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

[allan michaud]

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For your edification, since the term "farang" is not used to refer to an ethnic group that historically has been oppressed and victimized, your suggestion is totally ludicrous.

Yeah, because how we all know, only blacks and Asians have been 'historically oppressed and victimized',
That must come as a bit of a shock to all the Irish Catholics, South Americans who lived under military dictatorships, Europeans in the middle/dark ages, Russisns under Stalin, white farmers in Mugabe's Zimbabwe, Brits under Roman rule, etc, etcetera.. How far do you want to go back?
Looks like Brad failed history!

Hahaha...

Anyone who thinks it was racial oppression when Stalin's white Russians oppressed other white Russians, they failed

a lot more than history, like a general IQ test.

Brits under Roman rule? Be serious, dude, both sides were mainly caucasian. I want to say, "Get an education" but it's

obviously much too late for you.

Brad are you a brain donor? I ask because you seem to have little understanding of either history or the English language. Colour is not the only thing that can be an indication of racism, the Romans oppressed many nations, and many religious groups, Stalin likewise the Jews and other minorities. Here there are many cases of racism (against pretty much all nationalities other than Thai's... and don't forget the racism shown by Thai's towards their countrymen from Issan or the South). You really are an idiot.

[VocalNeal]

So the word slope has now been hijacked by the "racist" movement just like the word gay has been hijacked by homosexuals.

The world has gone mad.

Has anyone considered that the bridge may not have looked level?

[konfuzed]

This is a very slippery slope.

This is why we can't have outstanding humor anymore like fawlty towers as it would offend too many people.

Seriously. Can't we just enjoy a laugh. It wasn't said maliciously it was inane schoolboy humor - that I didn't realize till I saw the news.

[wilcopops]

BBC faces £1MILLION racism lawsuit over Jeremy Clarkson's 'slope' quip on Top Gear Burma special

Somi Guha, 36, is suing BBC over alleged racist remark on Top Gear

Jeremy Clarkson caused outrage by using word 'slope' in Burma special

Term is a derogatory phrase for people of Asian descent

Actress Ms Guha's lawyers say action could cost the BBC £1million

They demand organisation apologises and takes show off the air

By LIZZIE EDMONDSEDMONDS

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/711700-jeremy-clarkson-accused-of-racism-during-top-gear-series-finale-in-thailand/page-30#entry7622217

[wilcopops]

So the word slope has now been hijacked by the "racist" movement just like the word gay has been hijacked by homosexuals.

The world has gone mad.

Has anyone considered that the bridge may not have looked level?

Asian people didn't choose the word slope it's derogatory....it was racists.

Gay is only derogatory when spat out by homophobes

Edited March 29, 2014 by wilcopops

[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.

How predictable, little known Indian born actress Somi Guha who resides in London is so offended (on others behalf) by Clarkson's comment she is suing the BBC.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/jeremy-clarkson-slope-comment-somi-3297028

[wilcopops]

So the word slope has now been hijacked by the "racist" movement just like the word gay has been hijacked by homosexuals.

The world has gone mad.

Has anyone considered that the bridge may not have looked level?

Yet another one who thinks the Cadburys flake advert was all about a woman too busy eating chocolate to answer the phone!

[baxida]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

So the word slope has now been hijacked by the "racist" movement just like the word gay has been hijacked by homosexuals.

The world has gone mad.

Has anyone considered that the bridge may not have looked level?

Yet another one who thinks the Cadburys flake advert was all about a woman too busy eating chocolate to answer the phone!

That's exactly what the story showed us mate.

[mrtoad]

Somi Ghua is a attention seeking moron, as is Jeremy Clarkson.

Seriously, I have to be honest I had never actually heard the word "slope" used in this context previously, but I guess it may well have been used, although I was sure it wasn't in reference to all "Asian" people, and was from the Vietnam war era, if I am not mistaken.

As a previous poster pointed out, there are so many words now that seem to cause offence, that may of us could file complaints. This is truly ridiculous, and does nothing to promote racial harmony, and prevent racism, and that goes for all races, it's not just a "white thing".

[mrtoad]

So the word slope has now been hijacked by the "racist" movement just like the word gay has been hijacked by homosexuals.

The world has gone mad.

Has anyone considered that the bridge may not have looked level?

Yet another one who thinks the Cadburys flake advert was all about a woman too busy eating chocolate to answer the phone!

Care to explain the link?

[Krataiboy]

Talk about the slippery slope. . .

[razer]

Thailand needs the money. Maybe this will create a legal precedence when Thai's call westerners "farang". Then we can sue any Thai or even the Thai government for racial comments.

[bigbamboo]

This is a very slippery slope.

This is why we can't have outstanding humor anymore like fawlty towers as it would offend too many people.

Seriously. Can't we just enjoy a laugh. It wasn't said maliciously it was inane schoolboy humor - that I didn't realize till I saw the news.

Monty Python's Flying Circus would never have got off the ground today.

[Goat Roper]

I enjoy Top Gear and yes Clarkson is a bit brash at times but for my money who gives a sh!t, I still enjoy the show..

[bigbamboo]

BBC faces £1MILLION racism lawsuit over Jeremy Clarkson's 'slope' quip on Top Gear Burma special

Somi Guha, 36, is suing BBC over alleged racist remark on Top Gear

Jeremy Clarkson caused outrage by using word 'slope' in Burma special

Term is a derogatory phrase for people of Asian descent

Actress Ms Guha's lawyers say action could cost the BBC £1million

They demand organisation apologises and takes show off the air

By LIZZIE EDMONDSEDMONDS

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/711700-jeremy-clarkson-accused-of-racism-during-top-gear-series-finale-in-thailand/page-30#entry7622217

So this Indian actress (?) is suing the BBC (which is funded by the British public) for a comment made on one it's TV shows.

Couldn't she just give us a song instead?

[davidmann]

Crazy world we live in ,hope she looses the case ,and she has to pay her lawyer or the lawyer does not get paid

[Baerboxer]

Who on earth is Somi Guha when she's at home? You might ask

Turns out she is an actress but the guy on the bridge is probably better known than she is.

Not a bad way to get yourself better known now is is it?

I thought JG's remark was quite witty and if I were Asian I doubt if I would have been offended in anyway whatsoever.

Having been called a sheepsha**er by many an Englishman in jest I've been around long enough to know there's nothing racist about those type of jibes. It comes with the territory no matter your race or colour.

Never ceases to amaze me why Caucasians are always the ones branded as racist yet whether we be at home or abroad we can mix with virtually anyone unlike some races who no matter where they go set up single race communities and want nothing to do with others..We have all cracked jokes about other races at sometime or another but without malice.

God forbid the day we have to stop telling jokes about the Scotsman the Englishman and the Irishman because we fear we might end up in court.

This Somi Guha is being deliberately controversial in my opinion. It's the oldest trick in the book to gain fame and some people have made millions doing it and if the truth be known they couldn't care less about any man anywhere on any bridge.

The BBC should file her complaint where it belongs....in the bin

The world has changed! Some things for the better, some maybe not.

PC - really, to be in the "right circles" you have to be PC. I know some North Americans who work for an international organizations. They insist all the problems in Asia and Africa originate from "colonial imperialists". There were no tribal wars in Africa or religious wars in India until we got there. We introduced all this racial and religious intolerance to them. One even insists that the often extreme violence between Hindu and Moslem in India is down to the British,

Any thing from Europe must be racist and likely to instigate violence or cause great offence at least. I am serious, These PC people even excuse the likes of Mugabe and Amin.

Now put this into the media environment, Remember the plethora of Irish jokes told in the 70's and 80's? The vast amount to tv comedy programs that had Irish jokes, Irish characters and often Irish comedians? I have Irish friends who find all that very offensive. One of my friends was born in England to Irish expat parents. His children were born in England. His two grown up daughters, one a teacher, one researching a PhD, find that sort of humor highly offensive and degrading.

The point - certainly some parts of the world have become incredibly PC. So much so that there twisting of history and application of cause and effect is pure sophistry. But, when it comes to the reaction to humor, particularly based on smart arse comments, the recipients should be the ones who decide it its offensive not the one making the joke.

Clarkson will say anything, in his usual schoolboyish juvenile way, if he thinks it will help keep his ratings high. His latest Twitter remark shows he couldn't really care less. He's getting big bucks for just being a prat. There are laws in Britain regarding racism for very good reasons. Its time this throwback stopped thinking he's someone special and above the law.

But this is the BBC - so as long as he leans politically the right way, all will be o.k.

[Baerboxer]

This is a very slippery slope.

This is why we can't have outstanding humor anymore like fawlty towers as it would offend too many people.

Seriously. Can't we just enjoy a laugh. It wasn't said maliciously it was inane schoolboy humor - that I didn't realize till I saw the news.

Monty Python's Flying Circus would never have got off the ground today.

I still find Benny Hill, Dave Allen, Not the 9 o'clock News, Dick Emery and Fawlty Towers fantastically funny. Would they be allowed today?

My late mother and father loved to watch the "Black and White Minstrels' show". That just wouldn't be allowed today !!

[JetsetBkk]

BBC faces £1MILLION racism lawsuit over Jeremy Clarkson's 'slope' quip on Top Gear Burma special

Somi Guha, 36, is suing BBC over alleged racist remark on Top Gear

Jeremy Clarkson caused outrage by using word 'slope' in Burma special

Term is a derogatory phrase for people of Asian descent

Actress Ms Guha's lawyers say action could cost the BBC £1million

They demand organisation apologises and takes show off the air

By LIZZIE EDMONDSEDMONDS

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/711700-jeremy-clarkson-accused-of-racism-during-top-gear-series-finale-in-thailand/page-30#entry7622217

So this Indian actress (?) is suing the BBC (which is funded by the British public) for a comment made on one it's TV shows.

Couldn't she just give us a song instead?

Nah, she should get back in the kitchen.

[eddie61]

I thought JG's remark was quite witty and if I were Asian I doubt if I would have been offended in anyway whatsoever.

Having been called a sheepsha**er by many an Englishman in jest I've been around long enough to know there's nothing racist about those type of jibes. It comes with the territory no matter your race or colour.

No self respecting pom would not have called you a sheepsha**er IN JEST!!!!!!!

[HerbalEd]

Very few of us here hasn't told a racial joke at least once ... but most of us are smart enough to do it in private amongst friends. Clarkson's stupid mistake was to do such on camera to an international audience of millions.

But even way more stupid than that was for the BBC to not edit it out and to broadcast it. Very stupid, indeed.

[iamariva1957]

UPDATE:

BBC faces £1MILLION racism lawsuit over Jeremy Clarkson's 'slope' quip on Top Gear Burma special

Somi Guha, 36, is suing BBC over alleged racist remark on Top Gear

Jeremy Clarkson caused outrage by using word 'slope' in Burma special

Term is a derogatory phrase for people of Asian descent

Actress Ms Guha's lawyers say action could cost the BBC £1million

They demand organisation apologises and takes show off the air

By LIZZIE EDMONDS

An actress is suing the BBC for up to £1million after Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson allegedly made a racist remark during the series finale of the show.

Indian-born Somi Guha, 36, has instructed lawyers after Clarkson used the word 'slope' - a derogatory term for people of Asian descent - in the Top Gear Burma special.

Ms Guha claims that broadcasting Clarkson's comment amounts to unlawful discrimination by a public body.

Her lawyers, Equal Justice, claim her action could cost the BBC £1 million in punitive damages under equality laws unless it apologises and takes the hit motoring show off the air.

They say she is one of a group of people who were offended by the term - and so sought legal advice from the firm, who previously worked on racism allegations surrounding reality show Celebrity Big Brother.

A BBC spokeswoman for Top Gear said the Corporation had no comment on Miss Guha's action.

Clarkson used his Twitter account today to respond to the allegation, and said: 'I'm not a racist. I am currently sitting in a bar with a man who lives quite near Wales.'

Full story: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2591500/BBC-sued-1-MILLION-Jeremy-Clarkson-racism-allegations-presenter-makes-slope-remark-Top-Gear-Burma-special.html

-- Daily Mail 2014-03-29

"Clarkson used his Twitter account today to respond to the allegation, and said: 'I'm not a racist. I am currently sitting in a bar with a man who lives quite near Wales.'??? Another Clarkson quip that is supposed to make us all laugh and roll on the floor. Well it isn't and doesn't. It just makes you look like a bigger jerk.

Clarkson... you should try and release yourself from this belief that you are still 30 something. You are getting too old to get away with it. If you want to be a public figure, you have to understand that with that desire comes a set of responsibilities that in many ways removes your ability to simply be yourself. For now you should be setting an example... a positive one. If you feel that you have no need to or if you would prefer to continue being a 'Public School Boy' than do not be surprised when folks take offense and demand retribution from you and your employer. Be responsible, be an adult, own up to your mistakes, stop thinking that you are comedian, and keep the stupid quips to yourself.

You are not that good looking so you do not have that to fall back upon nor are you a very good reporter. But you do have a certain amount of charisma and you should use to inform and entertain those that have put you in the position (your viewers). But do try and remember one thing: "A life and/or career in television is fleeting!"

[CapeCobra]

The derogatory term "slope" has different meanings. It is an acronym for Silly Little Opium Peddling Easterner.

It can also refer to the curve of slant eyes. However, it is used in a non-racist sense, too. It can describe sagging breasts.

Nobody sued anybody for Clint Eastwood's line in Gran Torino: "Hey, what the hell do you think youre doing with my car you yellow gook slope?"

[GAZZPA]

A load of hot air about nothing. Jeremy Clarkson certainly pushes things a bit at times but he is never outwardly racist. The BBC should simply say it didn't mean to cause offense, very sorry and that's the end of it.

1 million and show off the air!! Yeah right, I can really see that happening.

In his comment he said "I am sitting with a man who lives quite near to Wales",, very funny and silly. Clearly not a true attack on welsh people at all, it's just funny, simple as that.

I get quite offended by the word farang,, it is a generic term for a White European or Western person as far as I can tell. But it is used as a derogatory term all the time, such as "bad farang", "stupid farang" etc.. I even heard recently that ALL farangs smell because they eat dairy products!!!!

So, this is clearly just an opportunistic moment for someone to try and earn some money. If this gets any more attention and recognition it could open this floodgates for lawsuits all over the place in Thailand, and quite easily if you ask me. Perhaps thats not a bad thing, nothing like hitting someone pocket to bring an issue to the fore.

[Regyai]

In the words of Caligula

'would that they had but one neck'

then one judicious slice would rid the entire planet of these PC apologists

[DLP]

Will any one be watching this Top Gear episode which is on tomorrow at 21.00hr on U B C CHANNEL 18.

I for one will be watching just because of all the publicity surrounding this.

[nellyp]

"Clarkson used his Twitter account today to respond to the allegation, and said: 'I'm not a racist. I am currently sitting in a bar with a man who lives quite near Wales.'??? Another Clarkson quip that is supposed to make us all laugh and roll on the floor. Well it isn't and doesn't. It just makes you look like a bigger jerk.

Well I'm Welsh and found this very funny. I am not upset by the reference to my country being different in some way, and doubt whether any of my country folk did either. I assume you are not Welsh, and would like to thank you for defending my country.

I do however wonder if you were as upset when Anne Robinson declared that the Welsh were irritating and didn't understand what we are for. Racism is an appalling thing, but it seems to be subjective in the extreme. Let's get the guy on the bridge to give his views and if he is upset he can have the proceedings from the court case (not any actress. Has JC actually commented on the quip itself? Who actually has a right to decide what Clarkson meant. I watched the show and heard the comment and thought nothing of it until today as the bridge was leaning over; I simply pondered the foibles of Thai construction.

By the way, even though I take offence at the word farrang as I believe it to be racist, I find myself using it as it seems to encompass everybody not from Asia. It's a weird world isn't it.

[baxida]

BBC faces £1MILLION racism lawsuit over Jeremy Clarkson's 'slope' quip on Top Gear Burma special

Somi Guha, 36, is suing BBC over alleged racist remark on Top Gear

Jeremy Clarkson caused outrage by using word 'slope' in Burma special

Term is a derogatory phrase for people of Asian descent

Actress Ms Guha's lawyers say action could cost the BBC £1million

They demand organisation apologises and takes show off the air

By LIZZIE EDMONDSEDMONDS

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/711700-jeremy-clarkson-accused-of-racism-during-top-gear-series-finale-in-thailand/page-30#entry7622217

So this Indian actress (?) is suing the BBC (which is funded by the British public) for a comment made on one it's TV shows.

Couldn't she just give us a song instead?

The BBC is owned by the government, they charge UK households 'tv licence' fee (the only channel which does this) even if they don't watch their channel.

I doubt the UK folks would be too bothered if the government had to pay for this - even if it would meaning losing to the most pathetic attempt for a claim.

[Soutpeel]

Talk about the slippery slope. . .

One sincerely hopes this is not a veiled reference to a "soapie" otherwise the TV PC brigage will be wanting to to remove your gentlemans bit's with a blunt knife...

[Escapologist]

Sadly not the first Indian non-entity to cynically abuse New Labour's so-called anti-racism laws for personal gain. Present legal conditions make White people easy pickings for them; which would explain why Indian hypocrites are at the forefront of exploiting race-law, in order to redistribute cash from Whites to themselves and their ultra-nepotistic brethren, in the UK.

David Cameron promised us a "Great Repeal Bill" which would help to undo some of New Labour's vile legacy. It was even in the Queen's speech. Divisive ethnic minorities, which are produced by race-legislation and which were entirely predicted by Enoch Powell, could have been a thing of the past. But, again, Cast Iron lied through his treacherous teeth. At least this woman got some free PR from it. Even if she is now despised by the UK indigenous population. I wonder how much the BBC will pay her to go away? Sickening.