“Besides, when did the idea that you don’t hit a co-worker, and you’ll get canned if you do somehow become “PC”?”
Has that even been determined yet? IF so, do we know if it happened pre- or post-sacking?
Ready, FIRE!, aim…
Pre. Apparently, Clarkson “saw red” after his dinner didn’t show up in time.
Like I said, good riddance.
What does censorship on the BBC, or the lack thereof, have to do with this issue?
Not that I know much about it but from what the BBC said, he had been warned about using inappropriate language three or four times so that he was told this year that any infraction would get him sacked. He said it would be hard for anyone to make it hard for anyone to survive. Maybe he thought he would be gone anyway so might as well punch the guy out. I dunno. So really he was in trouble for inappropriate language of the type that have brought down a few celebrities here but had pretty much been in common usage in past generations. That’s the PC part of it. They didn’t like his language poisoning the viewers.
The roughly 350 million viewers of TG don’t seem to mind his language or mannerisms at all.
“Apparently, Clarkson “saw red” after his dinner didn’t show up in time.”
I believe that this is correct.
The “official” word is that he became enraged “over a catering issue”.
Certainly that justifies punching somebody–in the world of those who feel “entitled”…
It truly is a “Mad Mad Mad Mad World”:
;-]
If he is sacked, maybe Clarkson’s replacement will be a whiny little Brummy.
I’m thinking one of the British CNN anchors would do ok. Maybe even Morgan. What rock is he under now?
Ooooh - that would REALLY get Clarkson mad, he and Morgan have a BAD relationship.
I’ll go a little off topic . . .
Years ago, when I was still at the dealership, one of my colleagues tried to strangle me, in the middle of the shop
Everybody clearly saw that he had his hands around my throat
Since he was “the golden boy” he was not fired. He was sent home for a few days, but that was it
In fact, it was explained to me, that since this guy was “the golden boy” this incident would be quickly swept under the rug
That was quite depressing
So clearly, somebody thought it wasn’t that big of a deal
I remember the first time I encountered Top Gear on BBC America and thought: “This is amazing! How is it that I’ve never seen this before!?”
While it sounds like Clarkson has a history of bad behaviour, no one but him, the person(s) involved, and possibly BBC actually know what happened. I’d like to think that for things to escalate to the point where he (or anyone) would punch someone, that significant provocation was involved, beyond dinner being late. Making a judgement based on incomplete information or that he’s been “an ass” in the past does him a disservice. Naturally if the allegations are accurate, he deserves some censure for behaving like a child.
While Mr. Clarkson is often pompous and insufferable, he also has a self-deprecating sense of humor, and as someone else mentioned, is often the butt of his own jokes. I also have to admit that his automotive observations are mostly spot on. I don’t know if I’d ever want him as a boss, but I’d have to say that it’s his irascible personality that’s part of the chemistry that makes the show work. If he is fired, I can’t imagine there will continue to be a UK Top Gear in any meaningful way, and that’s a shame. At least it’s unlikely that I will continue to watch it.
Years ago, when I was still at the dealership, one of my colleagues tried to strangle me, in the middle of the shopEverybody clearly saw that he had his hands around my throat
Since he was “the golden boy” he was not fired. He was sent home for a few days, but that was it
In fact, it was explained to me, that since this guy was “the golden boy” this incident would be quickly swept under the rug
That was quite depressing
If the witnesses were willing to testify…then you had a very good lawsuit against the company.
I’m amazed a company would take that type of risk.
My company isn’t that big, but big enough to have policies in place to handle any type of bullying or physical altercation. You work for me…and you put your hands on someones throat in an attempt to do physical harm…you’re escorted out the building that day.
According to an update from a UK newspapers:
“According to a witness, Clarkson demanded a £21.95 sirloin steak from the restaurant menu after a long day of filming and became irate when he was told that the hotel’s chef had gone home.”
While I find it hard to believe that he could actually chew a steak with his brown, rotted teeth, certainly any…reasonable…mature…adult would react in the same way regarding his dinner…
I think he became an embarrassment and hurt the usual British sensitivities. He also played fast and loose with the facts, something I don`t like on a car program.
^
+1
Aside from the so-called “football hooligans” British folks are normally extremely polite and reserved, and simply do not act as he did…unless…perhaps…they are under the influence of drink.
His affinity for alcohol is legendary, so I am going to theorize that he might have had “a few under his belt” if he chose to punch somebody because he was unable to get the exact dish that he wanted for his dinner.
A lot is revealed by how somebody treats their subordinates…
@MikeInNH Everybody that wishes to work at that particular dealership has to sign all their rights away the very first day
You are told in black and white terms, if you don’t sign it, you don’t get the job
You have no rights to join a union, or even mention a union. You have no right to make a lawsuit against the company, among many other things
It’s literally a “little black book”
Over the years, a few whiners were instructed to produce their employee handbook, and the manager pointed a finger at the employee’s signature. Then they were told by signing it, it was understood, they had no right to complain, or anything. Case closed
They stopped complaining, because they were reminded they had no hand to play
I’m grateful I’m not there anymore
@MikeInNH Everybody that wishes to work at that particular dealership has to sign all their rights away the very first dayYou are told in black and white terms, if you don’t sign it, you don’t get the job
You have no rights to join a union, or even mention a union. You have no right to make a lawsuit against the company, among many other things
And that’s illegal. There are very specific laws in place that no document you sign can override. Where I work all managers go through training each year on this stuff. What we can and can’t do. Someone who’s physically or verbally assaulted at work…and management/owner knows about and does nothing to stop it or prevent it from happening again is asking for a major lawsuit.
Regarding Clarkson, none of us know the entire story and likely never will. I’m sure behind the scenes there’s a ton of pressure with deadlines and so on. There’s going to be frayed nerves with a production crew numbering probably a 100 or so.
What if Clarkson complained and the producer got in his face and mouthed off; or poked him in the chest with a finger? That puts a different spin on it and said producer earned it all.
That incident DB4690 mentioned is horrible but it does provide a hint of what goes one behind the scenes in a shop also. There’s a lot of tension, pressure, frayed nerves, and “dust ups” at times.
If that guy had tried to strangle me my first move would be to load my tools except for a 36" breakover, tell the service manager to kiss off, and then I’d level the strangler with the breakover on the way out the door. Charges from the PD? So what; minor and worth every penny.
I lunged over a banquet table and gouged a shop foreman in the throat with a serrated butter knife at lunch one time when he chose to run his mouth once too often and which made me see red. He was told bluntly that if he ever so much as looked at me again I was going to saw my way from ear to ear.
He walked around for 2 days with a gouge mark in his neck and collar pulled up to hide the mark, avoided me like the plague, and his name became Mr. Humility very quickly.
@MikeInNH Yes, you’re correct
In fact, I knew that at the time
However, I also needed a job, and all of the other dealerships I went to weren’t hiring at the time. I have nothing against independent shops, by the way, but I was looking for experience wrenching at a dealership, at that time in my life.
I wanted to know what it was like working on new, or nearly new, cars. All the stuff I’d read about in the textbook during my training, but never saw for myself . . . because the vehicles at the US army depot were hopelessly outdated . . . I wanted to learn that stuff
Even though they treated me like dirt, when I was at the dealership, I learned a lot. So I did take something positive away from the experience. I wish I wasn’t there as long as I was, but I don’t really regret it, overall. And I did several aspects of how the car business works