistake.
In a more darkly humerous setting, I'd suggest that his big mistake was picking on someone his own size.....
________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?
Quote:Logan Darklighter wrote:
Don't you just love the hypocritical irony of a network that shields a pedophile sex offender for decades but sacks the most popular presenter of their highest grossing show for bloodying the lip of a producer? Why you'd almost think the latter was to try and make up for the former.
Google "Jimmy Savile BBC" if you don't know what I'm talking about.
Well, yes. They got caught on that after he died, they've been slammed pretty hard over it, and now, when one of their stars assaults one of his co-workers, they have to do something about it, no matter what the 'old-boy network' might want.
Shame. I wonder what Hammond and May will end up doing. Continuing on themselves, finding a new third, following Clarkson to where ever he might go?
Quote:Dartz wrote:
Probably part of the reason why they sacked him. To 'learn' from the mistake.
I don't think the air quotes are really even there. The BBC's had multiple scandals lately and a
lot of attention is aimed at them. Trying to hush up something this blatant is only going to make them look worse. From the report on the inquiry, Clarkson had been given multiple warnings already, and his previous behavior (including an
international incident when he decided to call an entire country "lazy and feckless") was already edging the line, because there's some jokes you just don't make when you're a public TV broadcaster.
Sorry for the guy for losing his job, but generally that's what happens when you punch a coworker for no reason. It may seem unfair that "oh, sure, they're actually firing people
now", but that's kind of the entire point of learning from your mistakes. What are they supposed to do? "Oh, we never fired anyone before, so clearly we have no grounds to fire anyone ever again"?
---
"Oh, silver blade, forged in the depths of the beyond. Heed my summons and purge those who stand in my way. Lay
waste."
He can always go to Netflix.
Matrix Dragon Wrote:Shame. I wonder what Hammond and May will end up doing. Continuing on themselves, finding a new third, following Clarkson to where ever he might go?
According to
http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-32052736]this article, James May has already changed his Twitter profile to read "Former TV presenter"...
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."
- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012
I've gotten the distinct impression that James May and Richard Hammond stand with Jeremy Clarkson, at least as far as whether the show can continue without him or not.
Still, on the whole, do I think the BBC was justified in not renewing his contract? Yes, without reservation. Am I sad the show will likely not survive? Of course I am.
Am I dismayed at the fact that a certain segment of the fandom has basically stated with their little Change.org petition that their "need" for entertainment supercedes the need to punish any incident of workplace violence? Abso-fucking-lutely. Doubly so at the ones harrassing Osmin right now over something that, truth be told, was purely someone else's fault.
--
"You know how parents tell you everything's going to fine, but you know they're lying to make you feel better? Everything's going to be fine." - The Doctor
I think that, despite the fact that it's not a fictional television drama, Belisarius' Law still applies.
It's just a TV show.
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com
"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."
Quote:Ebony wrote:
I think that, despite the fact that it's not a fictional television drama, Belisarius' Law still applies.
It's just a TV show.
Truth.
--
"You know how parents tell you everything's going to fine, but you know they're lying to make you feel better? Everything's going to be fine." - The Doctor