Clarkeson joke - did anyone laugh?

[Gromit]

Jeremy Clarkeson's 'joke' the strikers should be executed, shot in front of their families seems to have upset a few people. He clearly didn't mean it, and he himself once went out on strike when he was a mere magazine journalist.

I am more offended by the joke not being at all funny. It was feeble.

He is a good motoring presenter, why do we need to know his opinion on strikers?

[dave50]

The only people complaining are the ones who disagree with his politics. If it had been some 'trendy' left wing comedian then nothing would have been said.

[jno]

I'm not quite sure why "the roads were empty" is an extreme view (let alone a funny one). It's certainly not as extreme a view as "shoot them in front of their families".

So any attempt at parodying BBC balance fell rather flat, wouldn't you think.

[carrust]

Q. Why was Clarkeson on the One show?

A. To promote a new DVD.

Conclusion. I believe he was in collusion with the BBC to get as much publicity as possible for his new DVD to maximise profits to both parties. Remember, publicity stunts don't come out of thin air, they are well thought out to get errrrrr publicity.

[Philtaz]

I wasn't even vaguely offended and I work in the NHS! Anybody with a single brain cell would have realised it was sarcasm aimed at the BBC, not a jibe at the strikers.

Strange how those reporting on his comments have aimed their focus on his strikers comments yet have not mentioned the charity work he did for Help For Heroes and the swimming pool at Headley Court, of which he himself made nothing more than a passing mention of.

Apparently the number of complaints has now reached 21,000.

I didn't realise that many people could fit on a bandwagon.

[ummmm]

Is it a DVD? Bummer...I thought it was a book...

[Euphemia]

I too thought it was a book.

[Brenden]

I am not offended either Philtaz, and I certainly do not care what other peoples opinions on the strikers are- that is their problem.

[LazyGun]

I didn't laugh - but I dont think either he or the BBC need to apologise "for any offence caused".

I think pretty much everyone knows JC likes to "exaggerate to the extreme" when he pontificates, but its mostly for comedic effect.

[jno]

his Christmas DVD, I think.

[ludwig]

I think he's an ar5e anyway, so it's hard to be objective, but I thought it was inappropriate for the particular program and time of broadcast.

It might have been OK on the Graham Norton show or something, but not the One show - or even if he'd left it at 'I think they should be shot', and not gone on to repeat it with the 'in front of their families' and added an extra moan about gilt edged pensions.

His mistake was not sticking to the agreed script, and not being funny.

[craft1948]

I thought he was quite funny..............

[Messi_Ten]

Trendy left wing comedians don't call for strikers to be shot!

[craft1948]

Quite right messi.............they call for the strikers to shoot the bankers.

[jno]

on a comedy programme (or indeed on Top Gear) this probably wouldn't have raised an eyebrow. On a magaziney programme it did. They have different audiences and different expectations. People need to be able to adapt to different circumstances, and it appears Clarkson didn't.

[flip_flop]

Every single one of the 21,000, 20,999 of whom probably didn't even see it and just like to be outraged, are pathetic idiots.

If I'd like to see anybody shot, it'd be the 21,000. In front of their families preferably.

[anotheoldgit]

This country is loosing it's sense of humour, I am surprised that a matter so trivial as this has created so much of a rumpus.

How many of us haven't said almost the same when we have (in our opinion) been overcharged?

i.e. "They want shooting for charging that much".

[Brenden]

or "Hung drawn and quartered" as Littlejohn quoted.

[Philtaz]

I agree flip. If anyone ought to be shot it's Karen Jennings, deputy head of Unison (of which I'm a member) who said that Clarkson's comments "incited hatred and were very frightening to people who were protesting". She even compared his remarks as similar to Gadaffi. She even stated that Clarkson "had dinner with Cameron on Boxing Day", like that appears to be of some relevance?

Deary me, who lit the fuse on her tampon?

[vulcan]

we all know JC lives for publicity and he thrives on outrageous statements, this is nothing new. What concerns me slightly is that he has influence and it only takes one moron to think "Jeremy says they should be shot....". Unlikely you'll say and I would agree but then how many did the moron in Norway shoot ?