[is crap] May, Hammond in pay standoff?

[aaurora]

God, thanks James for setting things straight. I couldn't bear to lose any of our boys.

[Mineworksfine]

It kind of makes sense 'though. Given how much Jeremy has talked over James this series, and how little involvement May has had, one does wonder of they are paid by the word or the second or something.

Or B. Enough of this conspiracy theory crap from a bunch of lentillistas at the Guardian which, unlike the Times and the Telegraph, is so up its own arse it doesn't even have a motoring section!!!

[tone76]

I get the impression it's more a case of Hammond and May's respective agents leaking the story to media to use as leverage in the negotiations rather than boys themselves getting all snippy over it. That's what agents do: they try to get the most money for their clients (and themselves) ...

[mazdaddy]

It seems the boys have their 'annual' contract review its every 4 months, a story comes up with something like this. Plus its the Guardian, the sworn arch nemesis of fun and defender of the terminally stupid council governments.

[Cold Fussion]

Hammond has built up his popularity immensely since his brush with death in a high-speed crash for Top Gear last year.

If they get the simple facts wrong then the validity of the whole argument is brought into question.

[skylock]

Clarkson speaks

But last night Clarkson said: “They won’t leave. It’s the best job in the world. I’d pay to do it.”

I know I would pay a pretty hefty amount to spend the day with them.

Another "Source"

The source said it was unlikely the pair would leave as Top Gear made them big stars.

He added: “Who had ever heard of Richard Hammond before Top Gear?”

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle1383502.ece

[Tranquillizer]

i must not make a comment here, because if i did, BBC would feel insult.

[Richmondgal]

The logical thing to do about this situation is to shun it really. I mean the pay of Hammond and May should be doubled or up to Clarkson's standards yes, but for one of them or two of them or even all of them leave the show, they would know that Top Gear won't be the same. So really, I think newspaper in England are a load of shit and makes me wanna write more about the Motor industry than Showbiz.

[Mike Nassour]

Well, given that most of what's been said here is probably spot-on, we have to realize that money does indeed change the dynamics of friendships...and of the way that one performs on screen. Were I Hammond or May and knew that Jezza was getting, oh what is it...three, four, five, six?....times what I was getting, I would have a very, very difficult time working under those conditions. Of course, I'm not saying that they're anything less than completely professional, but the BBC has to realize that both are at the point in their careers where while they may want to do Top Gear, they don't need to do Top Gear.

And the BBC has to consider its responsibilities to the license holders as a public broadcaster. If there's anything to this report, then this could be the beginning of a difficult period, ending, perhaps with the three of them winding up on a commercial channel.

[helmethead]

Ah, reports from the Telegraph and now The Sun. They must be true, then. At least the Media Guardian has a reputation for being reasonably accurate in its specialist field with specialist journalists.

As has been noted before, what we're seeing is sabre-rattling-in-public as part of contract negotiations. Nothing more, nothing less.

Adam Carolla made some very pertinent observations concerning Top Gear and the BBC when discussing the coming US version. To paraphrase, he implied that Top Gear couldn't have been born in the USA and that "because of the unique way the BBC is funded" (my words, not his) that it had been allowed to evolve. Whether Hammond or May or even Clarkson need to do Top Gear, as Mike noted above, it's also true that the BBC don't need to do Top Gear either. Commercial stations would keep milking it as long as it paid; the BBC don't have that commercial imperative and will kill it if it no longer represents viewer value for money.

[YicklePigeon]

I'm just thankful James has cleared this up - especially after the little screen time he's had with the as-aired episodes of the new series.

With regards,

Yickle.

[La Chaton]

I think, considerig this has been reported by several sources now that there actually is disagreement about salary, but really, Clarkson is earning too much compared to them anyways. But I think mainly it's just people blowing it out of proportion, it seems like everytime a show has to sign contracts there's threats of the stars leaving.

[skylock]

I think this article probably holds the most truth.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7491492.stm

"We are not looking for parity with Jeremy but the best deal we can secure for James," said Annie Sweetbaum, a spokeswoman for Arlington Enterprises.

Ms Sweetbaum said negotiations had "only just started" and the final figure for May was "never going to be what the BBC first offer".

[nist7]

BBC reports that Clarkson is getting paid about $4000000 USD per year. And so it is not surprising that May/Hammond are probably paid alot less than that.

HOWEVER, until we know how much May/Hammond is getting paid right now (which I'm guessing is ALOT more than the median income of your average UK bloke, btw shouldn't all their salaries be publicly available since Top Gear/BBC2 is a government/publicly funded program?) I have zero sympathy for May/Hammond.

And in the unlikely event that they do actually leave the show due to the salary difference....well then that will be the end of Top Gear as we know it....where money trumps their "enthusiasm" for cars.

[James May's Hair]

Mr Wilman's comments on the subject.

[aaurora]

Andy - gotta love him.

[mat1h]

Andy's right on the button... the boys love TG more than anything else. The papers are just speculating Crap !

[the Interceptor]

Originally Posted by aaurora

Andy - gotta love him.

x 2

[fbc]

Andy FTW.

[skylock]

I never believed it anyways, but then, money has caused other people to do something stupid, but I was sure James and Richard weren't stupid.

Thanks to Andy once again for writing plain truth on the matter in a way only he seems to be able to.