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Richard 'Hamster' Hammond of The Grand Tour thinks ice cream is for homosexuals
- Thread starter LabouredSubterfuge
- Start date
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Marvel
could never
Yeah, Ice Cream is great!
JonathanEx
Member
So I was watching this episode yesterday (pre-outrage, I've been enjoying the series), and well, it properly stopped me in my tracks. Like, I wasn't paying too close attention, then Hammond started going on about this and I had to rewind it because it was properly WTF.
Like, it just made no sense on so many levels. In terms of linking to the punchline of the segment (messy chocolate eating), bringing up ice cream makes you gay wasn't necessary.
Then the logic of the joke itself, how does it make you gay? Is it involving licking? Well, cunilingus is pretty gay I heard. Is it because it's something kids do? Well, that's actually offensive but no I don't think that's what the 'logic' was. They mentioned Magnums, so maybe it's the shape, in your mouth? Well, if your dick looks like that, something's wrong with your dick. And also you're eating a magnum weirdly, I've never given one a blowjob.
Then there's 'the joke is that Hammond is stupid' which okay, but is weirdly placed, means you equate bigot with stupid (as it's rooted in being seen to be gay is bad), and it's a really bloody weird thing to do. And judging from audience reaction, they didn't really do well at making Hammond seem like he was in the wrong for it, they seemed happy to go Haha ice cream is gay isn't that wonderful
Oh and as it's so clearly scripted, how everyone involved thought 'yes this joke works and is a good joke'.
Like, if they had used a feminine thing, or an existing stereotype, or something more obviously phallic, that Hammond was scared of eating, that'd still be a shitty thing but would at least work as a functional joke.
So yeah I tweeted my bafflement over the whole thing, a friend and fellow Gaffer saw that and tweeted the screenshots and then it went viral so this is sort of my fault in a tangental way. Whoops.
Still! Bodes well for their viewing figures that it took three days for this to be a thing.
Like, it just made no sense on so many levels. In terms of linking to the punchline of the segment (messy chocolate eating), bringing up ice cream makes you gay wasn't necessary.
Then the logic of the joke itself, how does it make you gay? Is it involving licking? Well, cunilingus is pretty gay I heard. Is it because it's something kids do? Well, that's actually offensive but no I don't think that's what the 'logic' was. They mentioned Magnums, so maybe it's the shape, in your mouth? Well, if your dick looks like that, something's wrong with your dick. And also you're eating a magnum weirdly, I've never given one a blowjob.
Then there's 'the joke is that Hammond is stupid' which okay, but is weirdly placed, means you equate bigot with stupid (as it's rooted in being seen to be gay is bad), and it's a really bloody weird thing to do. And judging from audience reaction, they didn't really do well at making Hammond seem like he was in the wrong for it, they seemed happy to go Haha ice cream is gay isn't that wonderful
Oh and as it's so clearly scripted, how everyone involved thought 'yes this joke works and is a good joke'.
Like, if they had used a feminine thing, or an existing stereotype, or something more obviously phallic, that Hammond was scared of eating, that'd still be a shitty thing but would at least work as a functional joke.
So yeah I tweeted my bafflement over the whole thing, a friend and fellow Gaffer saw that and tweeted the screenshots and then it went viral so this is sort of my fault in a tangental way. Whoops.
Still! Bodes well for their viewing figures that it took three days for this to be a thing.
He made a joke - as it turns out, a not-so-funny joke. I like ice cream occasionally. I am also not gay. Whilst I did take a moment to ponder where he came up with this strange connotation, I figured that everyone has their own opinions, and moved on.
I will continue to occasionally eat ice cream, whilst not worrying about the message it sends about my sexuality, or about what Richard Hammond thinks. Let's not crucify him for making a faux pas.
I will continue to occasionally eat ice cream, whilst not worrying about the message it sends about my sexuality, or about what Richard Hammond thinks. Let's not crucify him for making a faux pas.
Bits N Pieces
Member
I could listen to him just shooting the breeze for hours, best stand up in the UK by some distance.
bobnowhere
Member
I'm not gay but I'm definitely ice cream curious. My favourite ice cream is also:
The whole thing screams a sad publicity stunt from a show that hasn't quite captured the same feeling as the old one. Let's say something offensive to rile up one side while the other side complains that they can't be homophobic without reproach like they could in the 50s and there we go, The Grand Tour is in the news again. Though normally it would be Clarkson saying something like this.
The whole thing screams a sad publicity stunt from a show that hasn't quite captured the same feeling as the old one. Let's say something offensive to rile up one side while the other side complains that they can't be homophobic without reproach like they could in the 50s and there we go, The Grand Tour is in the news again. Though normally it would be Clarkson saying something like this.
Red Liquorice
Member
The guardian's piece on it linked to a tweet that summed up perfectly my thoughts on this:
I mean how eaten up inside by anxiety do you have to be to constantly be vigilantly policing what you do and don't do, including what you might be seen eating just in case it could communicate to some other twisted anxiety-riddled heterosexual man that you aren't just like him?
I mean how eaten up inside by anxiety do you have to be to constantly be vigilantly policing what you do and don't do, including what you might be seen eating just in case it could communicate to some other twisted anxiety-riddled heterosexual man that you aren't just like him?
FF Seraphim
Member
The joke made no sense to me and I thought it was just the show writers trying to make Hamster look like an idiot, which worked.
I'm not convinced that remark was intended as a joke, because I couldn't detect any humor in it. And I'm not being glib here, like saying "I couldn't detect any humor in the latest Adam Sandler film". I don't mean I noticed a joke and didn't think it was funny, I mean I didn't notice any jokes, except the one who opened his thick hole and said something tasteless. It didn't have any of the attributes of a joke. There was no element of surprise or transgression or truth or double meaning or even non sequitur in it. It was just the kind of thing your grandad says because of his antediluvian sensibilities.
BossDarkseid
Member
I'm lactose intolerant, does that mean I'm a homophobe?
*puts hand on shoulder* sit down, halfbeast. We need to have a chat....
What about ice cream made of soy? If you put enough sugar on it, it might even cancel out the soy taste.I'm lactose intolerant, does that mean I'm a homophobe?
Monocle
Member
I'm sorry, it's too late. Some guy on TV has already claimed ice cream for us. Give up ice cream now or prepare to slurp the D.
It's not a for sure thing, but one can't deny the pattern. There's a long and hilarious history of the most outspoken homophobes turning out to be way gayer than people who don't spend time sorting humanity into classes based on sexual identity and then loudly and publicly announcing their conclusions.
SatansReverence
Hipster Princess
lol @ gaf meltdowns because of CHM jokes... You kids need to grow up.
TarpitCarnivore
Member
The defense force for these three is some other world-ly shit. I remember when the Clarkson thing happened people were falling over each other to defend his actions.
electroshockwave
Member
SlipperyFishes
Banned
Oh right. One is a grown thug who punches people because he can't have a steak (fracas is a way of normalising thuggish attacks), one is a homophobe who uses ice cream as a way to demean anyone who isn't straight and white and the other knows where his bread is buttered so he keeps quiet out of fear of losing his primary source of income.
lol @ gaf meltdowns because of CHM jokes... You kids need to grow up.
Tell me again why you seemingly idolise these men? Is it because they're /s "so manly"
You don't actually think Hammond believes ice cream is for gay people right?
It was clearly a (very poor) joke.
SlipperyFishes
Banned
This is not the first time they've made shite comments on that show:
So yeah, I'm willing to believe they are bullies who think they can say whatever they like.
If you look through this page you'll see a history of racial slurs and insensitive comments that wouldn't be excused in any other workplace. Sadly they're fine for these lot
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Gear_controversies
Snowybreak
Member
lol @ gaf meltdowns because of CHM jokes... You kids need to grow up.
...Meltdown? I see a grown man making weird comparisons about ice cream and homosexuality, I then see people get justifiably annoyed at the behavior, and then I see people like you coming out of the woodwork to defend a very obvious homophobic comment by deflecting it to something that is only tangentially related.
So I don't really see a meltdown of GAF, just a reactionary auto-defence from fans of the hosts. Only thing melting here is the uneaten ice cream.
(I mean really, what straight man doesn't eat ice cream? Maybe if you're lactose intolerant, but still...)
| Praxis |
Banned
I don't find it offensive. It is just dull and lazy humour, like everything else they do.
Monocle
Member
Tell us more about how the people who criticize the addlebrained bleating that passes for humor in the minds of dim bigots are the real problem.
lol @ gaf meltdowns because of CHM jokes... You kids need to grow up.
I guess we should all grow up and start acting like mentally stunted manchildren.
Fox Mulder
Member
It was abruptly out of place, but also figured it was to make him look stupid and not some genuine feelings.
I like ice cream.
I like ice cream.
The Illiterati
Member
"Look at Richard Hammond's face in that clip, and what you see is the face of a cowardly man trapped between two different forms of cowardice. And I hate him for that. And I wish he'd been killed in that crash. I wish, I wish his head had come off and rolled along the track and all shards of metal had gone in his eyes and blinded him. 'Cause that's funny, isn't it it, on Top Gear, going blind. And then I, then I wish his head had rolled into a still-burning pool of motor oil but there was just enough sentience left in his spinal column for him to go, 'Ooh, that's hot,' and then die." - Stewart Lee 2009
Monocle
Member
This has alerted me to the possibility of a slight chill between Stewart Lee and Richard Hammond. Call it a hunch.
Haha awesome. That makes this whole thing funny for me in that regard. Hammond didn't even get a corn lol maybe he is still mad cause of that.
Its really not that common and when it it is used as a comedic device its usually to make the person that is saying said thing as bigoted.
Though being "openly gay" has been used as a personal attack in one of the uk's most popular news papers and many people are still deeply uncomfortable around homosexuals, like they see all this media that explains how its not ok to treat homosexuals as lesser people but their takeaway lesson is just not to express that sentiment in public rather than change themselves and realise that they have some prejudices that harm other people :/
Its mad that this was written, got past editing and production, was rehearsed then recorded went through post, and all the way they thought it was a good joke
The Illiterati
Member
Sorry, I edited in the date....strangely still appropriate.
SpideySenses
Member
Has James May ever said anything questionable? I haven't watched Top Gear in years but he always seemed to be a good guy compared to the other two.
Huw_Dawson
Member
Amazon must be chuffed - they got the Grand Tour trending all over the place, and all the far-right supporters will flood in to watch the show! It'll be great for ratings.
Frankfurter
Member
I just watched the episode the other way. I just thought it was a joke, a pretty bad one, too. Actually ate an ice cream lol.
But I don't quite get how this is a 300+ posts topic on GAF.
But I don't quite get how this is a 300+ posts topic on GAF.
Air Zombie Meat
Member
Makes me glad they were dropped by the bbc. Is it really so difficult to not make jokes like this.
Silver Arrows
Banned
But it's just a few chaps making jokes! Why do you SJW's have to get so uppity about it?
*insert long winded spiel about outrage culture and identity politics*
BossDarkseid
Member
lol @ gaf meltdowns because of CHM jokes... You kids need to grow up.
1) What does CHM stand for?
2) What meltdown?
SlipperyFishes
Banned
He did make that faux commercial a few years ago with Clarkson about people fleeing Warsaw in terror due to the invasion of the Germans (Volkswagen).
He also described Mexican food as looking like refried vomit.
Finally after Hammond had his crash Clarkson asked him on air if he was now "a mentalist" and May offered him a tissue in case he needed to dribble. MENTAL HEALTH IS SO FUNNY YOU GUYS!
Pretty tasteless shit.
Clarson Hammond and May. I presume their legions of bro fans think that makes them hip and trendy.
And anyone complaining is apparently suffering a meltdown.
Oh come on, I'm gay and I'm not even remotely surprised by this
It was a weak humour attempt, getting all pitchforks on the guy is ridiculous
I'm lactose intolerant, does that mean I'm a homophobe?
We got pills for that, my man.
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