Top Gear
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TOP Gear may soon be stuck in second if co-host Jeremy Clarkson can’t squirm his way out of another tight spot.
With 350 million viewers across the globe, his suspension from the show is big news in the world of television.
Love him or loathe him – and there’s plenty in both camps – Clarkson is an integral part of the long-running motoring series that has fans in every corner of the globe.
His latest faux pas involves an alleged punch thrown at his producer after the unfortunate man was unable to find a late night steak dinner with wild mushrooms for the TV star.
If that sounds too ridiculous for words, just look up Clarkson’s CV of “incidents“ that make Prince Phillip seem like a spokesman for multiculturalism and tolerance.
While the man is clearly a boorish prat, he is also a massively popular television celebrity.
His screen presence and passion for cars have made him an indispensable cog in a Top Gear machine that may well grind to a halt without him.
Like our very own Sam Newman on the Footy Show, Clarkson’s presence on Top Gear prevents the show from being a run-of-the mill sports/car show.
Both men inject a sense of fun and are willing to take the mickey out of the subject matter that pays their wages.
Again like Newman, Clarkson has been allowed to say and do things that would have seen most TV personalities shown the door long ago.
There are three reasons they have remained in their jobs – money, money and money.
Successful shows are hard to find while long running-hit shows are near impossible to identify and get to the air.
Top Gear earns astronomical amounts of money for the BBC – an institution not otherwise known for its lenient approach to political correctness.
For that reason alone, expect JC to rise again. His producer may not be happy about it, but his millions of disciples will.
– Danny Buttler
