Clarkson Suspended by BBC

[Trump]

Originally Posted by mik

we put the moscovitch through it paces ?

James wears a hat (again).

Richard pretends to eat borscht.

And this weeks Star in a Reasonably Priced Car is none other than Vlad.

[Boza]

Originally Posted by mik

we put the moscovitch through it paces ?

My old man had 2 in the 80's in Russia he had too work on it for 2 weeks just to go from our city size of geelong roughly, to go to minsk 140km's one way I remember driving it as a kid in a field horrible thing's

[Boza]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

Is it Russia Today (RT) by any chance? Its a state owned news channel, its on Foxtel now for some odd reason.

Nah it's a different one, but dunno if you've seen the tank bi-Athlon they have on RT pretty interesting have a squizz
https://youtu.be/uUOGdZSPMdE

[XAGSV8]

Bit sad all round. If the show dies the magazine will follow. Lots of jobs lost.

[xxx000]

The jerk thinks he's immune to rules of basic decency yet has reportedly arced up over the mention of him and Jimmy Saville in the same sentence.
He's so two faced it's beyond any joke. I consider him a wealthy bogan.

[johnydep]

Australia gets a few mentions here

http://thenewdaily.com.au/entertainm...NTIyODkyNzI5S0

Why the BBC was wrong to sack Jeremy Clarkson

BBC is going to have to pay the piper – to the tune of more than £67million, if they actually do sack him.

The only news story vying for the attention of more people than the Germanwings Airline crash this week was the sacking of Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson.

Both may have been unavoidable, but the latter will still be news long after the airline tragedy has been put to bed.

It’s ridiculous that a TV show about automobiles is drawing more Twitter and media interest (based on social media stats) than an airline disaster killing 150 people.

But why is it happening?

It’s because 350 million people around the world ‘know’ Jeremy Clarkson personally and let him and his mates in their living rooms every week, keeping the BBC alive like a drip feed of cash, more so than virtually every other resource they have combined.

It’s their tent pole; their Iron Man, Star Wars, and Star Trek combined and also commands the attention of more female viewers worldwide than men, curiously enough.

Today, Director General Tony Hall – a stalwart BBC news pioneer who is all about hard facts and not at all about entertainment – sacked Clarkson.

If you tuned in late, Clarkson, who fronts the most successful show in more than 200 years of the BBC (sic) was two hours late arriving at a luxury hotel in the Yorkshire Dales after keeping the helicopter waiting for a post shoot drinking session at a local pub.

Had he arrived on time around 8pm, there would have been no problem.

Because he was hours late, the kitchen had closed, the chef had gone home, and the ten rooms booked at the hotel had long since greeted the crew and production folks. So Jeremy and Co were only offered a ‘cold meat plate and cheese’ from the kitchen.

Jeremy went mental, according to witnesses, and besides an expletive-ridden episode, punched the lead producer in the mouth, splitting his lip.

Question: If you were producing the most important show in your country, would you possibly think to ensure, no matter what, that even Manuel from Fawlty Towers was left en casa to cook up some hot grub for a notoriously finicky and volatile star who had just had a two hour drinking session after a long day of filming?

Answer: Apparently not if you were Oison Tymon, the capable, affable Irish producer who will now disappear into the mist like George Mallory on the verge of Everest’s summit, only to return as a multiple choice question on game shows in years to come.

“Name the producer Jeremy Clarkson struck which ended Top Gear’s reign as the Number One British media export back in 2015?”

Or …

“Lorry driver Oisin Tymon, who delivers Halal frozen fish and chips in the oft-maligned area of Tower Hamlets in London, was buried in his native Ireland after taking his own life. He was best known as the man who ‘blank’.”

So, what’s a mother to do in this case?

The problem is, you can’t have it both ways. If you let the lion out of the cage and into the circus, people are going to be bitten and perhaps eaten. And we will pay a lot of money to see that every day of the week. It’s why we watch.

“Clarkson is a very, very entertaining man, a witty and abrasive behemoth who draws a crowd that loves him. That comes at a price.”

If every Grand Prix was like this year’s Melbourne Grand Prix, nobody would ever watch. We want crashes, accidents, and tyres flying off the course taking out race marshals. That’s what we pay for.

Clarkson is a very, very entertaining man. A witty and abrasive behemoth who draws a crowd that loves him. That comes at a price.

And if you are going to have a lion running around in the crowd (let alone a lion who drinks alcohol and enjoys eating people) you’d better have a group of lion tamers and medics who can take the heat or get out of the kitchen.

The problem here is, the cook had abandoned the kitchen hours before and nobody had paid to make him stay, or found anybody else in the Dales who could come in and fire up the stove.

It would be fair to say, in some months and years, Lord Hall CBE might be asking the question that should have been asked to Jeremy Clarkson that night at 10pm: “Would you like fries with that?”

So is it wrong to punch and assault and bully people, especially superiors or employees or team members? Of course.

But if you are going to set that example, live on principles, and kill the golden goose, you are going to have to pay the piper, and the piper in this case, are paying viewers, stations, syndicates, and audiences. To the tune of over £67million per year!

This was an accident that was always going to happen. Talented nutty and abrasive people live in the entertainment industry. They are part and parcel. This is not logical or ‘right’ or ‘nice’ – it just is. It’s the high price of drawing audiences and keeping them year in and year out.

The other alternative, is to present a show like Top Gear Australia.

I rest my case…

[Falcman0o7]

hes a tool anyway.

[mik]

Very ballsy of them to sack jc in light of the money the show brings in , going by that account of events it appears he deserved to get the bullet.

[b0son]

Ballsy? More like some stupid execs actually think they can put new people in and audiences will eventually warm to them. Not going to happen... the comparative lack of success of the TG spinoffs is testament to that.

[GTP534]

It's ballsy because they finally decided to stand on the principle that physical violence in the workplace is not acceptable no matter who perpetrates it.

He's not indispensable and only the future will tell what's going to happen.

[cheap]

Originally Posted by mik

Very ballsy of them to sack jc in light of the money the show brings in , going by that account of events it appears he deserved to get the bullet.

I think you'll find the BBC gets nearly all of its money from public funding, therefore it is inaccurate to claim their actions were ballsy with respect to money, the BBC could have zero viewers (which is where they're heading) and the staff and executive would all get paid.

[johnydep]

Originally Posted by GTP534

It's ballsy because they finally decided to stand on the principle that physical violence in the workplace is not acceptable no matter who perpetrates it.

He's not indispensable and only the future will tell what's going to happen.

Ballsy because management failed to 'manage' in the first place, and are not taking any responsibility whatsoever.

[jpblue1000]

Originally Posted by cheap

I think you'll find the BBC gets nearly all of its money from public funding, therefore it is inaccurate to claim their actions were ballsy with respect to money, the BBC could have zero viewers (which is where they're heading) and the staff and executive would all get paid.

Doesn't the BBC get about 1.1 billion pounds in revenue from sales of their produced shows via BBC worldwide, which equates to about 1/4 of its funding. the vast majority comes from the TV license charged to owners of receiving equipment...like TV's, total revenue is up near the 5 billion pounds. Top gear brings about 50-60 million of that and costs about a quarter of that in production costs and salaries, which is probably the largest single earner, but 4 other 'superbrands' are probably close.
Given its global reach the BBC probably wont feel the pain financially.
Im pretty sure the viewership will not disapear with the demise of top gear, and Im also willing to bet most of the BBC viewers found Top gear the anomaly.


JP

[cheap]

Retaining and growing viewers is the name of the game. Top Gear draws viewers to the BBC, the week they canned Top Gear and put some flying crap on instead, their viewing audience plummeted. Without viewers what is the point of the BBC?

Without Clarkson I think they will struggle to air or sell the new Top Gear. I'd have trouble naming another "global" BBC product. But why would the BBC care about the viewers or revenue when the BBC has the public teat to suck from...

[Express]

The structure of Television broadcast in the UK is very different to that of Australia and in particular the dominance of the BBC compared to our public broadcaster the ABC.

The BBC has about 8 Television stations in the UK and 10 Radio Stations plus a huge number of regionals for both as well as operating as an international broadcaster in many countries.

BBC One has a consistent 20 plus percent of the viewing audience in the UK.

Its list of past and current programs is hours of reading.

Its sports broadcasts include soccer, Wimbledon and formula1 among a list of other sports.

Yes Top Gear will be a loss.

Yes there will be a big hit on the income Top Gear generates.

No it will not have an effect on the BBC’s dominance, the broadcaster will simply move on.

The BBC had no choice but to sack Clarkson and Clarkson by his own silence on the matter and through his defence of Oisin Tymon could be considered as confirmation he agrees.

Assault cannot be condoned for any reason and must be punished.

Clarkson is already on record for having physically assaulted Piers Morgan years ago.

As much as I used to enjoy Top Gear and in particular Clarkson’s irreverent input I’d lost a lot of interest in the show over the last couple of years and see it like all television programs, its shelf life has finally arrived and even though it is a forced demise, it is the end all the same and Clarkson should be ashamed of his Neanderthal outburst over such a petty issue.



I'll just add this link, it's a Wiki list of BBC programming over the years, I'm sure the forum members will recognise some of the programs:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ast_by_the_BBC


.

[LG17]

Apparently the BBC was pulling the Top Gear set apart on the same day Clarkson's sacking was announced.
I wonder if Hammond and May were consulted...

[cs123]

Originally Posted by cheap

I'd have trouble naming another "global" BBC product.

Dr who
Black adder
Fawlty towers

You may have heard of that try hard wannabe called David Attenborough he's had a few mildly successful shows on BBC



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Revolver]

Except Blackadder finished how many years ago? Kind of null and void.

[blue sleeper]

Originally Posted by cs123

Dr who
Black adder
Fawlty towers

You may have heard of that try hard wannabe called David Attenborough he's had a few mildly successful shows on BBC



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sherlock
Coast
Shaun the Sheep ;)

[cheap]

Originally Posted by cs123

Dr who
Black adder
Fawlty towers

You may have heard of that try hard wannabe called David Attenborough he's had a few mildly successful shows on BBC



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'll need to dust off my ancient history books to research those shows. I asked my teenage kids and they looked kind of puzzled, those shows are totally irrelevant. When did any of those shows road test a car (which seems to be what viewers want)?

But since you want to rewind the clock, how is your collection of 78's, still rocking to Frank Sinatra (BTW he is dead ya know)

[cs123]

Originally Posted by cheap

I'll need to dust off my ancient history books to research those shows. I asked my teenage kids and they looked kind of puzzled, those shows are totally irrelevant. How is your collection of 78's

Really. Whatever.

[Express]

Originally Posted by cs123

Really. Whatever.

A short and sweet comment but I agree.

You’ve offered up a few successful BBC shows to counter a comment that the BBC has never had another Global product and because they are older out of production programs they don’t count.

The truth is the BBC like all serious entertainment companies are into merchandising everything they can sell.

I’m not saying Top Gear isn’t a huge money spinner but take a look at the BBC shop website and go through the product menus and you’ll see Top Gear is but one slice of a huge pie.

http://www.bbcshop.com/

Personally I’d love to own the rights to Doctor Who. It has its own section and its merchandise will be around long after the show dies.

Or where the real money is and that is selling product related to children’s programs.

Car programs can age quickly, some other forms of entertainment stay relevant for years.

[xxx000]

Originally Posted by Express

A short and sweet comment but I agree.

You’ve offered up a few successful BBC shows to counter a comment that the BBC has never had another Global product and because they are older out of production programs they don’t count.

The truth is the BBC like all serious entertainment companies are into merchandising everything they can sell.

I’m not saying Top Gear isn’t a huge money spinner but take a look at the BBC shop website and go through the product menus and you’ll see Top Gear is but one slice of a huge pie.

http://www.bbcshop.com/

Personally I’d love to own the rights to Doctor Who. It has its own section and its merchandise will be around long after the show dies.

Or where the real money is and that is selling product related to children’s programs.

Car programs can age quickly, some other forms of entertainment stay relevant for years.

Absolutely spot on.
'Cheap' you're so fixated with trying to belittle the ABC and BBC with the regular swipes you make at them.
Dr Who has been around for 50 years and is a worldwide hit right now with a whole new generation. Take a look inside an ABC shop and you'll see so many examples of high quality entertainment many of which are produced inhouse.
I for one don't begrudge the jobs and quality shows including kids shows that a tiny portion of my tax pays for. Call them public funded to remind your bitter self of that fact if you want to but I'm happy with their work and watch and prefer them far more than any other network.

[FPV GTHO]

Do any of the spin off Top Gear stars have contracts with BBC worldwide or is it all through the local networks licensing the series?

What's to stop a rival network picking up all 3 guys now and producing a Top Gear worldwide series that isn't linked to the BBC but officially licenced like Top Gear US, Top Gear Aus and Top Gear Russia?

[cheap]

Originally Posted by xxx000

Absolutely spot on.
'Cheap' you're so fixated with trying to belittle the ABC and BBC with the regular swipes you make at them.
Dr Who has been around for 50 years and is a worldwide hit right now with a whole new generation. Take a look inside an ABC shop and you'll see so many examples of high quality entertainment many of which are produced inhouse.
I for one don't begrudge the jobs and quality shows including kids shows that a tiny portion of my tax pays for. Call them public funded to remind your bitter self of that fact if you want to but I'm happy with their work and watch and prefer them far more than any other network.

I get the message, you spend a lot of time watching the ABC, frequenting the ABC shop and you're a fan of Dr Who.

[ken1939]

Well this post has generated alot of response. I started to watch Top Gear when we got BBC America on our local cable. So in a short time, I pretty much saw all the episodes. Packaged for your consumption so to speak. I think the show had its place. I really preferred the longer challenge shows, when they would go to impossible places. But like all formula based shows it does have its limits and most of the story lines are similar.

As for spin offs, I know the American Top Gear was mentioned, but frankly I find it unwatchable as well, its over acted and they are doing most of what was done on Top Gear in the UK. So hardly ground breaking. What glimmers I saw of Australian Top Gear, in my opinion, it was much better than the US Version. Of course liking Australia didn't hurt either. And I am sure that the blokes in your version could wear on you after awhile I recon, but I can say I enjoyed it much more.

A little bit of history in those shows never hurts.

However, since Top Gear came on the scene, there are many online shows now that may surpass or in some cases fall short of Top Gear. My nephews are big into RoadKill, produced by HOT ROD's David Freiburger and Mike Finnegan. My nephew is in his early 20s and thinks its the bomb. For me its kind of stunt laden and unwatchable at times. But there is a butt for every seat I recon.

https://video.search.yahoo.com/video...yfp-t-901&tt=b

They did one from Australia on one of their episodes.

This also explains that HotRod does not pay its editors alot of or any money!

So even if Top Gear ceases to exist, there is always something to take its place, professional or unprofessional.

I can only speak from where I sit, the drone of Supercars on Top Gear at one point does become monotonous. Granted I will never afford such a ride, and even though I can appreciate the performance of them, its pretty much out of my wheel house when it comes to production cars in general. Its just another version of the 911..again and again and again.

Roadkill does perform one good function that I do like, to see someone do some work on cars in a show for better or worse. The worse would be Freiburger's nasty feet in his flip flops all the time.

Do not worry about the future of anyone on Top Gear, I understand they are pretty well off, and for a trio to come together for one show was kind of lightning in a bottle so to speak. This is reflected in any of their solo work on the boob tube. James May's Man Lab...

[cs123]

Originally Posted by ken1939

My nephews are big into RoadKill, produced by HOT ROD's David Freiburger and Mike Finnegan. My nephew is in his early 20s and thinks its the bomb. For me its kind of stunt laden and unwatchable at times. But there is a butt for every seat I recon.

I really enjoy road kill, a little hit and miss but mostly hit for me. I like David and Mike and they come across as regular gear heads. I watched the live streaming of drag week and just listening to them natter all day about the cars and the people racing was great.

It's not for everyone, they are mostly into old cars and can't leave anything alone which is exactly what I am like.

[Boza]

Originally Posted by cs123

I really enjoy road kill, a little hit and miss but mostly hit for me. I like David and Mike and they come across as regular gear heads. I watched the live streaming of drag week and just listening to them natter all day about the cars and the people racing was great.

It's not for everyone, they are mostly into old cars and can't leave anything alone which is exactly what I am like.

They also have hot rod garage now as well where they work on all sorts of stuff from old muscle to late model muscle they put a ls3 into finnegans wifes el camino pretyy good I love watching that kind of stuff

[xxx000]

Yep plenty of alternatives

[SM1DY]

I have a lot of good things in my life, but the end of Top Gear makes me feel miserable.