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[BrokenEchelon]

You are just acting pathetic now. You can't muster a serious defence so instead resort to absolving him of all his blame by fictionally painting him as a character.

Funny how he's never used that excuse himself instead of his various and frequent apologies over the years for his overtly bigoted views.

Your blind adoration for him is genuinely sickening and you're coming across horribly in this thread. I'd have more respect for you if you just came out and admitted that you don't care if he's a racist instead of twisting and playing down what he's said.

Didn't use the n-word? Wake up.

Your friends with him then, know him in real life, yeah?

 

[Walshicus]

You think someone hitting a man is equal to another sexually assaulting children?

No?

I think they both thought they were too big to ever be held accountable.

The sad thing being, so many people in this thread willing to excuse Clarkson's twatery just for being famous.

There should be no invincibles in the fucking BBC.

 

[Sane_Man]

Your friends with him then, know him in real life, yeah?

Great logic. So every time anyone is fired for making offensive comments on TV they can now use the 'Clarkson Defence', wherein nothing they have said can be credited to them because we can't prove they are not playing a character.

Clarkson shouldn't be prosecuted for (allegedly) punching this guy because it was obviously just method acting. Clarkson is the new Andy Kaufman!

 

[kitch9]

You are just acting pathetic now. You can't muster a serious defence so instead resort to absolving him of all his blame by fictionally painting him as a character.

Funny how he's never used that excuse himself instead of his various and frequent apologies over the years for his overtly bigoted views.

Your blind adoration for him is genuinely sickening and you're coming across horribly in this thread. I'd have more respect for you if you just came out and admitted that you don't care if he's a racist instead of twisting and playing down what he's said.

Didn't use the n-word? Wake up.

He didn't use the n word, listen to the video. He muttered to censor himself. There is no audible n word said.

 

[kitch9]

Great logic. So every time anyone is fired for making offensive comments on TV they can now use the 'Clarkson Defence', wherein nothing they have said can be credited to them because we can't prove they are not playing a character.

Clarkson shouldn't be prosecuted for (allegedly) punching this guy because it was obviously just method acting. Clarkson is the new Andy Kaufman!

The top gear guys are all in character and playing their persona.

 

[Westonian]

So to sum up this thread:

Some people are willing to overlook the unseemly behavior of people they like.

Some people are unwilling to give people they don't like the benefit of the doubt.

And since we still don't know what happened your opinion of the situation is based entirely upon which of the former groups you find yourself.

 

[Sane_Man]

He didn't use the n word, listen to the video. He muttered to censor himself. There is no audible n word said.

I've listened to the video many times. He quite audibly mutters "catch a n-word by the toe". He does mumble it but he still says it. It's the same difference if he mutters it or proclaims it clearly. In fact, muttering it shows he had some control over the phrase as he realises it's offensive and begins the muttering but still says the rest of it anyway.

 

[BrokenEchelon]

Great logic. So every time anyone is fired for making offensive comments on TV they can now use the 'Clarkson Defence', wherein nothing they have said can be credited to them because we can't prove they are not playing a character.

Clarkson shouldn't be prosecuted for (allegedly) punching this guy because it was obviously just method acting. Clarkson is the new Andy Kaufman!

If he punched him, he should apologize and move on. If they want to take it to court, the two can deal with it there. If the BBC wants to lose him over this, that's their issue. Clarkson doesn't lose shit in all of this, he has fuck you money and is the face of a multimillion dollar IP and he can just go elsewhere. There's no reason to ruin a good thing over a dumb action, however unjustified.

 

[Zeppu]

I've listened to the video many times. He quite audibly mutters "catch a n-word by the toe". He does mumble it but he still says it. It's the same difference if he mutters it or proclaims it clearly. In fact, muttering it shows he had some control over the phrase as he realises it's offensive and begins the muttering but still says the rest of it anyway.

Its exactly like if some white kid is singing along to a rap song and skips over/mumbles when a black artist says the n-word because they realize too late what they're about to say.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR7QYJnqXhg

He censored himself. He didn't say it.

Sure.

Let's see what the man himself says about the incident...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8vnyP65SuA

So he claims he didn't say 'Nigger', but it clearly sounds like he did and he even admits as much, which is why he begs for forgiveness.

 

[Sane_Man]

If he punched him, he should apologize and move on. If they want to take it to court, the two can deal with it there. If the BBC wants to lose him over this, that's their issue. Clarkson doesn't lose shit in all of this, he has fuck you money and is the face of a multimillion dollar IP and he can just go elsewhere. There's no reason to ruin a good thing over a dumb action, however unjustified.

Well there it is... to you he is untouchable and, by extension of this logic, any valuable employee is untouchable.

Someone who's been told they're on their last warning following racist and homophobic comments who then decides to punch someone (if the allegations are true) completely deserves to be fired. Anything less is a slap in the face to victims of racism, homophobia and bullying.

 

[kitch9]

I've listened to the video many times. He quite audibly mutters "catch a n-word by the toe". He does mumble it but he still says it. It's the same difference if he mutters it or proclaims it clearly. In fact, muttering it shows he had some control over the phrase as he realises it's offensive and begins the muttering but still says the rest of it anyway.

He doesn't quite clearly say it at all Jesus, it took a team of audio forensic experts hired by a paper to come to the conclusion that he might have said it.

You are hearing what you want to hear.

 

[MiszMasz]

I've listened to the video many times. He quite audibly mutters "catch a n-word by the toe". He does mumble it but he still says it. It's the same difference if he mutters it or proclaims it clearly. In fact, muttering it shows he had some control over the phrase as he realises it's offensive and begins the muttering but still says the rest of it anyway.

I agree, it's pretty clear what he's saying, he knew he shouldn't say it, and it was clear enough for them not to air that version in the end - even they didn't want to risk it. The apology afterward confirms what he was saying and that he knew he shouldn't have. People were offended, it was checked and investigated, and to deny it at this point is willful ignorance.

As for the 'character' claims, yes it's exaggerated for the show, and Top Gear is where most people are going to have witnessed the behaviour in question because that's chiefly what he does and is known for. But to suggest that he's otherwise not at all like he is when presenting is as fallacious as the above, he's said stupid and offensive things elsewhere too.

 

[ModBot]

Since the thread has devolved into users crapping on each other over their opinions, we're going to lock it. Feel free to start a new one when reliable news about the situation breaks, and not before.