See, that's my point, and you're completely missing it. Over here, nobody even has any idea who Robbie Williams even IS. "Oh, do you mean Robin Williams, nanoo nanoo?" He could walk the streets of Manhattan in anonymity. I don't think I've even heard one of his songs, ever, and if I did I wouldn't know it. I just read his Wikipedia entry, and saw they tried to bring him here in 1999 and he was a collossal flop. NOW PAY ATTENTION: This may be exactly what Jeremy Clarkson is truly afraid of. Maybe he advised David Beckham not to go to Los Angeles. Jeremy's a God in England, and like Robbie Williams he could be a collossal flop in the US. It's a big risk for him. It means leaving the safety of BBC{1..n}. I completely sympathise with him. There's a greater chance of failure than success.
Look, I think it's pretty clear to most people that I generally like England. I like many of those artists. I like many English movies (just not Rocky Horror). I mean, come on, the average American has no idea about Black Adder even existing. I'm not the biggest Anglophile in the world but I like and admire England.
However, again, my point is that England, in the entertainment industry, is relatively tiny, it's the junior circuit. That's all. That may hurt your pride but you have to objectively admit it is true. Why do you think the Beatles came here, and why do you think Lennon and McCartney both chose to live here after they broke up?
Yes, you have many talented actors, musicians, and artists. I'm not saying ENGLAND SUCKS. Just saying it's a small pond and Jeremy's a whale in that pond. Here he'd be a koi in a large sea. Maybe that would be a blow to his ego. Maybe he has a fear of failure. Maybe he's just tired of Top Gear and doesn't want to prolong it. Maybe he's afraid of the much, much brighter spot light. It's a lot of pressure. He can thrive, or wilt beneath the heat.
If you want to go tit-for-tat on the namedropping, I could probably match you with artists and stars from simply my home state of New Jersey -- Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, The Smithereens, Monster Magnet, The Misfits, Sara Vaughan, Debbie Harry, Blues Traveler, Spin Doctors, Zakk Wylde, Frankie Valli, My Chemical Romance, Pete Yorn, Lauryn Hill, Whitney Houston, Count Basey, Dizzy Gillespie; Bruce Willis, Kevin Smith, Kevin Spacey, James Gandolfini, Joe Pantoliano, Ed Harris, Budd Abbott and Lou Costello, Jerry Lewis, Meryl Streep, Ray Liotta, Michael Douglass, Kirsten Dunst, Danny DeVito, Steven VanZandt, John Travolta, and last but not least Hugh Laurie's BFF Robert Sean Leonard, et al. That's just one tiny stinking state out of 50.
Let me make it loud and clear: I like and admire England.
You missed my point, you claimed the US was THE market yet Robbie Williams is HIGHLY successful without needing to be popular in the US. He is the best selling artist in the world, he got the biggest record deal ever, all without being 'big' in the US.
Artists dont need the US to get rich and famous. Sorry.
And Jeremy is far from a 'WHALE' in our pond. He is a TV presenter/columnist, nothing more. Top Gear gets 5 million viewers? Eastenders/Coronation Street get upto 15 million viewers. Thats 1/4 of the country. Jeremy is hardly ever on TV apart from TG, hes been on a chat show maybe once in the past 3 years and hosted one or two shows. Yes, he truly sounds like a BEAST of the entertainment world!
And i already said why people go to the US. You have MORE people therefore there is a bigger market to make money! Its not rocket science. What? Do you want an award for having a bigger population? OK, Bravo. Well done indeed for breeding.
Oh and finally, you think people dont know Blackadder, well how about these BRITISH TV shows which have been remade for the US:
Agony The Lucie Arnaz Show
Airline Airline British version renamed Airline UK in the US
Antiques Roadshow Antiques Roadshow
Are You Being Served? Beanes of Boston Un-aired pilot. The sequel Grace and Favour was called Are You Being Served? Again! in the US
As If As If
Ballykissangel Hope Island
Birds of a Feather Stand by Your Man
Blackpool Viva Laughlin! Confirmed on CBS Fall schedule
Brat Camp Brat Camp
Cash in the Attic Cash in the Attic
CD:UK CD USA
Celebrity Fit Club Celebrity Fit Club Both versions featured Former US Marine Harvey Walden IV as a judge, but the other judges are changed often
Changing Rooms Trading Spaces
Cold Feet Cold Feet
Cracker Cracker US remake is known as Fitz in the UK
Coupling Coupling US remake was cancelled after four episodes. In turn, the original British show was inspired by US television shows Friends and Seinfeld.
Dad's Army The Rear Guard Pilot episode only
Dear John Dear John Known as Dear John USA in the UK
Distraction Distraction Same host (Jimmy Carr)
Doctor Who Doctor Who 1996 pilot movie only with Paul McGann as the 8th Doctor
Dog Eat Dog Dog Eat Dog
Don't Forget Your Toothbrush Don't Forget Your Toothbrush
Faking It Faking It
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin Reggie
Fawlty Towers Chateau Snavely Pilot episode only with Harvey Korman & Betty White
Amanda's Starring Beatrice Arthur
Payne Starring John Larroquette
Footballers' Wives Football Wives Confirmed pilot
Ant & Dec's Gameshow Marathon Gameshow Marathon
George and Mildred The Ropers
The Grimleys The Grubbs
Hell's Kitchen Hell's Kitchen
Hit Me Baby One More Time Hit Me Baby One More Time Same host, both ITV productions.
Holding the Baby Holding the Baby
Home to Roost You Again
Honey, We're Killing the Kids Honey We're Killing the Kids
How Clean Is Your House? How Clean Is Your House?
I'd Do Anything I'd Do Anything George Gray hosted US version on ESPN -- hosted his third US version of a British show.
I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!
The IT Crowd The IT Crowd Confirmed pilot
Keep it in the Family Too Close for Comfort
Life on Mars Life on Mars Confirmed pilot, set in Los Angeles.
Love Thy Neighbour Love Thy Neighbor
Man About The House Three's Company
Masterchef Masterchef
Max Headroom Max Headroom
Men Behaving Badly Men Behaving badly
Mind Your Language What a Country
Mr. Men and Little Miss Mr. Men Show
Never Mind The Buzzcocks Never Mind The Buzzcocks
The 1900 House Frontier House
Not the Nine O'Clock News Not Necessarily the News The Daily Show, especially in its earlier incarnation under Craig Kilborn, also owes a great deal to this show.
The Office The Office Known as The Office: An American Workplace when aired in UK.
On the Buses Lotsa Luck
One Foot in the Grave Cosby Many differences.
Pop Idol American Idol: The Search for a Superstar Both with Simon Cowell as a judge
Porridge On the Rocks
Queer As Folk Queer As Folk
Red Dwarf Red Dwarf Two un-aired pilots
Robin's Nest Three's a Crowd
Robot Wars Robot Wars: Extreme Warriors Filmed alongside the UK show in 2001 and 2002.
Scrapheap Challenge Junkyard Wars .[1]
Spitting Image D.C. Follies
Steptoe and Son Sanford and Son Relied on race as well as class
Strictly Come Dancing Dancing with the Stars
Supernanny Supernanny British episodes shown along with US episodes
Teachers Teachers Cancelled after 6 episodes.
That Was The Week That Was That Was The Week That Was Both versions hosted by David Frost
The Thick of It The Thick of It (US TV series) Currently under development by Mitchell Hurwitz. [1]
This Life First Years
Till Death Us Do Part All in the Family
Touching Evil Touching Evil
Trigger Happy TV Trigger Happy TV Dom Joly appears in both versions of the show, despite the US version having a mostly new cast - Joly was the only on screen star in the UK Version. The American version is known as "Trigger Happy USA" when aired in the UK
The Vicar of Dibley The Minister Of Divine Confirmed pilot starring Kirstie Alley
The Weakest Link Weakest Link (US) Anne Robinson hosted both the UK version and the original US primetime version.
What Not to Wear What Not to Wear
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
Whose Line Is It Anyway? Whose Line Is It Anyway? UK version hosted by Clive Anderson as were initial episodes of the US version before Drew Carey became the permanent host.
Wife Swap Wife Swap (ABC) / Trading Spouses (FOX)
But dont get me wrong, the US produces some of the best shows in the world, TV would be very boring without the US. But Top Gear shouldnt move or risk losing its magic of a Sunday night BBC2 slot where it can get away with what it likes (or almost)