[09x03] February 11th, 2007

[Raven18940]

Yo Andy,

Just wanted to say that I'm 22 and I thought that episode was fantastic! Best episode ever I think, and I too have seen pretty much every one in the 9 seasons. Do it again some time.

Oh and the "decoration" stunt. I know that sounded brilliant in the brainstorming, but that was stupid and above all else extremely dangerous. The south shows no tolerance, a couple years ago a homosexual was beaten to death in Texas just for being gay. Please please please, don't do anything that stupid again. It's not worth the ratings!

[Duckm4n]

I live in America, am a citizen, but yes do not go to Alabama, or anywhere west of Virginia, it gets creepy in south western va too.

LOVED THE EP!!! The segment in Alabama was downright frightening, I was afraid for them. Those statements they wrote where nothing offensive, it did not insult anyone directly, nor was it racist. lol and Jezza's comment "In some parts of America, people have started mating vegetables" is just greatttttttttttttttttttttttt and you know its true

[regiz]

That was really awsome. I think it would be possible to do a country-themed episode just about any region in the world, so... we're waiting, guys

Imagine their journey to Japan (easier for them, RHD)... or Australia (lots of nice Holdens do drive )... Come on, this is the 9th season - it's high time they started looking for some new ideas - this one is great, people seem to like it...

[Chupacabras]

Originally Posted by teletubby-warrior

BRILLIANT EPISODE!

On a different note, this thread has unexpectedly turned into an effective tool for identifying some of the ignorant members...

[dansus]

Originally Posted by USA Sport 20

To put it into perspective, what if I bought an old Jaguar, painted swastikas on it, and drove it around Piccadily?

-Jeff

I would chuckle and move on, which is kind of the point i think.

Good show, liked it but didnt love it. They've done better. Alabama bit was OTT, New Orleans was shocking to see from such a developed country.

[Raven18940]

Originally Posted by dansus

I would chuckle and move on, which is kind of the point i think.

The south is its own world. When I saw what they had painted on the cars I was genuinely concerned for their well being and that was well before it all went wrong.

[Duckm4n]

Originally Posted by JosefCarlin

and they get one. It was a stupid thing to do and they could have been seriously hurt. Do you really think you could go into someones house, disrespect them, and expect anything different? Here are some other Top Gear Top Tips: Don't go to Iran and call them "Camel Jockeys", don't go to a football game in Germany and call them Nazi's, and don't go to Berwick, Scotland and tell them what a great King Edward I was. They too might not have a sense of humor.

I have a had a great deal of respect for the BBC, Top Gear, the production crew, and the lads, but I must say I have lost some of that respect and high regard. It was a cheesy (get it), classless stunt and in bad taste. It really is a shame because the rest of the episode was truly inspired.

Oh and thanks for the gift of the broken down pieces of junk. Your charity is quite, underwhelming. As James so elquoently put it once, "Sod off!"

They did not insult anyone, they didnt bother anyone, they just minded their own business. What ever happened to free speech?

[USA Sport 20]

Okay guys, don't get me wrong, I laughed until I pretty much cried, it was really funny. I was just reading some posts that indicated that it was being taken seriously and wanted to head it off... I guess I was a little embarassed for how we were so wonderfully represented by our kissing cousins from the south...

Hell, I wasn't even insulted by the slogans written on the cars: I thought it was hilarious and kind of pissed off I didn't think of it first... Probably not the smartest thing they ever did though... lol

[maalox]

I thought this was a great episode and a really nice change to the formula. It evoked a similar feeling to Long Way Round (albeit to a lesser extent of course). The producer's right in that this is a bit more mature than the Toyboata or the Winter Olympics' Mini, but that made it all the more enjoyable as it was something new. It'd be interesting for them to do this with some of the other automotive centers of the world. Japan would probably be the most interesting--seeing Clarkson squished into some ancient kei car could be comedy in itself!

[MPower]

Originally Posted by Duckm4n

They did not insult anyone, they didnt bother anyone, they just minded their own business. What ever happened to free speech?

Minded their own business by taking the known opinions of the locals and shoving it back in their face? Im not saying that the hicks were right but what did you expect? Even the gas station woman knew that when she asked if they asked to be beaten in a hick town.

[Andx0r]

Originally Posted by epp_b

For a country that preaches free speech until everyone else's ears bleed, that part was pretty disgusting.

The free speech clauses protect US citizens from the wrath of Government. It does not protect you from a bunch of crazy hillbillies. And, I suspect that any free speech articles/clauses/etc. in any other countries have a similar effect on the local loonies.

[Zegna]

Fantastic episode! But that Alabama part is properly frightening. It changed my mind about a thing or two.

But anyway, this episode is pure brilliance. Credits are due to Billy Bob Wilman.

[Neek]

Another American checking in here. I actually live between Miami and Moroso Motorsports Park. I fairly regularly do track events with my 2005 STi at Moroso, and got a really big kick out of watching Fat Stig and the trio cock about there. There's an endangered species of sandhill cranes that make homes in those marshes around the track. Hit one, and the day is over and you pay a large fine.

I have seen every TG episode for all nine seasons. The American bastard show was but barely a skeleton of the BBC version, and I was glad to see it die mercifully.

I think this episode was one of the most enjoyable bits of television I've ever seen, for a number of reasons. First, of course seeing the guys in my local stomping ground was a hoot. Second, watching the (over)reactions to some fairly predictable things was great. The cow had me literally hysterical. I know the show well enough and especially JC's style to not take 98% of what he says seriously, and I think the lack of political correctness is something in general on Top Gear that I am envious of in the current American social climate.

Most of all, I think I really believed how much they liked the cars after the adventure all 6 of them had been through. I've had cars that were so quirky that if I let a friend borrow it, the friend had to have a briefing as if he were taking over the watch position of a nuclear missle silo. You really do connect with machines like that, and I felt that was conveyed beautifully.

Overall, it was fantastic. I hope to see further jaunts by the crew across the pond. I wish I knew they were passing by on I-95 so I could try to take some potshots at them with a rifle and throw burgers in their windows so as not to disappoint their expectations. I'm certainly not embarassed nor pissed off by the show. The producers seeked out a very small subset of our culture to expose and did so. It was pretty funny, IMO.

[dansus]

Originally Posted by MPower

Minded their own business by taking the known opinions of the locals and shoving it back in their face? Im not saying that the hicks were right but what did you expect? Even the gas station woman knew that when she asked if they asked to be beaten in a hick town.

It was a bit of a joke and using your powers of reason and taking it as such is part of being a mature human these days.

Theres idiots everywhere, today we saw Alabama's own special brand of idiots.

[baller92287]

Originally Posted by ruuman

I wasn't really taking about the cars with that comment, JC was just dam right insulting on that DVD for no good reason.



I'm on the plane now



SF is on the list for sure, but I don't want to just stick to the coastal places, so I think it will be a big trip right across. See how much time off work I can get first though.

Any one from Europe wanting a good time in America just come to my humble town of Santa Barbara, California...They call it America's Riviera or some shit, but it is truly awesome.

If this effects tourism I would be kind of sad, not in a patriotic way, but in the sense that anyone would even consider visiting the south. Jayhawk, your the man with that first post even if it did bring politics into it. It's fine to be polite, but don't back down so easily, they think we are pushovers anyways.

[Ianspeed]

Best Top Gear show since the new team restarted the show.

Big respect.

[imokruok]

Originally Posted by JosefCarlin

Here are some other Top Gear Top Tips: Don't go to Iran and call them "Camel Jockeys", don't go to a football game in Germany and call them Nazi's, and don't go to Berwick, Scotland and tell them what a great King Edward I was.

Clarkson's opinion of America is no secret - it's been on the pages of the Telegraph and elsewhere for a while now, so you knew from the first minute where this show was eventually heading. But this was just too much. Your statement above is spot on. Top Gear always does this kind of humor in their home country, but never to the level that they did in this episode. Frankly, it went beyond crude and they deserved everything they received in return.

Ever heard of the phrase "Southern hospitality?" It takes a real stunt to turn people away from that. Congrats, TG, you've done it. (And surprisingly, they did it to a group of people who would have normally been very hospitable to the TG crew because of their common interest - cars.)

[Neek]

Originally Posted by dansus

Theres idiots everywhere, today we saw Alabama's own special brand of idiots.

Hope everyone recognizes this as clearly as you stated it.

[torqueless]

So since i actually live in alabama, should i go find all the people that they pissed off and show them the episode?

[dansus]

Originally Posted by torqueless

So since i actually live in alabama, should i go find all the people that they pissed off and show them the episode?

Yes and can you film their reactions and put it youtube. Ta. Now that would be worth watching.