Clarkson suspended by BBC

[Hoddy]

You're right Gluestick.

Much of my working life was spent trying to persuade teenagers to behave in a civilized manner or, at the very least, within the law.

Perhaps the footballers and Clarkson too, are so successful that they think the law doesn't apply to them.

Hoddy

[Gardengirl]

I used to watch the programme many years ago. It used to be interesting as well as fun; Tiff Needall was on the team then and that bald chap, sorry can't remember his name, but still writes a column - still interesting.

It might be tough for the BBC to lose JC but I'm not at all bothered - I find him a big-headed bore who had been elevated by publicity to feel that he can get away with anything. He's just another bloke getting older and fatter and thinks he's god's gift to all. I've met many like him and none has impressed me.

[YCCMB]

[quote user="Frederick"]Why is he the only one suspended ? Was he provoked in anyway ? Is the guy he is acused of giving a slap suspended ...appears not . Seems to me they have made up their mind he is the only one to be investigated over the incident so in their minds guilty . I have worked where guys have come to blows . It was usually kept away from the boss and if the guy Clarkson slapped had turned and put him on the deck there is a good chance today we would not be reading about it And like I have seen where guys have come to blows . They would end up having a pint together and putting their grievences to bed .[/quote]

Well, the news tonight goes a small way towards answering that question. If the incident allegedly arose because there was no food provided at the end of a shoot, then it shows Clarkson in an even worse light. And why would they suspend someone for BEING hit? Apologists for Clarkson seem to be dredging up all sorts of less than concrete excuses for his behaviour. If a Politician or senior police officer or some such had been the person who'd punched this guy, people would be out in the streets baying for blood, whereas it would appear that in committing common assault, Clarkson has moved one step closer to beatification.

[idun]

IF it goes back to being a motoring program then I doubt that it would be watched as it is...... including world wide.

I wouldn't watch, I'm not interested in cars to be honest, but the 'three wise monkeys' on Top Gear, entertain me.

Who knows what happened really, will we ever know. Or maybe it was filmed?????? maybe it will be on the internet????

What has surprised me is that no one has punched or nutted Clarkson to be honest, he does push people to the limit.

edit: What I do not understand is why Clarkson was simply not arrested for assault, and that is why I am wondering exactly what happened. It isn't as if people who have worked for the BBC for years have not been arrested recently.

[mint]

[quote user="You can call me Betty"]

Well, the news tonight goes a small way towards answering that question. If the incident allegedly arose because there was no food provided at the end of a shoot, then it shows Clarkson in an even worse light. And why would they suspend someone for BEING hit? Apologists for Clarkson seem to be dredging up all sorts of less than concrete excuses for his behaviour. If a Politician or senior police officer or some such had been the person who'd punched this guy, people would be out in the streets baying for blood, whereas it would appear that in committing common assault, Clarkson has moved one step closer to beatification.[/quote]

Dear Betty, I couldn't "better" your post if I tried![:P]

So, having nothing further I could add, it just remains for me to say "thank you" for a post that has me amused and smiling broadly!

[Gluestick]

[quote user="Hoddy"]You're right Gluestick.

Much of my working life was spent trying to persuade teenagers to behave in a civilized manner or, at the very least, within the law.

Perhaps the footballers and Clarkson too, are so successful that they think the law doesn't apply to them.

Hoddy[/quote]

Indeed, Hoddy.

My two loves were firstly, lawn tennis, as I opted out of cricket early on and played for both the school and a local club.

That was ruined by one Mark McCormac: and led to the, to me and many others (including my own LTA coach), being outraged at the behaviour of such as McInroe on the hallowed turf of the All England Club..... Once the big bucks came in, players realised they were the draw, not the game and could effectively blackmail the organisers via the non-tennis sponsors and corporate lobby.

Next was Motor Racing and indeed, motor sport in general. And, we know what happened here, too.

Later on I became a very keen golfer: same problems. Too much money; too big egos; sporting ethos done and dead.

Unfortunately, since we live in a media-dominated age, even young club golfers, ape their heroes: and simply do not know how to behave.

For myself, Clarkson is a hugely over-remunerated oaf. Furthermore, the programme has little, really, to do with cars, rather cases of arrested development behaving like naughty 11 year olds.

Trouble is, many other cases of arrested development watching this pap, emulate their heroes on the roads..........

[andyh4]

I find JC a non PC self opinionated big head, but he is a very entertaining non PC self opinionated big head.

As a concept a program that is largely about high performance (and expensive) cars that consume the worlds resources and pollute the atmosphere is probably 15 years out of date. Its worldwide popularity is therefore down to its presenters. They can be changed but that would be a risk.

I really wonder why the BBC have decided to publicise the incident, unless they have already pre-decided the outcome of the inquiry.

Violence is not to be condoned, but I would assume that even JC would need some form of provocation.

And why cancel programs that must by now have been completed? Nose amputation to spite the visage comes to mind.

I note the change.org petition is now around half a million to reinstate JC.

I think the BBC have probably shot themselves in the foot big time. They should probably take note of a German saying: When you point the finger, remember that there are four pointing back at you.

[Théière]

I hope the BBC behave like the government. There won't be a decision until after the election. If I hear that phrase again.

[Jonzjob]

If anyone saw the BBC2 programme about weird natural events this eve then they saw, in my opinion, this clown in his original form of a leopard slug. It hangs from a thread of mucus with another slug to mate and the reproductive organs of both then protude, with the aid of gravity because they are so big, and then reproduce on each other because they hemophridites. The reproductive organ is based in the head of the slug!!! It could not have been more appropriate! Something along the lines of a Richard le tête?

If I had the choice of watching him or a Welsh radio broadcast then he would be 10th out of 2. Good ridance to bad rubbish no matter what his rating!

[Gluestick]

[quote user="andyh4"] They should probably take note of a German saying: When you point the finger, remember that there are four pointing back at you.[/quote]

Problem is, Andy, when one "cocks a snook".........

The BBC is perhaps the most fervently politically correct organisation in the UK; indeed, they have bent over backwards to demonstrate how they buy into diversity and myopically support the Liberal left.

If they bow to Mammon despite their Liberal Left leanings, then they offend the Liberal Left: if they surrender to Clarkson, purely due to the money, despite his serial oafishness and numerous non-PC utterances, then they blow their street cred. If however they stick to their guns, then they loose a massive revenue stream. And here is the Beeb's core problem in nutshell: they waffle about the "quality" broadcasting they provide (Quite how anyone could call Eastenders, Celebrity come Dancing, etc quality broadcasting is beyond me!) and fervently desire the license fee continues: yet, they have gone along with the flow, paying a fortune for worthless clowns such as Clarkson, etc, to try and compete with commercial TV, for viewing figures.

Damned if they do: and damned if they don't.

Rather caught between Scylla and Charybdis  n'est ce pas?

[Gluestick]

Sums it all up rather well! [:D]

See here

[Jonzjob]

Nowt wrong with Eastendaways and Strictly come dancing Gluey. In fact I religiously record ALL of them so the I can play them back when I am out. That way I can miss them at least twice [Www]

Come back Neighbours, I miss missing you [:-))]

[Hoddy]

Andy wrote

"I really wonder why the BBC have decided to publicise the incident, unless they have already pre-decided the outcome of the inquiry.

Violence is not to be condoned, but I would assume that even JC would need some form of provocation.

And why cancel programs that must by now have been completed? Nose amputation to spite the visage comes to mind.

I note the change.org petition is now around half a million to reinstate JC."

As I understand it Andy they were actually making this coming Sundays programme when the 'fracas' occurred. This meant that the programme could not be completed in tim and so had to be cancelled so I don't think it was a case of making up their mind beforehand.

Edit: Sorry I pressed the post button too soon. I don't understand your comments about provocation. When I was teaching, provocation would not have been an acceptable excuse for me hitting someone. You can't blame the victim surely ?

Hoddy

[YCCMB]

In an unrelated yet broadly similar incident only a couple of days ago, my elder son, riding his bike down Horseguards Parade, was almost run off the road by a van driver. So, he cycled around the van in the slow moving traffic, and positioned himself in front of the van in the middle of the lane. His intention was to make the driver aware of his presence. The driver responded by pulling out and alongside my son, running him off the road and onto the pavement and then getting out of his van, running onto the pavement himself and punching my son in the stomach, causing him to fall off his bike. He was so preoccupied in his quest that he was somewhat taken by surprise when two policemen, who happened to be walking up behind him, ran up and slapped handcuffs on him.

I mention this because I assume if the van driver had been Jeremy Clarkson, half of you would find his behaviour acceptable, and because, in the words of the arresting officers to my son: " It doesn't matter what you did, his reaction was disproportionate and indefensible" . Later, at Savile Row police station, my son was asked ( and this is also relevant to the topic under discussion) whether he wished to press charges. Had he declined to do so, the police would in all likelihood have been unable to pursue things. Although in this particular situation and given the location, it's probable that CCTV captured the entire incident.

So, I assume that if Clarkson did, indeed, throw a punch at a producer, and I doubt the BBC would invent such a story and remove TG from the air on a whim, much will depend on who saw it and whether ( it seems unlikely) the victim wished to take matters further.

[andyh4]

Hoddy wrote:

I don't understand your comments about provocation. When I was teaching, provocation would not have been an acceptable excuse for me hitting someone. You can't blame the victim surely ?

UNQUOTE

Sorry I thought I had made it clear that I do not condone the violence. The point I was trying to make is that the BBCs reaction would appear to be very one sided.

I am sure that in your career, if you saw Johnny hitting Freddie, you would not have just hauled Johnny away to investigate what had happened, but would have hauled in Freddie as well. And then when satisfied what had happened, passed out appropriate punishment for both - which may involve only one actually receiving punishment.

Publicly it seems the BBC have decided that JC and JC alone is at fault. Well JC is at fault, I question whether he alone is at fault.

There are elements of this as I have suggested that make me feel the BBC have already made up their mind.

[Frederick]

Hoddy wrote "You cant blame the victim surely ? "

Clarkson is a bully and he has hit out before... Piers Morgan . .

In a situation where in the "work place " two people are involed in a punch up usually both are suspended while time is taken to find out what it was all about .It may well be Clarkson will be found to have "lost it " and is totally at fault . But .... you can bet your bottom dollar if the " victim " has run to put in a "please sir Clarkson has hit me report " in the way of a complaint. and he , along with many others , lose their well paid jobs if the whole show collapses The "victim " may well find he ends up taking some blame from his unemployed team if it ends up that way and I imaginr he is being " advised

" right now .

I think they are going to need a "We both had a bad day and took it out on each other statement " We have apologised to each other and have made it up and are still good friends " moment ..And a photo with their arms round each other to keep a lot of people employed in the BBC.and the viewers happy .... Unless of course there is more to this than we know and they want rid of Clarkson and dont care who loses their jobs in the process together with millions of pounds just to see him gone .

[YCCMB]

Frederick: I am staggered at the lengths you seem prepared to go to in order to blame the bloke who was allegedly hit for being hit. I am also surprised that you are seemingly happy to encourage the BBC to ignore its own disciplinary procedures simply to allow Saint Jeremy to get away with what is, let's face it, his umptyteenth stupid act, although hats off, probably his most stupid to date. You seem to be assuming that this incident was unwitnessed by anyone, and thus it's one person's word against the other. Hardly likely.

Here is the BBC's disciplinary policy...you'll have to scroll down a bit... http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/foi/classes/policies_procedures/all_policies_pg.pdf

You'll get to the bit where it mentions that assault is considered as gross misconduct..

As for your suggestion that the genie will be put back in the bottle because pressure will be brought to bear on the victim to kiss and make up, it may well be too late for that. However the BBC is still a unionised workplace and I very much doubt that this fact is irrelevant, and if the production team are BBC employees ( I don't know, do you? Top Gear may well be independently produced for the BBC. I've never made it to the closing credits) then I am sure they will be redeployed to other shows. I don't think the success or otherwise of a programme is reflected in their individual salaries so it's not as if working on a programme other than Top Gear would be a demotion..

[Théière]

[quote user="You can call me Betty"]You'll get to the bit where it mentions that assault is considered as gross misconduct.. [/quote]

But that will be offset against Gross Income [:)]

[quote user="You can call me Betty"]

As for your suggestion that the genie will be put back in the bottle

because pressure will be brought to bear on the victim to kiss and make

up, it may well be too late for that. However the BBC is still a

unionised workplace and I very much doubt that this fact is irrelevant,

and if the production team are BBC employees ( I don't know, do you? Top

Gear may well be independently produced for the BBC. I've never made it

to the closing credits) then I am sure they will be redeployed to other

shows. I don't think the success or otherwise of a programme is

reflected in their individual salaries so it's not as if working on a

programme other than Top Gear would be a demotion.. [/quote]

More people on renewable contracts these days.  Jeremy and the then Producer sold their 50% stake some time back for 50mill or something like that so putting himself in a sackable position whereas prior there probably wasn't much they could have done.

[Chancer]

And the sale contract will have obligated him to carry on working in the role for at least 5 years.

Except of course if he was sacked.

In my mind this has been carefully orchestrated and the pièces have been falling into place over the last few years.

And I dont mean orchestrated by the BBC.

[Théière]

Not the BBC symphony orchestra again [:)]

It would if it freed him up, allow a move to a richer network, say Sky £££££

[Gardengirl]

Apparently all 3 'stars' were due to sign renewal contracts at the end of the month.

[woolybanana]

Mr Clarkson is, apparently, all the nasty, obnoxious things that have been said, BUT, he is a necessary balance against the politically correct, luvvie nonsense which the BBC nowadays turns out as programmes.

The problem is that the director of programmes, Mr Cohen, seems to see him as a risk to his rise to power. My feeling is that the guy who was hit took great pleasure in reporting Clarkson as, no doubt, all the production team had been told to watch him like a hawk.

Clarkson should take his programme elsewhere and please, please, flag it up so I can avoid it.

[Théière]

Well apart from your obvious conjecture, I hope someone sticks one on the chin of Songs of Praise, also well passed it's date and maybe the BBC director can schedule something better.

[woolybanana]

One suspects that the removal of Songs of Praise might cause Middle England to rise of its complacent backside and march on the BBC, wearing Barbours, driving Range Rovers and singing Land of Hope and Glory until the nasty, trendy management of the BBC is strung up by its privates for such time as it takes to reinstate Songs of Praise.

Not that I watch it mind.

[YCCMB]

I may have made this up, but I was always under the impression that the BBC's charter obliges it to devote some of its output to religious programmes.

Who knows how the "Clarkson is God" brigade will react to their particular religious programme being taken off air?