Jeremy Clarkson accused of 'racism' during Top Gear series finale in Thailand

[JesseFrank]

Racially offensive remark removed.

Someone used the word " slope " ?

[keemapoot]

Here's a Hollywood trivia question for you. Which 14 yr old actor uttered the words "shut up slope" manning the 44s on the PTB street gang? For a clue look at my avatar.

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[Tatsujin]

I watched that episode last night, and when I saw the final structure built, I immediately thought well done, but there's a slope on it (meaning it was a little out of shape).

I didn't even notice the guy on the bridge until this all kicked off here.

Being a big fan of Clarkie, I'm sure the double meaning was intended. It's perhaps a little over the top, but having heard Asians talk about foreigners when they think we don't understand, this was mild compared to some of what I've heard from them.

[technologybytes]

I reckon Clarkson put this in deliberately so people would discus this rather than the obvious fact that the program was really, really crap.

I watched it and I was shocked to hear Clarkson say as he drove south through Mae Sai that it was "just 19 miles to the river Kwai'.

They show a map of Thailand with no place names on and they clearly assume that no viewer has any clue about geography.

The whole show has deteriorated to a shadow of it's former self.

[Dararasmi]

Jezza knew what he was saying. He's always been a troublemaker, a very entertaining troublemaker.

[rhythmworx]

I couldn't care less if he had said "look there's an aids ridden prostitute walking over the bridge, lets run over her and put her out of her misery".

What I am saying is what is said will be deemed rascist by the BBC and some public viewers.

[jacknorman]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_slope

[jaffacakes1]

The irony of slurring a Thai person with a Vietnamese term seems lost here. Was this malicious? Of course not. It was the sort of cheap gag I'd expect from my grandfather. Harmless banter.

These nouns only really become offensive following derogatory adjectives.

Edited March 18, 2014 by jaffacakes1

[baxida]

I couldn't care less if he had said "look there's an aids ridden prostitute walking over the bridge, lets run over her and put her out of her misery".

What I am saying is what is said will be deemed rascist by the BBC and some public viewers.

[asdecas]

Clarkson is a pratt - an extremely well paid one, but a pratt nonetheless. And yes, the term "slope" is offensive, though coming from such a perennial adolescent it's entirely predictable.

[speedtripler]

clarkson gets paid to entertain ,him making a joke should really be a non issue

its fine for chris rock to joke about black people versus white people etc so clarkson

should be allowed the same freedom

[OnTheRun]

you can clearly see from the pic that there is a slope to the right of the bridge and the hand gesture is also a clue but Jeremy could also be using a double meaning .

looks like it could have been built by locals . thais are always taking the piss out of us farangs but are not happy if we do the same with them .

I doubt it was the Thais who took offence, the UK is full of people eager to take offence on others behalf. A similar situation arose with a comment made by Prince Phillip regarding the Chineses. It caused uproar in the UK but the Chinese officials concerned were bemused by all the fuss, prompting them to ask the British press what the problem was.

[virtualtraveller]

Clarkson and his mates are usually funny in poor taste, they are orientalists using schoolboy humour to take the piss out of all the inferior countries they film in. It's pure entertainment, not very PC, aimed at an audience, and they make fun of everyone and everything, including the car companies who graciously supply them with test vehicles. As to the slope insinuation, I think this is just wild imagination of the viewer, in this decade it's a very uncommon slang term. Sometimes I find Clarkson funny, sometimes I find him to stupid and not so funny. But he's popular and an entertainer. Get over it.

[cmiuc]

have you ever notice that the ones who yell racism, are the ones who also use it? example how many black films have you seen where they call the caucasian "white boy" or something like that?

or how many stars or popular people have gotten into trouble for using the "n" word... now most people use that term for themselves or their friends... but if a black says it.."its ok" if a whitey says it... well fire his a$$, kick him out of hollywood...make him or her get on her knees and beg to apologize... it gets so ridiculous at times when people take offense at ever little word... they need to go home and cuddle up with mama and cry... while the rest of the world...just ignores it..

and asia is the epitamy of racism... so some of these people need to get out once in a while and go a country where there is literal rascism... (example how many blacks work in Thailand... and if so, it has only been a year or so where it is opening up)... so ... this word 'slope' i never heard of... and the example of the river kwai was a masterpiece...

so the whinnies need to let the man do his work however he wants so he can make his masterpiece hehe...

i am not racist at all... but i do get tired to hear of people knit picking these days...

[virtualtraveller]

By the way, he's right, Thais can never build anything straight, it's just the way they do it, but they do it with a smile and cheaply!

[JoePai]

You have to remember where this came from - some moron using Twitter. Let's face it, anyone who uses these social(?) things like Twitter do not have a real life so please excuse them.

[tonytigerbkk]

Hahahaha...... great joke.

Keep it up Clarky....

BTW 'slope' is not derogatory... It comes from the Vietnam war and was used by US troops to refer to Vietnamese Communist troops.

Gooks, slopes, Cong, VC, Charlies ..... etc.

Not for defaming reasons, but more a casual military designation.

When the Brits liberated the Falkland Islands. The British Squadies referred to the island locals as 'Bennies'.... If you are a Brit you should know what I mean. For those who don't... Benny was the name of a popular 70s soap opera character, who happened to be mildly retarded.

The military put out a communique to all squaddies and contractors not to refer to the locals as 'Bennies'... So after that everyone referred to them as 'stills'.

They're 'still' Bennies........ lol.

And the Bennies nicknamed us the Wheni's because they said that that was how we started every sentence, e.g., When I was in Northern Ireland, When I was is Cyprus, etc.

In Hong Kong in the 90s (when it was still British territory) there was a TV public service announcement aimed at stopping landslides in which the main message was 'maintain your slopes' , was that racist?

As for the PC brigade who have complained about this, JC has always been controversial, you could pick any episode of Top Gear and find something that is offensive to someone.

The only reason for thin skinned people to watch this show is so that they have something to complain about, Mary Whitehouse would be pleased that you have carried on her life's work.

[pedro01]

Clarkson is a pratt - an extremely well paid one, but a pratt nonetheless. And yes, the term "slope" is offensive, though coming from such a perennial adolescent it's entirely predictable.

If it is an offensive term, then why am i not offended?

How many complaints came from Asian people and how mant came from the PC brigade getting offended on their behalf?

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[HooHaa]

far more offensive (if indeed offense must me taken) is the refusal to refer to Myanmar as myanmar but rather burma.

[keemapoot]

far more offensive (if indeed offense must me taken) is the refusal to refer to Myanmar as myanmar but rather burma.

I still call HCM City Saigon & I still prefer to use Burma. Offensive?

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[ginjag]

Jeremy Who??? Never heard of the guy. So the bridge was sloping what is all the fuss?

Chooka WHO ???

[ginjag]

far more offensive (if indeed offense must me taken) is the refusal to refer to Myanmar as myanmar but rather burma.

Constantinople --Beijing--Siam--Saigon--and the rest---I do not find any a problem, Bombay ??

[PattayaPhom]

OK if he had said there was a farang on it................

[wilcopops]

I saw the show and genuinely thought that they are referring to the bridge being lop-sided. the "joke" went over my head......

If however it was meant a a racist joke it was in extremely poor taste and Clarkson deserve to be vilified for it.

there were several childish remarks made throughout the film - the reference to "fack" being Thai for marrow, the oblique =references to opium and quite frankly the concept of building a bridge over the mispronounced river "kwai" is pretty poor taste as well.

Clarkson and co did this trip with a massive entourage.....crew, logistics etc....and of course RESEARCHERS and SCRIPTWRITERS - yet they seem to have approached both countries with less prior knowledge tun the average 2 week holidaymaker.

Edited March 18, 2014 by wilcopops

[JoeThePoster]

I wish he would stop calling it the 'bridge on buffalo river' though.

[wilcopops]

Clarkson is a pratt - an extremely well paid one, but a pratt nonetheless. And yes, the term "slope" is offensive, though coming from such a perennial adolescent it's entirely predictable.

If it is an offensive term, then why am i not offended?

How many complaints came from Asian people and how mant came from the PC brigade getting offended on their behalf?

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A this thread's facile award goes to...........

[Beetlejuice]

Really? The whole world needs to "grow a pair" and ignore something if it offends them. These are tiny little people that can only make themselves feel important by being indignant over some minor offense.

True, unless of course these derogatory terms apply to them.

Many people will make fun of politics, religion, race, sexual orientation and are extremely open minded, until it becomes personal to them, then suddenly they begin to take offence.

All depends on what side of the fence one is on and whether or not they are on the receiving end of derogatory comments.

[Chupup]

What a load of old Bol..ks the people who complained about this need to get a life, my mrs is Thai and had never heard it said or knew what it meant IMHO JC was just refering to the angle only, slope is an English word used by English people , what will be next ?????

[wilcopops]

Really? The whole world needs to "grow a pair" and ignore something if it offends them. These are tiny little people that can only make themselves feel important by being indignant over some minor offense.

you are attacking the messenger, not the message which has clearly gone over your head.

Racism is an insidious "sickness" that is used to justify the oppression of various groups of people, by familiarising these sort of terms it perpetuates the concept that

"OTHERS" are less deserving or intelligent that "US".

you clearly find the concept of derogatory tens for other based purely on prejudice as acceptable.......not so .....not so.

[theduderule]

"And on that Bombshell. its time to end, Goodnight!"

Good way to end the season......slope...no slope. Really- why is anyone crying over this.