The who have Top Gear insulted this week thread

Remizov said:
Uuu if she wins...can I sue for all the Polish, German, Eastern European jokes in the past? :D
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I'm confused - do you mean Polski Fiat, the Trabant and Volgas? :think:

hemoh said:
I bet they'll say the apology's not good enough.
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Can they send a Whaaambulance, please? ;-)
 
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Dude, I had a Mexican roommate and I slept way more than her. If anyone's the sleepy Mexican in the house, it's this poster. Never mind that I'm a gringo. Zzzz.
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Also, that lawsuit is BS. Look, if you want to change a stereotype...keep doing what you're doing. Most of the Mexicans I've known work harder than a lot of the other folks I know. Good people. But don't go "I'm offended" at a broad crap remark on TV, for pete's sake, that's ridiculous. It's not even directed at any one person. It's just stupid. I think it was a tiny bit over the top, too, but think of who's mouth it's coming out of.

You don't see me suing over any of the "hurr durr there's rednecks" comments on the trips to the American South. Or ze Germans getting all mad about the various WWII references. Or blah blah blah, etc., etc., dead horse.

TG needs to come to Texas. Or do the Baja 1000. Get some real Mexican food. It's delicious. I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that the Mexican food in England is a lot like the Mexican food everywhere else that isn't close to Mexico: crap. It sucked in WA, and thank goodness I'm back in Texas. If WA's Mexican food was all I ever knew of it, I'd probably hate it, too.

All of this to say...I'm hungry. I would like a taco. 'kthxbai.
 
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GerFix said:
Given that Hammond was the main protagonist here, one is drawn to hypothesize that maybe he is trying to change his demographic appeal (?). Ancillary evidence being provided by the other current revelation about the taste of his knob. Is he looking to move out of children's television?
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Given that Blast Lab hasn't been canceled, and that show is his "baby", signs point to no. Also remember that the whole "knob" thing was originally referenced in a column written by his own TG colleague and taken out of context by the Daily Fail (as they do).

GullWing said:
I personally don't care who they insult. They insult us every week, and thankfully our ambassador must have actual work to do besides trying to get on the news. In civilized countries we have a right to free speech, and if you don't like it, tough shit. Change the channel.
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Mr. Nice said:
Other posters are wrong. I'm sorry, but they just are. People are being blinded by their love for the show, and not looking at this objectively.
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How do you know we haven't looked at this objectively and simply come to a different conclusion from you? I said it in another thread; I'll say it here: I don't appreciate being told what to think.

Plus, you know as well as I do that what we see on TG is simply an exaggeration of what the trio are really like. I also saw someone note that before Richard's comments, there's a significant cut where he would've said something else before what we saw, meaning that what was said could likely have been taken out of context.

Personally, I think the response various Mexicans have given online is much worse. I've seen them launch ad hominem attacks against Richard. I've heard of at least one threatening him with death or violence. I've even heard that some of them have targeted their outrage at Richard's family as well. I mean, if you have a beef with him, direct it at him, but leave the family out of it!

Anyway, Richard will be posting an apology on his official Facebook tomorrow. Maybe after that, this will start to die down.

Meanwhile? There are a hell of a lot more important things going on in the world that, IMO, deserve our outrage MORE than what Richard said on TG. I'd rather point my rage at those things. :nod:
 
Yeah, I would appreciate an explanation of Hammond's "joke" towards the end there too, concerning waking up and realizing you're Mexican. I mean, what was the punchline? What stereotype was it playing on?

I'm actually glad they apologized, I'd hate to think of the boys as closet klan members or something.
 
Just a footnote on the Early Day Motion thing. It was tabled specifically because Nick Clegg (leader of one of the parties in the UK coalition government, non-UK folks) is scheduled to visit Mexico on a trade mission next month. They want this issue out the way before he goes.

Everyone has an angle.

And just in case you thought there was anything unique about this incident:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/feb/03/stephen-fry-shelves-japan-filming
 
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shellygrrl said:
How do you know we haven't looked at this objectively and simply come to a different conclusion from you? I said it in another thread; I'll say it here: I don't appreciate being told what to think.

Plus, you know as well as I do that what we see on TG is simply an exaggeration of what the trio are really like. I also saw someone note that before Richard's comments, there's a significant cut where he would've said something else before what we saw, meaning that what was said could likely have been taken out of context.

Personally, I think the response various Mexicans have given online is much worse. I've seen them launch ad hominem attacks against Richard. I've heard of at least one threatening him with death or violence. I've even heard that some of them have targeted their outrage at Richard's family as well. I mean, if you have a beef with him, direct it at him, but leave the family out of it!

Anyway, Richard will be posting an apology on his official Facebook tomorrow. Maybe after that, this will start to die down.

Meanwhile? There are a hell of a lot more important things going on in the world that, IMO, deserve our outrage MORE than what Richard said on TG. I'd rather point my rage at those things. :nod:
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If you have looked at it objectively and come to the conclusion that what was said was great and funny and the right thing to do, then I'm sorry, but you're a bigot.

So, no, I didn't tell anyone what to think. I just don't like to think that others are bigots (although we all know that some people are).

Edit: "I'm sorry, but just imagine waking up and remembering you're Mexican."
 
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T_Roger said:
Does that sound like an apology to you? For me sounds like a bunch of excuses.

Like if I deliberately punch you in the face and break your nose and then I say. I am sorry if my fist landing square in your face fractured your fragile nose.

Maybe I am reading to much into it (and I am certainly self admitted biased on this) but personally, that does not sound like an apology to me. In fact, it sounds like a bait to make the Ambassador look like a dick pushing him into a "damn if you do, damn if you don't" type situation.
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I'm a bit confused. This is some guy's personal blog. There's no mention of an official apology in the UK media. Where do you reckon he got the text of the official statement from?
 
Amie8 said:
I'm a bit confused. This is some guy's personal blog. There's no mention of an official apology in the UK media. Where do you reckon he got the text of the official statement from?
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It crossed my mind that this could be a hoax. There is nothing mentioned about the apology in the media, and the guy in said blog provides no source.

edit: crap, I just parroted what you said, was in a hurry...
 
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Jezza won't apologise on next weeks show... he'll make it worse, which is why we watch. :cool:

.............

 
Amie8 said:
I'm a bit confused. This is some guy's personal blog. There's no mention of an official apology in the UK media. Where do you reckon he got the text of the official statement from?
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The BBC appear to be reporting this themselves:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-12361790

Although I can't find the actual text of the "apology".

I have to agree with T_Roger. If what was posted is the apology .. it isn't. It is just a bunch of excuses .. none of which explain or excuse Hammond's final remark .. which wasn't a stereotype, it was just a hateful insult.
 
Aston Martin said:
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Good evening from the FinalGear News Network. We at FGNN have just received some breaking news.

The Mexican ambassador to Taiwan has lodged a complaint against Next Media Animation for their depiction of comments made by the hosts OF Top Gear about Mexico. Sources tell me that for some inexplicable reason a Mexican student somehow attending school in Taiwan is set to beg for some lawyers to sue the shit out of Next Media.

Stay tuned to the FinalGear News Network for further updates. This has been hemoh the friendly anchornotadude returning you to your regularly scheduled posts.
 
kurthest said:
/facepalm

These people need to lighten up.
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Well, the Japanese should shut up anyway. Until today they haven't come to terms with their own violent past and refuse to apologize for the atrocities they did during WW II.

GerFix said:
I have to agree with T_Roger. If what was posted is the apology .. it isn't. It is just a bunch of excuses .. none of which explain or excuse Hammond's final remark .. which wasn't a stereotype, it was just a hateful insult.
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Careful or you'll get foam on your mouth...

I mean come on, seriously. Hateful??? It was a stupid remark at worst, not entirely thought through and even stupider to leave it in the show uncut. But the BBC is right with what they say: Playing with stereotypes and prejudices is part of the Top Gear humor. No need to be shocked, just because it hit the poor Mexicans this time, instead of some rich country's inhabitants.
 
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MacGuffin said:
I mean come on, seriously. Hateful??? It was a stupid remark at worst, not entirely thought through and even stupider to leave it in the show uncut. But the BBC is right with what they say: Playing with stereotypes and prejudices is part of the Top Gear humor. No need to be shocked, just because it hit the poor Mexicans this time, instead of some rich country's inhabitants.
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I was referring mainly to Hammond's last comment ... "Just imagine waking up every morning and knowing you are Mexican" with the nauseated facial expression. That wasn't a joke based on a stereotype. It was really nasty.
 
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Mike Nassour said:
Racial stereotypes are a lazy comedian's way of getting a laugh. The boys are better than that.
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That's pretty much it.

Yes, I know they pick on us Americans at times, but for every bad thing they say, there's generally something good to balance it.

One one hand, 'Americans can't build a proper car'...then Richard goes on and on about 'proper American muscle cars'...buying Mustangs...and buying the Charger, a car he had wanted forever.

Jeremy as well with his Fords including the GT, and his glowing reviews of the Focus, the Fiesta and the Mondeo.

James loving the Cadillac prototypes and so on.

Jeremy wrote in one of his books about his love of the city of San Francisco, even going there to propose to his wife. And picking a Viper for his wedding.

I could go on and on, but for me, it's a case of give and take for comedy value.

But the comments made in this episode just went a bit too far for me. I can't say exactly what phrase did it for me, but it just seemed so....personal.

It made me cringe, and I can't remember ever doing that while watching the show.
 
Mr. Nice said:
If you have looked at it objectively and come to the conclusion that what was said was great and funny and the right thing to do, then I'm sorry, but you're a bigot.

So, no, I didn't tell anyone what to think. I just don't like to think that others are bigots (although we all know that some people are).

Edit: "I'm sorry, but just imagine waking up and remembering you're Mexican."
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What if he has said, "I'm sorry, but just imagine waking up and remembering you're an American."

I think it is hitting them so hard because most of the mexican peoples lives are considered a pitiful situation, so it hit too close to home to people who are not even mexican.

I have seen how they live, and while the person standing next to me is asking how people can live like that their whole lives and shaking their heads, I am in envy of them in many ways. I don't have pity for them although I think a lot of them are short changed simply because of where they live.

To be a victim of words, you have to feel what is said is true. I get it all the time. I am a woman and a southern woman complete with backwoods accent because that is where I am from. Nobody can insult me because I am not a victim.

I wake up every morning knowing what I am, and it doesn't bother me in the least that someone might think what I am is undesirable. Also, I don't let anyone else do my thinking for me.
 
Richard has made a statement on his website:

About time I spoke up on the Mexican affair.
Look, I was talking about the cartoon characters in western movies we all watched as kids and I am really sorry if I've offended anyone. Yes, we were stereotyping on Top Gear and yes, that can go wrong - as it rather has - but it can also be quite funny and that's what we were hoping to do. We Brits are often portrayed as clumsy snobs in bowler hats with brown teeth and terrible food. And it's funny. The BBC knows that and that's why they've stated quite clearly that 'stereotype comedy is allowed within BBC guidelines in programmes where the audience has clear expectations of that being the case.' I don't think anyone will disagree that Top Gear falls into that category.

Nevertheless, if we really have upset anyone, if they really feel I was expressing a genuinely held view that I believed Mexico to be populated by blokes in big hats and moustaches, then I am very sorry. Clearly, I don't really believe this, any more than I imagine France to be full of amorous cyclists with onions round their necks.

Of course, if I really did believe in these things, don't you think the joke would rather be on me? RH
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http://www.thehamsterscage.co.uk/tv/
 
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Well I would not have said what was said without making it completely clear that references were to the cartoon Mexican that RH has now so clarified.
 
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