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Original poster

to be unsurprised that Jeremy Clarkson used the N word?

335 replies

lessonsintightropes · 02/05/2014 12:59

Abject apology here.

Surely the Beeb will have to sack him now?

OP posts:
Original poster
lessonsintightropes · 02/05/2014 13:45

If he didn't say it, why is he apologising for it?

OP posts:
Sirzy · 02/05/2014 13:45

Mountain out of a molehill. Shame the newspaper have nothing better to do than trawl through old, unshown footage and then work hard to even establish what was said.

prh47bridge · 02/05/2014 13:46

adsy - The Top Gear hosts built a bridge over the river Kwai in Thailand. When it was finished one side was higher than the other. Clarkson commented, "that is a proud moment, but there's a slope on it". There was an Asian man walking across the bridge at that point. The word "slope" is sometimes used as a derogatory term for people of Asian descent.

The producers said it was a play on words, referencing both the quality of the bridge and the person crossing it. They say they were not aware it was considered to be offensive by some people.

If I had been the person who said that I would have been talking purely about the bridge. Before this I didn't even know that "slope" referred to people of Asian descent, let alone that some consider it derogatory.

OwlCapone · 02/05/2014 13:46

If he didn't say it, why is he apologising for it?

Because the BBC have asked him to in order to shut the idiots up.

LeftyLoony · 02/05/2014 13:46

Play it to someone who has no idea of the allegations. Not the eeny meeny bit, just the mumbled bit. That's what I did and got the curger nurger as the answer.

adsy · 02/05/2014 13:47

Because otherwise hysterical people will say hes arrogantly refusing to apologise. He is apologising for saying something that might sound offensive , although acknowledging he didnt say the word.
Im no fan of his btw but this is such a non story

OwlCapone · 02/05/2014 13:47

Before this I didn't even know that "slope" referred to people of Asian descent, let alone that some consider it derogatory

Until this point, neither did I.

Amethyst24 · 02/05/2014 13:47

If children are capable of replacing the offensive word with monkey/tiger/whatever, why isn't he?

He is a total cockhead.

OwlCapone · 02/05/2014 13:48

The problem with this is that everyone knows what the word in the rhyme is.

adsy · 02/05/2014 13:49

But it had a slope on it, and there was an asian man on it cos they were in asia.
Hands up anyone who has ever heard that slope is a slang word for asian . I never have and I ber jc hadnt when he said that

UnderIce · 02/05/2014 13:49

The "slope" thing is a new one on me.

Clarkson's an arse but this is a non-story.

That said, if he never appeared on my TV screen again it would be too soon.

I can honestly say if he was doing a book signing in the back of my car, I wouldn't glance in the rear view mirror.

OwlCapone · 02/05/2014 13:49

As the rhyme is ingrained in my mind, I have to think twice before I remember what I'm meant to replace it with. I thought it was tiger but wasn't sure. Clearly Clarkson realised he couldn't say it so he didn't.

Nomama · 02/05/2014 13:50

Dear god. What a non story!

Clarkson is what Clarkson is... a carefully cultured meeja persona that sells telly programmes, newspaper columns, books and personal appearances. Being Clarkson is his job!

Having met the man, in passing, he is a bit like that but not quite so much, if you see what I mean. In other words he is a normal, middle aged man / person of a certain age and upbringing. Many of us are probably married to men that resemble him quite a lot!

Who cares?

EddieStobbart · 02/05/2014 13:51

I don't understand why he had to mumble at all - I'm in my 40s and learned it as "tiger by the toe", why didn't he just use another word in the first place as he obviously did in the third take? The only reason I can think of for not doing this the first time is if he was thinking " oh shit, this is the bit where the n-word is supposed to go and I can't say that, I'm on telly".

I agree it's a non-story but it still makes him look like an arse.

NotNewButNameChanged · 02/05/2014 13:52
  1. He didn't actually say it.
  2. It was never broadcast.
  3. We used to sing that version in school when I was 7 33 years ago - wouldn't now but no one told us not to and we didn't know what it meant
  4. I don't see all those calling for Clarkson's head on a plate constantly complaining about all the rappers who use the word very frequently and demanding that all radio stations boycott their music.
OwlCapone · 02/05/2014 13:52

but it still makes him look like an arse.

He doesn't need this story for that :)

itiswhatitiswhatitis · 02/05/2014 13:56

I remember being taught this rhyme as a child in the 80's. Clarkson is a plank though, why not just substitute an acceptable word rather than just mumble the 'n' word or use 'ip, dip, dog shit, you are not it' like we used to

squoosh · 02/05/2014 13:56

I'm only 36 and learnt the rhyme with the N word too. Obviously I would never, ever use that version now but if I do have occasion to recite it I have to remind myself 'word coming up should be TIGER, TIGER, TIGER'.

Hate to defend Clarkson but those rhymes you learn as a kid seem hardwired into our memories.

SteadyEddie · 02/05/2014 13:57

I am not a fan of JC. I think he is a bit of a nobber.

However this is a total non story, and why was it even released. The only thing that can beat it in the non-story stakes is the last 'racial' incident he was involved in, where he described something that had a slope in it as a 'slope'.

Ludicrous.

SteadyEddie · 02/05/2014 13:58

And as a child we all sang the rhyme as Nipper.

EddieStobbart · 02/05/2014 13:58

I really wish he wasn't an arse. I read a couple of his books and when he's not being a total cockhead he is very very funny.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 02/05/2014 14:01

nomama nope! Neither me or any of my friends are married to men who resemble him quite a lot.

But then we don't go for racist, mysoginist, disabilist twats in my circle.

Listen to the tape. It is perfectly clear what he said. The man is taking the piss. He is pushing it and pushing it and laughing at what he can get away with because he earns the Beeb a lot of money. Arrogant cunt.

IHaveSeenMyHat · 02/05/2014 14:01

Totally unsurprised.

His apology doesn't ring true either. If he hated the word so much, why say the word? If he hated the word so much, why choose that particular rhyme.

I don't necessarily believe he's a racist. But his whole persona is anti PC tell-it-like-it-is, and he says offensive shit like this all the time. Hope he gets the kick up the arse he deserves this time.

softlysoftly · 02/05/2014 14:04

Since when was "slope" a racist term Confused

I have never ever heard that, has anyone? Is it perhaps a term from another country?

And I'm only 30s and learnt first the "N" version of the rhyme then they substituted midget which isn't much better! So now I just don't use it.

I can't really see a story here sorry.

adsy · 02/05/2014 14:06

Apparently the word squaw is now offensive when referring to historical native american women as is chinaman to refer to a man from china. All getting a bit silly