To ask what exactly Clarkson

[Nogbreaks]

Feels Meghan has done to him to justify the vitriol and misogyny of that article he wrote where he’d like to see her naked and assaulted?

I mean WTF? How in earth did a major publication think that it was fine to publish his little sexual fantasy about hurting a woman like that?

I’m no fan of the Royals in any form, and could care less about their infighting, but why are we surprised that there is so much violence against women and girls when this kind of article by an influential man is seen as okay to write?
Where’s his description of a naked, vulnerable Harry being assaulted??

Clarkson, Coren, Delingpole, Toby Young and their supporters, all cut from the same faulty cloth of entitled privileged masculinity. Revolting specimens collectively.

@ReneBumsWombats You seem to have forgotten the racial slur used against a Thai man on one of his programmes; that was a joke too, apparently.

Recognising the reference to the scene in GOT doesn't mean you accept it as a defence; it simply means that you've made the connection. It's still a horrendous thing to say.

@ReneBumsWombats yes, he’s a delight. I can see why Camilla wanted him at her Xmas party, I’m sure he’s fabulous company…

It wasn't her party. They were both guests.

I'd like to see him dismembered and fed into a wood chipper.

It's okay, it's a Fargo reference.

Actually I think that's a widely held blind spot in "the chattering classes". Approximately nobody in the UK watches the big prestigious US shows. Friends was the last US show to get real mainstream cut through. Game of Thrones is probably the biggest and most prestigious of them all, but the name recognition for its stars is still low in the UK. The vast majority of the population know about Dragon lady and maybe that there was a Red Wedding and Jon Snow knows nothing, and that's about it.

But in media circles these US behemoths are a big big deal, emblematic of money and success. If you work in TV, and love the show, and everyone you know knows these things it's easy to forget that this is not something that people know. Clarkson has form for exactly that, when announcing Charles Dance on Top Gear as "The Hand of the King ladies and gentlemen!!!!" to blank looks from the audience who found Charles Dance's GOT role the least interesting thing about him.

Ditto no one at the Sun (not normally known for over-estimating their audience's knowledge) thought to sub in a "like Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones" which IMO would have made a real difference to how the piece was initially received. DH, (who's media savvy, Clarkson-agnostic, and lives with a GOT fan), read the news story about this and thought JC had lost his mind, because it was such a randomly vile thing to say. The article would still have been grossly inappropriate to write and publish, but a clarification would have taken away the "has he actually lost his mind" factor.

Of course given what we know about Clarkson's character and the way he treats people working for him it's also possible that the sub-editor did realise that not spelling out the reference would have that effect, but decided not to intervene and to leave JC to reap what he'd sown.

which IMO would have made a real difference to how the piece was initially received

Absolutely not.

I got the reference. I'm a big GOT fan.

But the context almost makes it worse. This is Cersei fucking Lannister we're talking about. Mass murderer, twin fucker, nastiest woman in Westeros. And a punishment inspired by the worst excesses of barbaric, medieval Europe. And even at that, that scene was intensely uncomfortable to watch.

And he wants to dole this out to some woman he's never met and has committed no crime? That's depraved.

My favourite response to all of this is those who say "I hate Meghan and Harry because of X reasons but even I think Clarkson has crossed a line here."

Uh, do you not realise this is exactly what Meghan has been faced with from day one? Do you not understand that many, many people share Clarkson's view and would love to see her violently shamed and humiliated? The difference is that most haven't had a mainstream platform to share these views, and those that do have wanted to maintain an air of respectability. Clarkson was simply the first to be so arrogant and deluded he genuinely thought he could get away with it.

Harry and Meghan have spoken of credible threats from neo nazis. This has been backed up by a senior Met Officer. The RF have not once spoken out against this. They've not spoken out against excessively negative and often false press coverage of MM. They won't speak out about Clarkson. With all that reflected, do you not feel Harry has a right to be angry with his family for their incredibly weak stance on this?

If you continue to hate MM despite this very obvious proof that many of her claims are true, you really need to assess your position. You have been manipulated and it's time to admit that to yourself. Clarkson isn't a one-off, he's just the first to have had his sick fantasies overtly published in a widely circulated tabloid.

But sure, MM being a bit cringy and exaggerating things for effect at times is much, much worse than one of the most powerful establishments in the UK staying absolutely silent about the misogynistic and racist treatment of a woman that married into them.

You're clarifying for the benefit of people who don't know who Cersei is anyway though, and you're clarifying that he hasn't actually spent time thinking up this semi-sexual degradation scenario out of his own mind, just reached into a bag of "bad things that happen to bad women/people". It lessens the shock factor and the "call a psychiatrist" factor.

It doesn't make it remotely OK.

It lessens the shock factor and the "call a psychiatrist" factor.

For me it doesn't, no. Speaking as someone familiar with the source.

The RF have not once spoken out against this. They've not spoken out against excessively negative and often false press coverage of MM. They won't speak out about Clarkson.

Worth repeating this from the rooftops.

Of course H&M are right to call this out. Shameful and abusive behaviour from the royals.

I hope Harry and Meghan speak about it.

Thanking people for their condemnation of the article.

But not doubt that would lead to the likes of Morgan having a go at them. As he is obsessed with them

Well.... IPSO has had 14,000 complaints. I do think that there are those who are so entrenched in their dislike of Meghan (and secretly applaud JC for his article. I would like to think that didn't apply to any MNers but who knows).

I would just like to think that those who are middle of the road, who just find them irritating but aren't completely stuck in their views... that they have actually had their eyes opened a bit as to the level of hatred unleashed and amplified by the MSM.

That article was hideous. Guessing the RF is waiting until all the Harry and Meghan stuff comes out before responding. Whatever they do will be wrong. Guessing all the online bullying will be redirected from H and M to whoever is decided to be the 'villain' again. I don't know how anyone can cope in the public eye.

Guessing the RF is waiting until all the Harry and Meghan stuff comes out before responding

Why would you decide that? They've never stood up for them before.

The Netflix series is over. The right thing to do would be release a short statement condemning pieces like Clarkson's and a word to all press contacts to lay off.

They won't though. They're afraid of retaliation.

Harry and Meghan have spoken of credible threats from neo nazis.

I remember when that happened.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/neo-nazi-trial-terror-prince-harry-michal-szewczuk-oskar-dunn-koczorowski-a8963396.html?ampI

nypost.com/2019/06/18/teen-neo-nazi-jailed-for-threatening-race-traitor-prince-harry/amp/

amp.abc.net.au/article/11223274

I still find it strange that so many are ok with a married man obsessed with a woman to the point he uses any excuse to say every negative thing about her and try to bring her down and for years at that.

There's a lot of hate being generated against them by parts of the media. You have Morgan calling them traitors. The DM has a soldier saying that Harry has let down the military and the RF.

I have to laugh at the people denying that race is playing a part here. What else would explain this level of vitriol directed at a woman who, to my eyes anyway, hasn't done much wrong of any note?

I mean, I get people might find her irritating. But really? This level of abuse?

Totally agree.

I think what Clarkson was trying to say with the Rose West comparison is that he acknowledges that he hates her randomly and irrationally more than people who've done objectively far more to deserve his hatred.

That's not an uncommon feeling - you'll see it all over MN in the context of apparently innocuous but deeply annoying celebrities.

But if you find yourself saying it, in public, about a mixed race woman who's attracted more than her fair share of abuse and even neo-nazi threats. Then how can you not realise that the obvious explanation for your "inexplicable" aversion is racism?

There's a cliche on reality TV forums:
"I just can't warm to her" = "she's black"

that quote is vile

It has its basis in history though. This is how women were treated in medieval societies. We need to be mindful of that. Basic safety and dignity of women cannot be taken for granted.

I read the first bit and stopped when he made her entirely responsible for Harry’s behaviour. Pure misogyny

I seem to remember a mocking use of the word 'slope' in some kind of racial context, is that the one? But regardless, if you join the dots behind his pattern of behaviour, his MO is generally the same. He makes sure there's always the plausible deniability element present, the sort typically adopted by bullies so they can either feign injured innocence or claim their target (in this case a whole readership) is a bit stupid because they haven't clocked some literary allusion.

It's designed to cover their own arse and it's clever, but not as clever as he thinks it is. Which makes him, not only a revolting boor, but also a craven coward. Bullies usually are.