Clarkson to be "sacked" on Wednesday

[legion]

It's too bad that such a fun show had to end this way.

[Z-man]

It is official, Clarkson's contract will not be renewed with BBC TV.

BBC Ditches 'Top Gear' Host Jeremy Clarkson

There goes the show...

-Z

[tadd]

Its just a TV show... geeze. I watch it and I enjoy it, but its been on a long time. They will all find something else to do getting paid stupid money.

Hitting someone is just too far... Maybe Clarkson should have thought about his show mates and himself before throwing that punch?

[Christien]

Originally Posted by dewolf

I tend to agree. In any other work place environment he would've been out the door the same day.

Bingo. I'm married to a public-sector union member (teacher) which is probably the hardest job in the world to get fired from, but punching a co-worker (particularly a subordinate) would be top of that list. If Clarkson is that much of an ass off set, he deserves to be *****-canned. You don't treat other people like that, no matter who you are.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by imcarthur

Let's face it. TG is stale. For the last few seasons, it was getting painfully obvious that the boys were just going through the motions. Their jokes & hi jinks were all getting stale & it was time to kill the show. Sure they could have - and probably would have - milked the cash cow for years to come but it was over.

Ian

This times ten thousand, every great show has a shelf live. TG has come to an end of it's run, get over it boyz.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by Christien

You don't treat other people like that, no matter who you are.

Sadly, we live in the world where the punchee is getting death threats.

Clarkson producer Oisin Tymon has faced online death threats and says he's terrified he could lose his job - Daily Record

Maybe the Beeb should have a show with Clarkson and Oisin as the stars.

[stomachmonkey]

From Z-Mans link.

Sounds like it was deserved.

The right move, I don't agree with rewarding Clarkson for being a ****.

"The summary of the results of a probe into the altercation that led the BBC to part ways with Clarkson said: "It was not disputed by Jeremy Clarkson or any witness that Oisin Tymon was the victim of an unprovoked physical and verbal attack. It is also clear...that Oisin Tymon is an import ant creative member of the Top Gear team who is well-valued and respected. He has suffered significant personal distress as a result of this incident, through no fault of his own."

It said that "the physical attack lasted around 30 seconds and was halted by the intervention of a witness," while "the verbal abuse was directed at Oisin Tymon on more than one occasion – both during the attack and subsequently inside [a] hotel – and contained the strongest expletives and threats to sack him."

[KNS]

I hate to see Top Gear go but it has lost some of it's edge and originality the last few years. Perhaps it's better to go this way than increasingly dull and rewarmed skits over and over with declining ratings. If it continued would they have the same following five years from now? A little longer than that and we'd be watching a few seniors (or pensioners...) race around the track. Who would their audience be?

[Adrian Thompson]

How can anyone defend him for hitting a guy? Assuming it was true, and it looks like it, he should have been gone the same day. Not allowing his contract to expire, but marched off the premises as would have happened to anyone else in the BBC or any other company for physical violence. Despite (because of) his controversial image, the BBC desperately wanted to keep him. He is the cornerstone to the biggest grossing nonfiction show on the planet and brings in revenue completely beyond the shows cost.

I love TG, I love his non PC ways, but sorry, if he punched someone he has to go. There is no way Top Gear will survive without him. James and Hammond have said they don't want to do the show without him. the BBC may try to replace him or the whole cast, but the show will soon fold. I'm sure he'll take his talents elsewhere and millions will still pirate his new show, but the BBC had to cut him.

[Aggie93]

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by KNS

If it continued would they have the same following five years from now? A little longer than that and we'd be watching a few seniors (or pensioners...) race around the track. Who would their audience be?

Good point. Top Gear was aimed at a generation raised on cars. Looking to the interests of the next generation of middle aged men, perhaps someone will do a show like Top Gear based on mobile communication devices.

[KNS]

The link says Clarkson could host a show in the US. Could you see that - he doesn't seem too fond of "fat" Americans. Any show in the US wouldn't allow him to speak the truth (how such and such car truly sucks and is miserable to drive). I can't see him pitching fuel system treatments or Carnuba wax either.

[gtc]

Originally Posted by imcarthur

Let's face it. TG is stale. For the last few seasons, it was getting painfully obvious that the boys were just going through the motions. Their jokes & hi jinks were all getting stale & it was time to kill the show. Sure they could have - and probably would have - milked the cash cow for years to come but it was over.

Ian

This is a good point, and I'd say the show has been stale for a lot longer than that.
Hopefully they can find some decent new hosts. Chris Harris would be a good one... though he already seems to have a good thing going.

[Z-man]

If Top Gear-UK replace Clarkson, Hammond, and May with another trio, it would be like watching Top Gear-US. I think I'll pass.

I do not condone violence - and Clarkson was wrong at physically attacking the producer. And he should have considered the ramifications. However, as far as we know, this was the first time he physically attacked someone. All of the other incidents were when he managed to piss off large groups of people with his comments.

So 90% of the reason Clarkson was canned was for his derogatory comments - the liberal expression of his journalistic opinion, so to speak. Kinda like what Howard Stern does on his radio show. It seems to me that poking fun of people was not just a Clarkson thing - it was an integral element of Top Gear. How many times did the Stig portray stereotypical behavior in his skits? Once, he was supposed to be the Japanese cousin of Stig - and when he came out of his trailer, he karate chopped his way through a group of people. Tell me that's not racist!

Then there was the Florida to New Orleans trip where they decorated their cars with controversial slogans while travelling through Alabama (stuff like Hillary For President and Man Love Rules). Whether it was Clarkson's idea or not -- the producers ran with it and aired tons and tons of similarly controversial segments. If Clarkson said something inappropriate, the producers had every opportunity to censor it - but they time after time to chose to roll with it.

The show thrived on it's irrelevant attitude towards just about every people group. And Clarkson was at the heart of it. I guess they created their own demise...

-Z

[wayner]

What are the odds that instead of jumping the shark, this might actually be an engineered sensationalized ending to a show that was wall about sensationalism?

Does Jeremy really hate Porsches?
Does the BBC really hate Jeremy?

Is this a promotional stunt for their next move after Top gear?

Enquiring minds want to know...

[stomachmonkey]

If Top Gear-UK replace Clarkson, Hammond, and May with another trio, it would be like watching Top Gear-US. I think I'll pass.



I do not condone violence - and Clarkson was wrong at physically attacking the producer. And he should have considered the ramifications. However, as far as we know, this was the first time he physically attacked someone. All of the other incidents were when he managed to piss off large groups of people with his comments.



So 90% of the reason Clarkson was canned was for his derogatory comments - the liberal expression of his journalistic opinion, so to speak. Kinda like what Howard Stern does on his radio show. It seems to me that poking fun of people was not just a Clarkson thing - it was an integral element of Top Gear. How many times did the Stig portray stereotypical behavior in his skits? Once, he was supposed to be the Japanese cousin of Stig - and when he came out of his trailer, he karate chopped his way through a group of people. Tell me that's not racist!



Then there was the Florida to New Orleans trip where they decorated their cars with controversial slogans while travelling through Alabama (stuff like Hillary For President and Man Love Rules). Whether it was Clarkson's idea or not -- the producers ran with it and aired tons and tons of similarly controversial segments. If Clarkson said something inappropriate, the producers had every opportunity to censor it - but they time after time to chose to roll with it.



The show thrived on it's irrelevant attitude towards just about every people group. And Clarkson was at the heart of it. I guess they created their own demise...



-Z

He's gone not because of the behavior on camera which yes the producers can control through editing.

It's because of the behavior that they, and apparently clarckson as well, can't control.

[Nordwest]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Good point. Top Gear was aimed at a generation raised on cars. Looking to the interests of the next generation of middle aged men, perhaps someone will do a show like Top Gear based on mobile communication devices.

This may be true but my 16 year old daughter loves T/G. She and a few of her friends watch it religiously.

Dave

[Steve Carlton]

[BE911SC]

The BBC tolerates a pedophile for decades but when some producer gets a poke in the chops all hell breaks loose.

[BE911SC]

Originally Posted by Nordwest

This may be true but my 16 year old daughter loves T/G. She and a few of her friends watch it religiously.

Dave

My 16-YO daughter loves UK TG as well. Not the cars so much but the intellect and humor. "Dad, let's watch Top Gear!" My 15-YO son loves the humor and intellect too but loves the cars more. We saw an Aventador down in California, and another in Zurich and he just about pissed himself. Also a LaFerrari in Munich last summer. The driver saw my son and when the light changed he held back, must have selected Sport Mode (or whatever) and just exploded down the street in a cacophony of incredible sound.