Why both the TG staff and the TG viewers got Clarkson fired

"themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles" (themanwithsauce) 03/25/2015 at 10:58 • Filed to: None

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!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Proof that you can indeed go "too far". And while I am sad, I think the BBC made the correct decision. In fact, it was something they could've done years ago. And I want to point out how both the TG crew and us, the viewers, contributed to this being the correct decision. Let's start with the crew first.

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It is no secret that Jeremy is not the only person who works on the show or assists with writing and editing. In fact, the producer Jeremy assaulted has been working on the show since at least season 7 according to the credits of an episode in that season. So the crew knows that Jeremy can be a bit toxic to others and yet despite hoards of potential voices and eyes to see something and say something, year after year they get in hot water over something. But I don't think they're entirely innocent. I think either the crew as a whole haven't learned anything, or Jeremy has final say and HE hasn't learned anything. "Learned anything from what?" I hear you asking. Well astute followers of TG might remember their visit to America.......Their FIRST visit to America.

I can't find the interview, but both the presenters and the production staff were interviewed about the season 9 special a few years ago. All of them said something along the lines of "We were acting like children seeing how much we could get away with and getting attention by being naughty. But the US special was that moment where we realized there were consequences to our actions." And if memory serves, the next few seasons went relatively drama free from the media and press. Oh sure you got the odd complaint here and there like most TV shows (morris marina owner's club anyone?) but they weren't nearly on the same level as what has happened in the past few years.

And that's where I think the crew are partly to blame for creating this monster that inevitably had to be put down. They never stopped. They forgot that lesson. They went back to purposely trying to piss people off and it worked. They KNOW those sorts of comments and remarks are going to rub people the wrong way. They had to know. I refuse to believe that one show attracting all that negative press is entirely innocent. And they also had to know that after they got in a bit of a metaphorical "dust-up" with other sources for things they honestly did not mean to offend people with, that their actions had brought all the naysayers out of the woodwork. The floodgates opened and it became easy for the snowball to keep rolling..... And they still didn't stop.

I don't think for a second that Jeremy meant to attack someone. I agree that he is probably stressed out and on edge. But I think he put himself into this position by constantly pushing the limits on his better days. He finally ran out of friends and this mistake is one he can't get scrubbed away. It will probably haunt him for the rest of his career and he needs it. He needs to be reminded that there is a line and that he crossed it several steps ago.

But for all the fault that the crew bear, us as viewers need to keep in mind that we shoulder some of this as well. If we want to keep from it happening again, we need to recognize what to avoid in the future.

First of all, we held up Jeremy as a motoring God. He really wasn't. And neither was Top Gear the gold standard of what cars were. It presented itself as factual, but in reality it was pure entertainment. They would say and do whatever was funny at the moment. And that is an excellent thing . It means they can take any material and make it enjoyable. As someone said on another article - they could've made a show on sewing machines called "Top Stitch" and it would've been hilarious. But at the same time we need to remember that they are not the sole authority on things. I've pointed out before how their opinions change regularly and their comparisons and challenges are often staged. Not that this makes them less fun, just that you need to take it with a grain of salt. The MkV GTI went from being "Fat and underpowered" before the review to "A revelation" during the review, back to being "dreary and weak" in newer seasons. That is just a single example. But we love them anyways because they do it so well! I just wish people had stopped elevating the hosts as automotive pariahs above rebuttal or criticism. Maybe if we had said "no, that was actually offensive" on occasion, they would've listened. I see now people are now running around with the "The idiot finally got fired! Yes!" comments when just a year ago on this same website you can see hordes of people rallying around the "JC did nothing wrong!" bandwagon.

And while TG:UK has been imploding form within these past few years, we shunned TG:USA for being "not TG:UK" when they were, they just made way more episodes in a shorter amount of time and were still trying to figure things out. But no, the enthusiasts have spoken - We will ONLY accept JC and the gang! What a great way to make sure we never get anyone even *trying* to make a new show for enthusiasts! Part of my frustration comes from me being part of that elitist group for a while. That there would never possibly be anything else that would be as entertaining as Top Gear. But I've also been one of TG:USA's few defenders on here. I really wanted people to go into it and let it be the wonderous little car adventure show it was. I fully expect people to act the same if the BBC attempt to do a replacement for TG. Whether with a new host(s) or a different format entirely. I want to at least give it a fair shot. I *NEED* to give it a fair shot. To show the world that yes, I too enjoy media and entertainment relating to my passion. Not just some show that is perceived by some as an hour long rant from a grumpy old man.

And we maybe need to be more level headed about these issues in the future than driving a tank to deliver a petition with a million signatures to have a man reinstated at his job after assaulting a coworker. Yes, I put it that way for a reason. Be honest - if you were at your job, got attacked by someone physically, and they got sacked, would you appreciate them getting their job back just because a lot of people who don't work with you said they liked that guy and want him to have his job back? I didn't think so. And honestly I found the use of the tank to be like the people marching up city hall with assault rifles going "BRUNG DOWN OBUMMERCURRRRRR" - You're only reinforcing negative perception and stereotypes of yourself, even if you have a valid point. In an ideal world, yes you would be judged solely by your actions and not your appearance but this isn't a perfect world.

Our culture is constantly under attack and pressure by people who don't want to bother trying to understand us. Clarkson has had quite a few moments where he reinforced their negative stereotypes of us. It's time we faced facts - we need more people than just Clarkson. We need more shows than just the original Top Gear. And if we continue to hold someone like Clarkson up to different standards than the rest of the world, then we should not be surprised when we help create another controversial figure to represent "us".

Smutastic > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 03/25/2015 at 11:18

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I think you use the broad term "crew" too loosely. It's not the studio gaffers and boom mic ops who have any input/control/whatever in these things. It's the producers, hell even the directors don't get much to say outside of "haha that could be funny" or "you really think we should do that?". The top guys are making these decisions in concert with the on air talent. And for it not to get shot down from on high every show, there is probably one long term exec who's the firebreak.

The crew might go along, because they're the crew, what are they going to say? But it's the executive producers who make the final decisions and they are as apt to pander to the rabid fans as they are to want to do bits they think are funny to piss people off.

Also don't discount the boredom factor. You work on a show long enough, you look for any opportunity to spice it up.

Nimrodical > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 03/25/2015 at 11:22

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From the very beginning when God asked Adam what happenend and Adam pinned it all on Eve we as humans have been making our mistakes other people's faults. No matter what the crew or we the viewers did, the fault lies souly with Clarkson. He is the only person who can truly control his own actions. It's not okay to physically attack someone because they upset you.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 03/25/2015 at 11:24

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My only problem with the end of TG, is the fact that after this and the reruns, there's not much else on TV that's new and car related. If they showed Fifth Gear here, I might not be so disappointed.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Smutastic 03/25/2015 at 11:25

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I'm aware the labor staff (catering, equipment operators, etc....) had no say in editing or script. But you can't tell me the producers and directors and assistant writers and whoever else sat in on these productions couldn't step up and say something. I find it odd how little we hear of the other people with some form of creative control weighing in on these issues. It is possible they don't have any chance of a final say but at that point, why wouldn't you have jumped forward with something like "No, we didn't like the Mexican joke" or "Yes, he really did mean to use the word 'slope' and insisted on it being left in". That group is obviously who is implied when I use the term "crew". Besides, those working those labor intensive jobs likely still have them sine they still need camera and mic operators and electricians and mechanics to build sets and props for other shows.

And if the only way your show can be exciting is to purposely piss people off through very low and unintelligent insults then you shouldn't bother making that show. I don't buy that idea, either. because it still wouldn't fix the problems of the show being boring since it was about cars, not politics.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Nimrodical 03/25/2015 at 11:27

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Agreed. He did the action and now must deal with the aftermath. I'm just saying that in the bigger picture, we could've attempted to stem this sooner. Same with the producers and directors at the BBC. We encouraged this sort of behavior, in a way. Clarkson is ultimately responsible for letting his anger get to him. That is fact. But it didn't help that people cheer him on for making bad decisions and being this grumpy old man who makes poor chocies when it comes to speaking.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 03/25/2015 at 11:28

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See, if people gave TG:USA a chance, we might still have that. And maybe if people didn't immediately turn down anything that isn't TG:UK, other shows would take more risks.

Smutastic > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 03/25/2015 at 11:33

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You don't work in tv do you? :)

You know who has the creative control? The executive producers and the name talent (if they are name enough). You know who doesn't? Everyone else. And tv directors are hired hands, they aren't movie directors who control everything. TV is controlled the producers, especially reality tv like car shows.

Sure, the writer could throw out a "guys, remember the Mexican joke?" But if the exec wants it, and the talent wants it, it's in. You want to continue to be in the writers room? You say "yes sir" when Clarskson says he wants a joke kept in. If you aren't a top guy, then you have to be very careful of what hill you want to die on.

Think of it this way, for every bad joke/bit that made it, how many didn't because someone spoke up and said "maybe we shouldn't"? You only get to do that so many times before they find someone who will toe the line.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Smutastic 03/25/2015 at 11:41

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I worked in radio.

And I don't see how what you're saying goes against what I pointed out. That Clarkson is not the sole person with creative say. And that there must have been people who agreed with him, otherwise we'd be hearing about these people leaving and disagreeing with them. You're acting like it is 100% clarkson and I can definitely see how he could've had a "What I say goes" clause.....but again someone would have eventually stepped up and said something . I agree that those with creative control in any way didn't disagree. And so I say that this created a bit of an echo chamber that encouraged his behavior and reinforced that this game of "let's see how far we can go" that they ALL played, not just Jeremy.

Smutastic > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 03/25/2015 at 12:18

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I think Clarkson is an ass and has become more of one over the years. Him getting fired is 100% on him.

That being said, I also believe the people in charge at TG enabled the fuck out of him which helped make this outcome possible. I imagine at this point the show is one hell of an old boys club. And it probably needs to be blown up and made fresh.

I just don't buy that it was enabled by the crew on large. Simply because I have a relative who works on a network auto show (I've worked on talk shows which have been much calmer on the whole), so I've seen first hand how the crew can be 95% against something (screaming at each other during filming) and no one cares because the on air talent wants it and the exec producer in charge does too. And that this is never cleared with network. If it goes south, and network gets upset, then a bunch of suits fly in and have meetings, people are politely scolded (depending on the ratings) and then it's all forgotten until next time.

And if any of them left, they'd be replaced and forgotten. And no one would care about the story unless it involved a dead body or live boy.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 03/25/2015 at 12:34

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I gave them a chance with Season 1, I liked it but not as much as UK, but Season 2 killed it for me.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 03/25/2015 at 12:36

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I'm glad I'm not the only one who liked TG:USA. It felt a bit more unscripted than the UK version (at times). I've recently been watching more Roadkill than anything. It's the scripted bits that get me. I like seeing when things go in an unpredictable way - and that's something that TG:UK was missing toward the end. It just felt too scripted.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 03/25/2015 at 13:44

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Seasons 3 and 4 were like a different show entirely.

Nimrodical > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 03/25/2015 at 14:27

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Yes, great explanation to help a nimrod grasp your thoughts! Thank you!

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 03/25/2015 at 15:09

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In a good or bad way?

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 03/25/2015 at 15:26

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In a very good way