(no subject)

[webofevil]

I don't have a problem with Clarkson's comments yesterday, since if he thinks he'll have time to get off a single shot before I implement my plans for him, he's even more deluded than I thought.^[1]

There's a timely reminder from Michael White today of what to bear in mind whenever Clarkson takes up the mantle of "mouthpiece of the toiling classes":

[This] is not the lad's first foray into populist rightwing politics on behalf of north Oxfordshire's self-styled media elite, which gathers around Rebekah Brooks' Christmas hearth to roast a few peasants Guardian]

^[1] Note to Clarkson's lawyers: obviously my plans for him consist exclusively of feeding him delicious cakes. And asking him if he's got any more mistresses no-one's allowed to talk about.

Comments

[autopope.livejournal.com]

I have hitherto tended to write off Clarkson's more clownish/extreme pronouncements as well-judged trolling, combined with an acute sense of self-parody: he is, after all, 50% automotive journalist and 50% stand-up comedian. Playing Mr Low-Brow Middle Englander Made Good on TV ("phwoar, look at the pipes on that Ferarri! I'd do her if I had the dosh!") is a neat trick; the role just about writes itself.

Trouble is, rich entertainers have a tendency to drift away from any sense of connection with reality over time: either that, or they find it increasingly hard to tell the difference between their parody character and the real world. Michael Jackson was an extreme case, and I could say a few words about Alan Moore, but sometimes you get nasty dickish tendencies coming to the fore, as with Frank Miller last week ... and now Clarkson's jumped the shark with extreme prejudice, mistaking his Daily Heil columnist's stipend for a licence to mock the folks who pay his wage.

The sad bit is, he probably doesn't even understand what he's done wrong.

[quercus.livejournal.com]

Just where is the boundary between Clarkson, Al Murray and Ricky Gervais?

[fatpie42.livejournal.com]

Um... wot?

Why are you bringing Al Murray into this? He's brilliant? His right-wing rants are quite clearly self-deprecating and satirical. Plus in recent years he did a programme on TV exposing the typical myths Brits have about Germans.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2010/dec/02/al-murrays-german-adventure

I don't think Ricky Gervais is anything like so obviously satirical and I think Jeremy Clarkson is genuinely right-wing. So I guess that's the difference. *shrugs* (I must admit I'm not an expert. One night I rented Ricky Gervais' stand up and when I got home, without even putting it on, I suddenly realised I couldn't stomach watching it. Lol. - Though admittedly I'm quite glad that he's been welcomed back to host this year's Golden Globes since without his "shocking" commentary I'd have no interest in that awards ceremony whatsoever.)

[undeadbydawn.livejournal.com]

I find Gervais to be the least funny person to ever have existed, so this does not surprise me....

[fatpie42.livejournal.com]

It looks like Jeremy Clarkson was involved in a really bad joke (so what else is new) related to the Daily Fail conceit that the BBC are obsessed with "PC gone mad!". To use his prior explanation of this, for every white heterosexual man you need to include one lesbian Muslim. *facepalm*

So in the transcript the One Show team decided to put online:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/dec/01/jeremy-clarkson-one-show-strike
He starts off by saying that the strikes were great because there was no traffic and then justifies his viscious fascist tirade on the grounds of "balance".

What a wally, eh?