Top Gear sparks Mexico complaints

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param288

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Mexico's ambassador in London has complained to the BBC over "offensive, xenophobic and humiliating" comments made about his country on Top Gear.Eduardo Medina Mora has written to the BBC about "insults" made by Richard Hammond, Jeremy Clarkson and James May.

Discussing a Mexican sports car, Hammond said vehicles reflected national characteristics so "Mexican cars are just going to be lazy".

The BBC did not comment but said it would respond directly to Mr Mora.

Reviewing the Mastretta on Sunday's show, Hammond said: "Mexican cars are just going to be lazy, feckless, flatulent, overweight, leaning against a fence asleep looking at a cactus with a blanket with a hole in the middle on as a coat."

The presenters, known for their edgy jibes, then described Mexican food as "refried sick".

Clarkson said he was confident he would not receive any complaints about their comments because the Mexican ambassador would be asleep.

However, the ambassador did complain, and demanded an apology from the BBC.

"The presenters of the programme resorted to outrageous, vulgar and inexcusable insults to stir bigoted feelings against the Mexican people, their culture, as well as their official representative in the United Kingdom," he wrote.

"These offensive, xenophobic and humiliating remarks only serve to reinforce negative stereotypes and perpetuate prejudice against Mexico and its people."

It is not the first time the driving programme has caused controversy.

Hundreds of viewers complained in 2008 after Clarkson made a joke about lorry drivers murdering prostitutes.

Last week, the programme was named most popular factual show at the National TV Awards.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12338053
 
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Raise your hand if you haven't had top gear insult your race/gender/religion etc. before.

Top gear is an equal opportunity source of insults, they insult everyone they can think of, including themselves.
 
Agreed.. Americans are regular targets of the jibs, and we laugh it off like everyone else. It's not even like these are current stereotypes..
 
when i read;

However, the ambassador did complain, and demanded an apology from the BBC.

I read it in JC's style, remember when he did that? DEMANDED AN APOLOGY FROM THE BEE BEE CEE.

i lold
 
Raise your hand if you haven't had top gear insult your race/gender/religion etc. before.

Top gear is an equal opportunity source of insults, they insult everyone they can think of, including themselves.

Except this took it to new heights. Every other time it has been off the cuff and not serious. It is possible to go too far, and that is what happened here.
 
Clarkson said he was confident he would not receive any complaints about their comments because the Mexican ambassador would be asleep.
:lol: :rofl:
 
Personally, I think they went too far.
 
The Mexican ambassador didn't have much of a choice, as i see it. If he chose no to complaine, people would think that he was a lazy ass, and rather wanted to sleep and just make Clarksons joke into a fact. If he did complaine, he would be looked at as a man who payed attention, but also as a jackass for complaining on Top Gear, who makes fun of everyone.
 
That whole bit made me feel uncomfortable. The 3 of them came off just plain mean. Although the british calling some other country's food bad is ironic.
 
That whole bit made me feel uncomfortable. The 3 of them came off just plain mean. Although the british calling some other country's food bad is ironic.

Especially when it is in fact so delicious. I wish we had better mexican restaurants around here.
 
They went way too far imo. Some of the things they were saying were just plain nasty.
 
As a honkey, I find the American insults funny, but I do think they went a little too far this time. The real problem with this though is that A LOT of people take what JC says as gospel. If you want proof, just take a look around this forum for instance; almost everyone here regurgitates things like "Audi's are driven by cocks" (though that used to be BMW), "the Hilux is the best truck ever made", "The 911 is a Beetle".... etc, etc, etc. Now multiply that by however many million people watch this show and start to realize how powerful his words actually are. At some point, self responsibility needs to step in.
 
They went too far. Not that anyone would punish them, mind you. Can't kill the cash cow.
 
I do fear that if he isn't careful, he might go overboard. Granted, I laughed when I heard his rant, as I do with many of his jabs, even against the Americans like me, I still get a good laugh because yes they are funny but also, because they are true. Clarkson, If ya read this, I love ya man, your a heck of a guy but please don't get fired!

Lucas
America - Land of the free..........................overtaxed!
 
I doubt the TG boys will be heading [oops,that's not a dig at what Mexico is best known for these days ;)] anytime soon

literally LOL
I have to admit that joke was below the belt but it was funny
 
literally LOL
I have to admit that joke was below the belt but it was funny

That's the kind of joke that should have been made. People would have still been offended and probably still complained, but it wouldn't have been looked upon as badly as what was said.
 
They did take it too far...

It was still funny though...

And mostly based on real world examples and stories.

(I think it was mostly the shock of them making fun of Mexico, something they don't usually do. It was unexpected and caught people off guard. People no longer pay attention to "invading Poland", "surrender monkeys" and lines of the sort.)
 
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