188 complaints about top gear!

[Siobhan]

honestly.. where has the use of comedy gone:

eremy Clarkson has sparked fresh BBC controversy by joking about murdering prostitutes.


Clarkson made the joke on BBC's Top Gear programme


The Top Gear presenter, 48, made the quip about lorry drivers killing sex workers on Sunday night's BBC2 show.
As he completed a lorry-driving task, he said: "This is a hard job and I'm not just saying that to win favour with lorry drivers, it's a hard job.
"Change gear, change gear, change gear, check mirror, murder a prostitute, change gear, change gear, murder. That's a lot of effort in a day."
His comments come after serial killer Steve Wright was convicted in February of murdering five prostitutes in Ipswich.
Wright was a former lorry driver, as well as pub landlord and forklift truck driver.
Clarkson's joke, made before the watershed, sparked 188 complaints to the BBC, out of what the corporation said was seven million viewers.





A BBC spokeswoman said: "The vast majority of Top Gear viewers have clear expectations of Jeremy Clarkson's long-established and frequently provocative on-screen persona.
"This particular reference was used to comically exaggerate and make ridiculous an unfair urban myth about the world of lorry driving, and was not intended to cause offence."
Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom said it had also been contacted by viewers angry at the remarks.
The Iceni Project, a charity which had helped some of the murdered prostitutes in Ipswich, criticised Clarkson.
The group's director Brian Tobin said: "I just think it was highly distasteful and insensitive.
"It is around the time of the anniversary of the girls' (Ipswich prostitutes) deaths and it's a very delicate time. I saw it on Top Gear. It made me cringe."

Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand

The remarks come after a prank carried out by Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand on Brand's Radio 2 show led to the controller of the station, Lesley Douglas, resigning.
Ross has been suspended for three months without pay and Brand also resigned over the incident, in which the pair left a message on Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs' answer machine claiming Brand had slept with his grand-daughter.
The new Clarkson controversy comes amid a call from ITV chairman Michael Grade for less bad language in broadcasting.
The former BBC chairman said there was a "pattern" in the prevalence of bad language and use of the "f-word" was "a little unrestrained".
He stopped short of pushing for a ban, but said: "Clearly not enough consideration is given to a very large section of the audience who perhaps don't want to hear that word or such words.
"You therefore have to know why you're using it and give it a little bit of extra consideration. It seems to me rather indiscriminate now."
He was speaking at a meeting of the Broadcasting Press Guild in London, where he also praised the BBC for its handling of the Ross-Brand scandal.

[Trinity]

A bit tasteless. Typical Clarkson. Personally I cannot stand the man, but I honestly believe his macho sexism is exaggerated.

This is a poor taste joke, and cannot be compared the the phone message fiasco.

[Perdita]

I agree with you, Trinity. Very tactless remark from a man whose celebrity status clearly has gone to his head.

[Siobhan]

This is what you expect from Clarkson, you don't see all the germany's complaining over all the joke he has made about them

[Chloe O'brien]

It had been viewed at any other time most people would not have bothered many viewers but because of the Brand/Ross it couldn't have come at a worse time. Again the part with Clarkston driving the truck wasn't live it had been recorded so why was it not editted out before it was aired. clarkeston has always been a sarcastic sod but he needs his knuckled rapped for this comment. Whoever who is responsible for editing programmes before they are aired should be held accountable. They have to ensure that everything is deemed acceptible. It's difficult when shows are going live you can't stop swearing or unacceptable behaviour but if any show is recorded previous then they to check through it and delete any comments that may be offensive.

[Siobhan]

A lot of joke are offensive to someone... you can't cut out all humour just cause it offends someone, then we will only have just factual programs....

[Kirsty :]]

A lot of joke are offensive to someone... you can't cut out all humour just cause it offends someone, then we will only have just factual programs....

The rate it's going though.... that's exactly what will happen
I think the BBC should be very very careful about what they are allowing to be aired.... not saying what's been said is ok but doesn't it seem like the British public is now going to pick holes in whatever they can?

[Perdita]

No need to cut out all the humour, just the obvious offensive and insulting one, especially if it is recorded and can be cut. There is more care with the posts on this forum than there seems to be with radio and tv broadcasts.

[Siobhan]

The question is.. what is offensive and what is not???
Look at the gay kiss, that cause offense and then Masood apologising for breaking ramadam caused problem too...

[.:SpIcYsPy:.]

517 complaints now!