Clarkson: Ofcom rules on Jeremy's Prostitute Gag and scores a huge victory for common sense!

MWF

MWF

Now needs wood
Joined
May 29, 2008
Messages
28,275
Location
MWF HQ, Ukadia
Car(s)
MX-5 1.8i Indiana SE, update pending
From http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/new...joke-about-lorry-drivers-and-prostitutes.html - the last paragraph in particular shows that the world isn't going completely insane.

Jeremy Clarkson cleared by Ofcom over joke about lorry drivers and prostitutes
Jeremy Clarkson has been cleared by the broadcasting watchdog Ofcom of causing offence after making a joke about lorry drivers murdering prostitutes.

Ofcom received 339 complaints after the Top Gear presenter made the remarks during a pre-recorded episode of the BBC Two motoring show last month.

Clarkson and his co-presenters James May, the Daily Telegraph columnist, and Richard Hammond, were taking part in a stunt for the show that involved driving lorries around an obstacle course.

Climbing behind the wheel, Clarkson mused: "What matters to lorry drivers? Murdering prostitutes? Fuel economy?"

He went on: "This is a hard job, and I'm not just saying this to win favour with lorry drivers. It's a hard job - change gear, change gear, change gear, check your mirrors, murder a prostitute, change gear, change gear, murder. That's a lot of effort in a day."

His comments provoked a furious reaction from victim support groups and road hauliers who demanded that the presenter make a public apology.

Ofcom accepted that the remarks "could shock some viewers" but ruled that Clarkson was "clearly using exaggeration to make a joke, albeit not to everyone's taste.

"The comments should therefore have been seen in that context," it said. "It is often the case that humour can cause offence. To restrict humour only to material which does not cause offence would be an unnecessary restriction of freedom of expression."
Click to expand...

The Daily Fail also reports on the story - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...joke-TV-watchdog-rules-didnt-breach-code.html - but funnily enough none of their spectacularly narrow-minded readers have so far seen fit to comment. Funny that.....
 
Quote from the Fail:

His comments came after serial killer Steve Wright was convicted in February of murdering five prostitutes in Ipswich.
Click to expand...

Yes - nine months after. Stupid, stupid newspaper (unless you are a homophobic, racist misogynist, in which case - it's really rather good).
 
It is really scary to observe what is going on in Britain lately with all the intolerant PC bullshit. Top Gear remains the oasis of normalcy in the sea of moronic PC-crippled media.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MWF
James May's Hair said:
Quote from the Fail:

Yes - nine months after. Stupid, stupid newspaper (unless you are a paranoid homophobic, racist, misogynist Islamophobe incapable of forming their own opinions or the arguments to back up their own deep seated prejudices, in which case - it's really rather good).
Click to expand...

FTFY ;)
 
glad to see some common sense still prevails in this world.
it'll be interesting to see how the Daily Mail will twist and spin this in a negative light. they will probably complain next that Ofcom is showing favoritism to the Beeb next. or using their usual tactic they will probably complain that 'ofcom has become ruled by illegal immigrants'
 
Huzzah for common sense
 
I saw the good news on the BBC website earlier and rejoiced. Someone, somewhere has seen past all the hysterical nonsense and common sense has prevailed :)

Funnily enough, I actually phoned Ofcom when this all blew up, mainly to say that I was concerned the reporting of events like this fuelled the problem and made it self-fulfilling. They weren't quite sure what to do with me because I didn't want to complain as such, but just to point out that organisations like the BBC make things worse for themselves by repeating things so people who wouldn't normally see or hear them get the opportunity to be outraged and then feel it is their civic duty to make a fuss about it. However, I eventually spoke to a lovely lady who assured me Ofcom felt much the same way. I'm really glad to see this outcome.
 
Thank God for common sense everywhere, and all of of free speech; FUCK YEA. This ruling finally proves that the people who can't take jokes or have no sense of humour take things about free speech too far and want any possibly offensive joke to be followed with an apology because it is too offensive for their little minds. However, I guess that's what it's like living in a free world these days.

FREE SPEECH FOR THE WIN!

Overuse of the word free, maybe?

Much like when Jezza took a Disco up a mountain in Scotland and eco-nazis demanded a public apology because he ran over some moss, it is an argument not worth have as there is moss everywhere and people step all over it all the time.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Jay
HAHA. That's brilliant. Not unexpected, though. Political correctness needs to be squashed quite badly like that when those things come up. Honestly it does, thank goodness for Jezza and his HUUUUGE mouth.
 
Topgearfanatic said:
Thank God for common sense everywhere, and all of of free speech; FUCK YEA. This ruling finally proves that the people who can't take jokes or have no sense of humour take things about free speech too far and want any possibly offensive joke to be followed with an apology because it is too offensive for their little minds. However, I guess that's what it's like living in a free world these days.

FREE SPEECH FOR THE WIN!

Overuse of the word free, maybe?

Much like when Jezza took a Disco up a mountain in Scotland and eco-nazis demanded a public apology because he ran over some moss, it is an argument not worth have as there is moss everywhere and people step all over it all the time.
Click to expand...

Well, it wouldn't be free speech if people weren't allowed to complain in response....
 
capra said:
Well, it wouldn't be free speech if people weren't allowed to complain in response....
Click to expand...

Fair point but they should just suck it up really because it seems like they watch top gear just to take notes of what upsets them even the smallest bit and then they call to complain and demand an apology.
 
Topgearfanatic said:
Fair point but they should just suck it up really because it seems like they watch top gear just to take notes of what upsets them even the smallest bit and then they call to complain and demand an apology.
Click to expand...


Well, no, they shouldn't. That'd be like like saying you should just suck it up because they're complaining. It's not free speech if it doesn't go both ways.

And I would imagine that people who had been traumatized by the murders would hardly think it was a small thing. YMMV, obviously.
 
I believe the people who have been traumatized by such actions have the right to call in and complain but those who watch shows just to complain are completely unfounded complaints. Like when a parent confronts the school about their child being bullied, they have every right to do so but the child who is the one being bullied should report the bully, although this seems very contradictory, it seems like the best example I can think of.

You have provided excellent point, as I first thought it was just nit picking rousers who were complaining but I failed to see the other side.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top