And finally Jeremy

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 3:56 pm

Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson suspended by BBC over 'fracas' with producer

He can probably afford a holiday at £600,000 a year

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 7:24 pm

Although Jeremy Clarkson runs near to the knuckle sometimes and has been known to open his mouth too wide and put both his feet in, I quite enjoy his humour and his plain speaking. He can be rather rude, I know, and he is arrogant, but if he is taken off Top Gear permanently then I feel that TV will loose out. I don't know whether you have noticed how programs have been 'dumbed down' ? It's a result of the PC brigade, and it is causing our TV programs to be too bland and 'correct'. It is causing our TV programs to become boring don't you think ? Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, bounce off one another to make a very entertaining program and without Jeremy Clarkson there would be a huge void. Who is there that would/could take J.C's place ? Might as well end Top Gear altogether, because Jeremy Clarkson IS Top gear.

There is only one thing that I miss about Top Gear and that is in the original programs they used to test out ordinary cars- cars that Joe Bloggs would drive his family in, or his wife would go shopping in it. Just a 10/15 minute spot would be good. Those top-of-the-range super cars are well out of the range of most people and it tends to make the program a tad 'elitist' .

Although thinking about it, I suppose car manufacturers producing an 'ordinary' car, would feel they had to allow TG to test their new model otherwise possibly the public would wonder why the car was not being put through it's paces - what's wrong with it ? On the other hand when a new car is absolutely slated by Top Gear, it could do a lot of damage to potential sales of that model, for the manufacturer. Maybe that is why they don't do it now, because it is too risky for manufacturers either way, so maybe they put pressure on the producers to take off that segment of the program !

Anyway I enjoy watching the program when it goes out at 8pm on BBC2 on Sundays, except the program has been suspended for two weeks ! Oh dear, I wonder what hour long program will be broadcast instead....................... probably edited highlights of one of those damn boring cooking programs............. Yoiks !!!!! :-5

High Threshold · Post by **High Threshold** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 10:45 pm

G#Gill;1475728 wrote: ....... Jeremy Clarkson ........ he is arrogant .....
That's an understatement! And his gab :yh_ttth

G#Gill;1475728 wrote: There is only one thing that I miss about Top Gear and that is in the original programs they used to test out ordinary cars.....
I'd like to see it return to the old format myself. What is this business of chock-a-block people standing(!) tight as figs and “laughing on queue? Oh! I detest canned laughter! Spare me that please!

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 3:57 am

Actually, the laughter isn't "canned", as it is mostly in those wretched sitcom progs ! However, there could be a fella holding up "laugh now" or "clap now" or " laugh, clap, and cheer now " boards, which is nearly as bad ! :yh_rotfl although I do believe that much of the reaction from the audience is fairly spontaneous.

High Threshold · Post by **High Threshold** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 6:15 am

G#Gill;1475731 wrote: Actually, the laughter isn't "canned", as it is mostly in those wretched sitcom progs ! However, there could be a fella holding up "laugh now" or "clap now" or " laugh, clap, and cheer now " boards, which is nearly as bad ! :yh_rotfl although
Can there be a doubt?

G#Gill;1475731 wrote: I do believe that much of the reaction from the audience is fairly spontaneous.

I'm sorry, I didn't catch that, gull .... I mean gullible .... I mean gill.

:wah:

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 6:22 am

I find him irritating but highly amusing, he is a man's man, the sort of blokey bloke I don't really like, but he does hold that program together.

Doubt very much if the show could survive in it's present format without him, he will get bigger and better paydays outside the BBC, so doesn't care too much it is just another controversy to put on his CV

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 8:49 am

I agree with you Bruv.

As for you HT........... How very dare you !!! ..............................

High Threshold · Post by **High Threshold** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 9:44 am

G#Gill;1475751 wrote: I agree with you Bruv.

As for you HT........... How very dare you !!! ..............................

Oh-oh! Is it too late to retract my earlier comment?

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 12:09 pm

High Threshold;1475757 wrote: Oh-oh! Is it too late to retract my earlier comment?

Yep ! But you could try a little grovelling and see what happens ! :p

High Threshold · Post by **High Threshold** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 10:39 pm

G#Gill;1475763 wrote: Yep ! But you could try a little grovelling and see what happens ! :p

Well, alright .......

.... but I still loath that Clarkson fellow!

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 5:12 am

High Threshold;1475780 wrote: Well, alright .......

:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl

.... but I still loath that Clarkson fellow!

Well he's not everybody's favourite presenter I agree, and he can be very irritating and arrogant, even rude, but I'm afraid I find him entertaining and sometimes he can be very funny. One thing is certain that if BBC2 sack him and discontinue Top Gear, they will be hard pressed to find any sort of program that will command such high income, and quite honestly I don't think there will be such a program !

I would like to know what REALLY happened between JC and that producer. The thought occurred to me that maybe Clarkson found out that that particular producer had something to do with those iffy reg. plates on the cars in South America, the incident that could have killed the three presenters. Just a thought ! :driving: JC has always said that he had nothing to do with those plates, but somebody had !

HT, you say you loath the man, yet you must still watch the program !

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 5:17 am

High Threshold;1475780 wrote: Well, alright .......

.... but I still loath that Clarkson fellow!

:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl @ HT !

Well he's not everybody's favourite presenter I agree, and he can be very irritating and arrogant, even rude, but I'm afraid I find him entertaining and sometimes he can be very funny. One thing is certain that if BBC2 sack him and discontinue Top Gear, they will be hard pressed to find any sort of program that will command such high income, and quite honestly I don't think there will be such a program !

I would like to know what REALLY happened between JC and that producer. The thought occurred to me that maybe Clarkson found out that that particular producer had something to do with those iffy reg. plates on the cars in South America, the incident that could have killed the three presenters. Just a thought ! :driving: JC has always said that he had nothing to do with those plates, but somebody had !

HT, you say you loath the man, yet you must still watch the program !

High Threshold · Post by **High Threshold** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 7:09 am

G#Gill;1475782 wrote: HT, you say you loath the man, yet you must still watch the program !

I do not. I stopped watching when I changed address and the cable TV wasn't included at the other one. Now that I'm in this flat (with cable) I see what it's all about so I flick past it as quickly as it takes to press the button.

Once upon a time I was an avid motorcar enthusiast. I did some amateur racing and I even built a few custom machines as well. I still get weak in the knees when a particularly sleek machine passes by on the road or a sumptuous beauty in the parking lot. But that's just it. I am fascinated with automobiles ¦. not self-inflated, sunshine from the arse-ho clowns who speak with condescending airs. There's room for only one of those on this earth and I staked my claim long before this upstart Clarkson person came along.

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 9:56 am

I find him an obnoxious toad (to spell it politely) - an arrogant ego-maniac.

What I find infuriating is that in any other job to hit anyone else in the workplace would be grounds for instant dismissal, with no compensation whatsoever, and quite rightly so, yet he is basically holding the BBC to ransom & openly making jokes about it.

Personally I hope they fire him altogether & that no other companies are foolish enough to take him on. Better still, take him to court & do him for assault.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 10:04 am

High Threshold;1475783 wrote: I am fascinated with automobiles ¦. not self-inflated, sunshine from the arse-ho clowns who speak with condescending airs. There's room for only one of those on this earth and I staked my claim long before this upstart Clarkson person came along.

Thales : "The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself"

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 10:18 am

FourPart;1475793 wrote: I find him an obnoxious toad (to spell it politely) - an arrogant ego-maniac.

What I find infuriating is that in any other job to hit anyone else in the workplace would be grounds for instant dismissal, with no compensation whatsoever, and quite rightly so, yet he is basically holding the BBC to ransom & openly making jokes about it.

Personally I hope they fire him altogether & that no other companies are foolish enough to take him on. Better still, take him to court & do him for assault.

Of course he is obnoxious, that is his appeal to the thousands who have signed online to save him.

He is not in a run of the mill job, he is in the entertainment industry, an industry bulging with stroppy egos.

He hasn't harmed his job prospects at all, in fact he has enhanced his next wage packet big time.

High Threshold · Post by **High Threshold** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 11:00 am

Bruv;1475796 wrote: Thales : "The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself"
There's quite a bit of pain that comes with it yes, but I find that women admire soul-searching men ¦.. so the compensations are more than adequate.

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 1:59 pm

High Threshold;1475798 wrote: There's quite a bit of pain that comes with it yes, but I find that women admire soul-searching men ¦.. so the compensations are more than adequate.

Hey, HT, I never gave you permission to post that photo of me and my friends on the beach, and that mutt has got a lecherous look in his eye !!!!! :-5

High Threshold · Post by **High Threshold** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 9:40 pm

G#Gill;1475815 wrote: Hey, HT, I never gave you permission to post that photo of me and my friends on the beach, and that mutt has got a lecherous look in his eye !!!!! :-5
No harm in it. I checked the FG rules and so chopped the top off the photo so your faces can't be seen. You know, not many women can carry the colour of yellow as well as you ¦.. not that particularly nuance anyway. I can see from the photo that the weather up in the Wells was exceptionally mild this past week-end!

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 4:51 am

High Threshold;1475829 wrote: I can see from the photo that the weather up in the Wells was exceptionally mild this past week-end!

Yes it was rather unseasonably warm ! However, I did refrain from venturing into the water, as I knew it would still be very cold from the winter temperatures. Besides I wasn't sure how reliable my outfit was when introduced to the salty brine - didn't want to risk causing too much of a stir, and certainly not in front of children ! Well you know how those little boys will react !

and I didn't want to be arrested ! :-3

High Threshold · Post by **High Threshold** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 10:37 am

G#Gill;1475833 wrote: ..... didn't want to risk causing too much of a stir, and certainly not in front of children ! Well you know how those little boys will react !

and I didn't want to be arrested ! :-3

Dominus vobiscum! And let us pray .....

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 3:18 pm

High Threshold;1475851 wrote: Dominus vobiscum! And let us pray .....

The 2-Headed Pope.

Snowfire · Post by **Snowfire** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 3:26 pm

FourPart;1475889 wrote: The 2-Headed Pope.

That's Zaphod Beeblebrox

High Threshold · Post by **High Threshold** » Sat Mar 14, 2015 5:17 am

FourPart;1475889 wrote: The 2-Headed Pope.

No-no. That's the holy Ghost making a rare cameo appearance. Fast shutter-speed and all of that.

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 6:07 am

I bet the BBC won't cancel the Daily repeats of repeats of repeats of Top Gear on Dave, though - another of the channels owned by the BBC.

Post by **spot** » Wed Mar 18, 2015 2:31 pm

There is, today, a petition to replace the disgraced Clarkson with Alan Partridge. I'm in two minds about this. I find Alan Partridge occasionally embarrassing, I'm not sure quite what it is but he does strike an off note now and then while interviewing.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Wed Mar 18, 2015 3:48 pm

spot;1476162 wrote: There is, today, a petition to replace the disgraced Clarkson with Alan Partridge. I'm in two minds about this. I find Alan Partridge occasionally embarrassing, I'm not sure quite what it is but he does strike an off note now and then while interviewing.

Are you being whimsical ?

I understood you have no TV to watch, so must ask if you know who Alan Partridge is ?

Post by **spot** » Wed Mar 18, 2015 4:50 pm

Bruv;1476163 wrote: Are you being whimsical ?

I understood you have no TV to watch, so must ask if you know who Alan Partridge is ?

I had no idea he had ever appeared on television so far, but I distinctly recall his radio series twenty odd years ago on Radio 4 in which he interviewed B-list celebrities - I assume they were B-list, I doubt I'd ever heard of them at the time. I have listened to less hair-raising interviewers, but he did perhaps get a lot out of his interviewees that nobody else would have discovered. He worked on the basis that inner self-knowledge was of the essence when attempting to know how the other person ticked.

There are, of course, alternative contenders. My own preference would be for an obscure American car enthusiast, Taylor Swift, whose most memorable single - she also writes and performs songs - was about leaving an aggressive driver to eat her dust while motivating in her superior vehicle. Shake It Off was the title, if I remember right. She has the advantage of earning more than young Clarkson ever dreamed of, mostly through song royalties. She would eventually, once the ice was broken with May and Hammond, bring a different chemistry to the team.

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Wed Mar 18, 2015 6:28 pm

If they replaced Clarkson with anybody else, it would not be Top Gear. I doubt I would watch it again. Top Gear is Jeremy Clarkson - arrogance, rudeness, controversy and all ! Why should BBC get rid of him, when they hung on to Jonathon Ross.

:rolleyes:

Post by **spot** » Wed Mar 18, 2015 6:29 pm

G#Gill;1476165 wrote: If they replaced Clarkson with anybody else, it would not be Top Gear.

I remember when he was Angela Rippon.

High Threshold · Post by **High Threshold** » Wed Mar 18, 2015 8:07 pm

spot;1476162 wrote: There is, today, a ..... petition to replace the disgraced Clarkson with Alan Partridge. I'm in two minds about this. I find Alan Partridge occasionally embarrassing, I'm not sure quite what it is but he does strike an off note now and then while interviewing.
That would be a definite improvement. Or why not replace him with Nigel Mansell or even Benny Hill? An alternative would be to keep Clarkson and change the title instead to “The Jeremy Clarkson Show.

Post by **spot** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 5:46 am

High Threshold;1476168 wrote: That would be a definite improvement. Or why not replace him with Nigel Mansell or even Benny Hill?
Nigel Mansell is currently President of the Institute of Advanced Motorists and as such has permanently recused himself from even attending a recording session, much less being a member of the team.

Benny Hill has a prior commitment.

eta: If you reed the last sentence twice you'll see the double meaning of the word "commitment" and the consequent world-class play on words. Sometimes these things need pointing out.

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 5:58 am

spot;1476166 wrote: I remember when he was Angela Rippon.

I must be thick, spot, but not sure about what you've just written, you silly bugger !

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 6:15 am

spot;1476171 wrote: Nigel Mansell is currently President of the Institute of Advanced Motorists and as such has permanently recused himself from even attending a recording session, much less being a member of the team.

Benny Hill has a prior commitment.

eta: If you reed the last sentence twice you'll see the double meaning of the word "commitment" and the consequent world-class play on words. Sometimes these things need pointing out.

I found that very interesting about Nigel Mansell not being able to get involved in motoring programs because he is now the President of the Institute of Advanced Motorists ! I should have realised this myself as I am a member of said Institute (I.A.M.) !

The other item about Benny Hill, I did not need to have the 'commitment' bit explained to me as I knew he was otherwise engaged in being an ex-comedian and is deeply buried in other matters !

Post by **spot** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 6:36 am

G#Gill;1476173 wrote: I must be thick, spot, but not sure about what you've just written, you silly bugger !

Rippon, who was the first presenter of Top Gear from 1977-79, said the programme needed to "evolve".

She said: "Like any show, Top Gear needs to evolve, so may be it is time to embrace the idea of a regular female presenter, though it would be nonsense to bring in a woman for the sake of sexual equality, or a dolly bird who was there only for the totty factor.

Angela Rippon: I should be host of Top Gear - Telegraph

I'm not sure about "nonsense", that seems slightly strong, but Angela Rippon was Top Gear's first presenter back when Clarkson was popping zits at school.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 7:53 am

Perhaps you are being whimsical or I am being dense, next I ought to ask if you know of a Mr Steve Coogan ?

Post by **spot** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:04 am

Bruv;1476190 wrote: Perhaps you are being whimsical or I am being dense, next I ought to ask if you know of a Mr Steve Coogan ?

I have just looked up Steve Coogan. One of Alan Partridge's stage names which he uses when performing in the Legitimate Arts? Same chap, different genre.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:23 am

spot;1476199 wrote: I have just looked up Steve Coogan. One of Alan Partridge's stage names which he uses when performing in the Legitimate Arts? Same chap, different genre.

OK everybody........................spot is on a whimsy day today......anchorman and all.

Snowfire · Post by **Snowfire** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 11:41 am

Its amusing, to occasionally see the world through spots eyes

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 12:46 pm

Snowfire;1476230 wrote: Its amusing, to occasionally see the world through spots eyes

It can be hard to know when to laugh, sometimes he is serious.

Post by **spot** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 2:05 pm

Bruv;1476232 wrote: It can be hard to know when to laugh, sometimes he is serious.

Clarkson's problem in a nutshell, that.

High Threshold · Post by **High Threshold** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 7:48 pm

Snowfire;1476230 wrote: Its amusing, to occasionally see the world through spots eyes

LSD has made a come-back, has it?

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 3:33 pm

I reckon Alan Davies would make a good host of Top Gear. He never takes himself too seriously.

Post by **spot** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 3:37 pm

FourPart;1476362 wrote: I reckon Alan Davies would make a good host of Top Gear. He never takes himself too seriously.

I've always assumed somewhere in the survival part of my brain that if I ever saw Alan Davies driving along my High Street I'd step smartly into a shop until he'd had time to leave the vicinity.

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 3:39 pm

spot;1476365 wrote: I've always assumed somewhere in the survival part of my brain that if I ever saw Alan Davies driving along my High Street I'd step smartly into a shop until he'd had time to leave the vicinity.
In the same way as most people would with Clarkson.

Snowfire · Post by **Snowfire** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 3:44 pm

It's been suggested that Sabine Schmitz would be a fine candidate for top gear. I an episode a few years ago, she beat Jeremy Clarkson round the Nurburgring. He was in a Jag. She was in a Transit van.

She's got pedigree.

Snowfire · Post by **Snowfire** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 3:49 pm

Snowfire;1476369 wrote: It's been suggested that Sabine Schmitz would be a fine candidate for top gear. I an episode a few years ago, she beat Jeremy Clarkson round the Nurburgring. He was in a Jag. She was in a Transit van.

She's got pedigree.

Didnt quite remember it right but still......a van for crissake.

Post by **spot** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 3:52 pm

Snowfire;1476372 wrote: Didnt quite remember it right but still......a van for crissake.

I expect it has a lot of camber, Nuremberg.