Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson suspended by BBC over 'fracas' with producer

[Big Dave 2]

I can take his mouthing off, it's part of his persona but it's mostly harmless school boy fun. However, if he, as is alleged, punched a producer because there was no hot food available at his hotel after 11pm at night after the chef had gone home, that's a different matter. Apparently JC is very fussy about being fed on time (diabetic perhaps?) but that doesn't excuse violence. Every company and public organisation will have a grievance procedure, the BBC is simply following its so JC's suspension is not unexpected.

What's interesting is the timing; the three Top Gear presenters' contracts are due for renewal by the end of this month. Maybe JC doesn't want his renewed and wants to take the Top Gear format away from them but can't because he sold his share in its production company back to them a couple of years ago. Maybe he simply wants to boost his chances of negotiating a bigger salary.

The most recent media reports  suggest that he is contrite and has apologised. Perhaps, with the BBC unable to transmit or supply the remaining programmes in this series to other broadcasters, a penalty clause has been invoked in his current contract and JC has realised he could be liable for costs...

Lots if 'maybe' and perhaps' but who knows...

[Slacker]

JC isn't PC? That really is one of those No S*** Sherlock moments. The fact is that the majority of the time he knows exactly what he's saying and the reaction it's going to cause. The rest of the time he's usually either misquoted or mis-interpreted. Take the public sector gag that has Slackers knickers in a twist. It had Berger Hall to do with public sector workers being on strike and everything to do with having a dig at the BBC. Slacker et al just jump on the bandwagon because they have Clarkson down as a Tory (which I suspect he isn't but it's easier to play the persona)

I found his local government comments offensive. Obviously he didn't literally mean the shooting bit but there were people who were on low wages and didn't take the decision lightly deeply hurt by the remarks.
Don't like the format of the show, 50 something behaving like a spoiled teenager. Bring back Chris Goffey.
Maybe the UKIP butcher from Whittington will send him the steak he got so upset about missing

[therealjr]

do you actually know what he said or as usual for a politician are you just relying on sound bites and biased reporting?

[Fly]

I googled the word politician, my thinking that Slacker is a councillor, not a politician.
The findings look a bit unfair to me 

politician
pɒlɪˈtɪʃ(ə)n/
noun
noun: politician; plural noun: politicians

    a person who is professionally involved in politics, especially as a holder of an elected office.
    "a veteran communist politician"
    synonyms:   legislator, Member of Parliament, MP, representative, minister, statesman, stateswoman, political leader, lawmaker, public servant, elected official, office-bearer; More
    senator, congressman, congresswoman, assemblyman, assemblywoman;
    informalpolitico;
    informalpol
        US
        a person who acts in a manipulative and devious way, typically to gain advancement within an organization.

[Pete]

I look forward to finding out more details before I make up my mind.

[Slacker]

do you actually know what he said or as usual for a politician are you just relying on sound bites and biased reporting?

I heard him say what he said about local government strike.

The suspension was for hitting someone and the other party involved wasn't suspended

[therealjr]

go on then what did he say?

[Slacker]

There are clips on YouTube (not liked one because the sound seems to be paying up on my laptop). Obviously said in a jokey way but there are people in other countries that get murdered for industrial action so I find it offensive as you would if someone made jokes about the Hillsborough disaster.

[Big Dave 2]

I googled the word politician, my thinking that Slacker is a councillor, not a politician.

Of course councillors are politicians, they are elected members of local government 

JC's comments about striking local government workers were made on The One Show on November 30th 2011. They're easy to find on line.

[therealjr]

There are clips on YouTube (not liked one because the sound seems to be paying up on my laptop). Obviously said in a jokey way but there are people in other countries that get murdered for industrial action so I find it offensive as you would if someone made jokes about the Hillsborough disaster.

There are heavily edited clips on YouTube but I as yet have not come across a full one. If you saw the full one at the time as I did then it was perfectly clear he was joking and actually having a dig at the BBC for their need to be balanced and politically correct in all things. But that wouldn't qualify for left wing righteous indignation would it

[Slacker]

Frankly I'm not bothered whether they suspend him or not. Worryingly people would rather fight for his future than NHS or education

[Pete]

>> Worryingly people would rather fight for his future than NHS or education

That's because folks are sick to death of politicians and desperately need entertainment - easy.

[Old Cruser]

Seems J C likens himself to a Dinosaur - he'll be extinct just like they are if he can't curb his ways a tad 

[Fly]

Here ya go Jezza 

[Pete]

I've just read a post where someone compares Clarkson with Jimmy Savile...

There are some humourless, politically correct gits who will stoop to any level to back up their miserable lives. Comparing the orangutan to a man who, for 40 years, systematically abused and raped his way through children and mentally ill people is disgraceful - in fact more disgraceful than anything Clarkson has ever said. Shocking.