Unbelievable.
That is the only way to describe the BBC's reaction - and support - of Jeremy Clarkson and his merry minions' behaviour this week.
If you missed it, in all its stunningly ignorant glory, this is what the Top Gear toffs had to say when discussing a Mexican-built sports car.
Hammond (left): ... Cars reflect national characteristics, don't they, so German cars are very well built and ruthlessly efficient, Italian cars are a bit flamboyant and quick, a Mexican car's just going to be lazy, feckless, flatulent, overweight... ( laughter) leaning against a fence asleep, looking at a cactus, with a blanket with a hole in the middle as a coat.
May: It is interesting, isn't it, because they can't do food, the Mexicans, can they? Because it's all like sick with cheese on it, I mean... ( laughter)
Hammond: Refried sick!
May: Yeah, refried sick.
Hammond: I'm sorry, but just imagine waking up and remembering you're Mexican: 'awww, no'. ( laughter)
Clarkson: No, it'd be brilliant ... because you could just go straight back to sleep again.
Clarkson then went on to say: "We won't get any complaints about this because at the Mexican embassy the ambassador's going to be sitting there with a remote control like this," said Clarkson, pretending to slump in a chair, snoring.
As a regular watcher of Top Gear, I can attest this is certainly one of their most ill-thought conversations. From a vast compendium of ill-thought comments.
And I absolutely agree with Britain's MPs, who labelled the remarks "ignorant, derogatory and racist".
But I can't say I'm entirely surprised. It's certainly not the first time Clarkson and co have said something monumentally stupid and offensive.
I was in Britain in 2009, just down the road from Clarkson's Cotswolds home, when an environmentalist group took umbrage at something Clarkson said, dumping a cart load of animal manure on his front lawn in retaliation.
He's always been a polarising personality - not dissimilar to a certain Breakfast host who recently left our screens.
What has really surprised - and disappointed me - is the BBC's reaction to the incident.
Basically, they say it's all good fun. No harm was intended.
Their exact statement was: "Whilst it may appear offensive to those who have not watched the programme or who are unfamiliar with its humour, the executive producer has made it clear to the ambassador that that was absolutely not the show's intention."
Well, I watch the programme and am all too familiar with its humour and I thought they crossed a line.
As a journalist, the BBC has long been a Holy Grail of broadcasting. A place that one day, if you're good enough, you might be granted entry to.
Yes, Top Gear is part of their entertainment programming but the incident reflects poorly on the whole organisation.
How can they condone racist comments that target more than 110 million people, yet issue a 12-week suspension to Jonathan Ross over a prank call that affected two people?
The prank call may have been in bad taste but, ultimately, they only pointed out a true fact - that Russell Brand had sex with Andrew Sachs' granddaughter.
How is that a more punishable offense that calling an entire nation of people lazy, feckless and flatulent?
For years, people have bemoaned living in a world where political correctness has gone mad. And I agreed.
But actually, I don't want to live in a world where it's okay to slag off entire nations of people - and be told it's just a bit of fun.
I'm not the only one. Comedian Steve Coogan, a close acquaintance of the Top Gear team, has also spoken out against them in this excellent column.
I don't think the hosts should be banned for life. Or even taken off telly. I just want the BBC to acknowledge it was unacceptable. And it's not okay.
I want the BBC to uphold its own, original standards.
What do you think of the comments made on Top Gear? Share your thoughts on the messageboard below.
Read more articles by Joanna Hunkin.
Add a Comment:
Post new commentghijkmnop said on 2011-02-11 @ 02:04 NZDT: Report abusive post
Why is this--the first and ONLY time they've taken a jab at Mexico--so unconscionable, when they refer to the ENTIRE United States population as something just above Neanderthals pretty much on a weekly basis (which, BTW, I find hilarious).
grognz said on 2011-02-10 @ 13:34 NZDT: Report abusive post
Gosh Life is just soserious these days if we cant laugh we may as well be dead
benrebo said on 2011-02-09 @ 17:34 NZDT: Report abusive post
Hell I get upset at a lot of things in the media - like people trying to tell me not to laugh at something vaguely funny, but the point is if you don't like it turn it off, change channel, dont read it etc etc. There are enough irish jokes to go around (racist?), as there jokes about men (sexist?), and then there are the usual personal appearance jokes (blondes, red heads and fatties). Regularly on the news, and this website, entire nations (eg US) are bombarded (racist). Stones. Glasshouse
Galaxias said on 2011-02-09 @ 14:09 NZDT: Report abusive post
Why is it funny when they insult Americans though? Hammond once said, "a bend in the road is as foreign to an American as a whisper or a small meal." But really, the BBC aired this?