Why were they watching?
Posted by Jeremy Clarkson at 3:10PM on Monday 29 January, 2007 20 Comments
On Sunday morning, I wrote, in a national newspaper, the following prediction about how Top Gear would be reviewed...
You just know that the hippies and the communists won't turn over or tune out.
They'll be watching with their beards peeled, ready to fire off an angry email should we even look like we're going to mention gays, speed, Muslims, gypsies, polar bears, global bloody warming, breasts, disabled people, immigrants, or how jolly nice it is to be middle class.
And sure enough, the following morning the Scottish Green Party launched an official complaint saying we were wrong to sign off by saying 'Speed Kills' since we obviously didn't mean it.
What I want to know is this: why were they watching? What possible entertainment did a Scottish environmentalist think he was going to get from a show called Top Gear? They must have known they would find something to complain about. And they have.
But frankly my dear...
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20 Comments for "Why were they watching?"
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I agree! I myself am actually an environmentalist with a degree in Zoology but even I only watch Top Gear for the sheer fun of everything you guys get up to! And to be honest even I don't get offended by anything that's said...it's just a joke people...laugh and get over it!
because they can! It's the same thing - turn over or switch the telly off if you don't like what you see. But they don't. Anyway they were only watching to see Rocket Boy's journey to the centre of the earth.
I must say that the first 10 minutes of yesterday's program were absolutely hilarious - even better than Python's "Life of Brian" or so. I'm in Portugal, and i'm one of the very few people who knows and watches every Top Gear from the last 2 or 3 years. Kudos for the bravery that Princess Diana shown in the bitter but happy ending of the show. Glad you're back, mates!
I don't get the greens and the health and safety idiots. They always complain about top gear "glamourising speed" something which was completely disproved by last night's programme and the last few series of top gear. Then, when you end the programme saying speed kills, something which they can't help preaching to the normal people of this world, they're still not happy. If only there was a far away planet we could all blast them off to...
Exactly!! They should watch something else. My Dad doesn't like all the caravan burning, crashing and general arsing about that happens on Top Gear, but I love the show so he simply goes out or does something else on a Sunday night. It's really not that hard!
You're right, the only reason they were watching was to complain. They obviously didn't think they were going to find anything new on CBB to complain about. I'd like to add it was a great show last night, handled very well - can't wait for normal service to be resumed next week.
To quote a Greeny Politician, much as it pains, there is not greater moderator than the off button. Why can't they use it. We don't watch or complain about their programmes on National Geographic etc so why can't they.... go away... and leave ours alone likewise. Oh and Jeza, not only does speed not kill but stopping doesn't either it seems! Welcome back.
How utterly ridiculous! None of these 'environmentalists' witter on about how car chases in films, or pub brawls in soaps, or any number of 'dangerous behaviours' we see regularly on television affect people's actions. Top Gear has simply become an easy target because of its popularity. Notice their complaint was about the very last line seconds of the programme too. Clutching at straws to make themselves heard.
Oddly enough, I was expecting complaints about you having referred to Richard as 'a mental' as opposed to some tongue in cheek comment which apparently glamourises speeding. Of course, it's going to be all your fault when lots of stupid teenage sheep kill themselves driving like idiots! You were quite right though, speed doesn't kill. It's the sudden stop which gets you...
As long as there are programmes on TV that push the envelope or provoke thought in some form, you will always find an "Anti-" group moaning about it. These people clearly have nothing better to do while they huddle around their soapbox's, waiting to complain about the next scandalous thing on TV. Me, I sat and watched last night's show with a bottle of wine, and toasted the start of another great series. It was fabulous, and long may it continue.
I love driving, and I love Top Gear, but I have to say I found the "Speed Kills" irony at the end a little bit surprising, even for you. Speed does kill, and given the number of families who find this out the hard way through no fault of their own, this was a rather dangerous and inconsiderate joke for you to make, Jeremy. Just imagine how a parent will have felt if they had just lost their child in a motoring accident and were watching to see how lucky Richard had been in escaping the same fate, only to hear that little throw-away line at the end of the programme. Not one of your best lines...
They were watching because, secretly, they just love Top Gear... but of course, since they are environmentalists, they aren't (morally) allowed to like motoring shows, and so they start complaining about it's contents, just to keep the appearances. By the way Jeremy, congratulations on your Lambo. I hope it's dark grey (or black) with orange interior, similar to the one you drove on the show.
There were a couple of humourless people reviewing Top Gear on Radio Five Barely alive this afternoon too - didn't like the dribbling comments, thought the road mending thing too contrived - but they'd been paid to watch it. I don't know much about cars (I drive a Rover for a start) but I am always sceptical about anything that becomes holy writ like Global Warming and I like a laugh. So I watch Top Gear. I presume there are people out there who just like to be offended so they watch TV after 9 o'clock just to see a bit of nipple and complain.
It is quite possible, sadly, that I'm totally stupid and I'm missing something obvious, but what has the issue of speed got to do with the Scottish Green Party?
Simple. 'cause they hate you, and everything you stand for. Better to just ignore them. You can still care for the enviroment (As I do) without hating anything that isn't far-left, eco-friendly, tye-died and stuffed to the gills with lentils. Which is a shame... There's a good message, just hidden under blather, whinging and scaremongering, concealed beneath outrage at people showing, in an amusing fashion, that cars are not mechanical demons that will doom mankind. Or you could chase them down in a Humvee. That'd make a nice season finale.
Funny How Nobody Complained About The Jade Goody Comment!
We really do have some muppets in this country. As mentioned earlier, due to the popularity of the show its likely to come under fire. Shouldnt these people be out saving badgers or something? Sunday was the start of whats going to be a great series. PS i need some roadworks doing near where i live, any chance of having it done in 24hrs?
I never fails to amuse me that people love to sit quite happily on the back of a bandwagon and preach from their so called moral high ground, no matter what the subject in question. I've been watching top gear for a long time, and I love every episode. Motoring seems to be only half the reason why I tune in, the other half being entertainment!! However, on Sunday, like many others I was glued to the TV, and in silence watched as the rocket car incident unfolded in front of me. It was compelling viewing and Richards sheer bravery re-living the events for the public was boundless. I think that the green party knocked themselves down a few pegs by trying to lay into a comment that was meant to lighten the mood in what was otherwise a very harrowing moment. As always, keep doing what you're doing, you're not the ones making the mistakes!
Just let them get on with it... So long as they don't come round your house and try to beat you with a picket sign, who cares. There will always be someone with a different oppinion to yours, imposition is the problem, not the opinion itself. Let these people sit in their arm chairs shouting at the TV because they disagree. Top Gear is one of the best shows on TV, there's no denying that. Some old man with a grey beard in Scotland isn't going to change that with his opinion.
As a "young driver" (I am still 17) I can tell you that Top-Gear has no influence whatsoever on how I drive. Just because I see a Lamborghini doing 160 MPH down a runway, it does not mean I am going to try and match that down Basingstoke high street. Personally I think it's the only show worth buying a television licence for. Long live Topgear!