It's not even 9am, and it looks like we have a theme for the day: irresponsibility. Reuters reports that "A special edition of the [Top Gear] programme, aired in July last year, featured the show's three presenters in a race to the Magnetic North Pole. Two of them, Jeremy Clarkson and James May, were driving a heavily-modified Toyota [Hilux] pick-up truck and were shown drinking gin and tonics as they did so. It prompted one viewer to complain that the footage was 'grossly irresponsible.'" The show's producers had one word for the allegation: bollocks [paraphrasing]. They claimed they'd filmed the segment in an uninhabitable area of the North Pole. Just in case the Inuit population took offense that that suggestion, the BBC's Bad Boyz pointed out that they were in (on?) international waters "where no drink driving laws existed, and that the presenters were not shown to be drunk or out of control." Not to mention “that at present in the UK, it’s legal to drink a small amount of alcohol and still drive.” So that's alright then. Actually, no. "The BBC Trust upheld the complaint [made in APRIL] saying that drinking while driving "could be seen to glamorise the misuse of alcohol." So.. that's that then. Oh wait; the complainant was also peeved that the programme featured a bit about “parts of the anatomy and injuries to them that could shock." That's a reference to a frostbitten penis to you and me. Over to you Autoblog…
19 Comments on “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drink Gin and Tonics Driving to The North Pole...”
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Absolut Rubbish.
Oh please get a life. It’s was one of the best Top Gear episodes I’ve seen. People need to find something else to complain about. We can’t even enjoy a simple show like this. Maybe complain about all the violence and murder on TV that seems to be ok on every show. Gee.
I’m betting that “Abslout Rubbish” would taste horrible…just like “Absolut Limon”.
But, that episode of Top Gear was awesome. some folks need to get a grip.
When I read this story on the BBC website, it reminded me of Terry Wogan’s theory which I think has more credence nowadays than ever before:
“There are people who actively sit by the Radio/TV/Newspaper etc WAITING to be offended.”
This also reminds me of Ben Elton’s theory:
“When people write in to complain about something, they read/watched/heard etc, they’re NEVER offended for themselves. They’re ALWAYS offended on behalf of a mythical 3 year old child, with a sponge for a brain.”
So it’s fine to glamorize…pretty much all of the stupid stuff Top Gear does, but as soon as alcohol gets involved, it’s unacceptable?
But the key issue is: What kind of Gin?
Incidentally, how can ANYONE drink gin?!
It’s like drinking a bottle of perfume!
Well, I for one love gin. The most amusing part of this to me, is that when Jeremy was drinking he stated specifically that he didn’t want to recieve any letters complaining about them drinking and driving, based on the reasons given by the producers. Some people really need to get a life.
Hold on now, there could very easily have been another TV crew driving another modified Toyota Hilux through the same uninhabitable wasteland covered in impossibly deep snow at 9 MPH at the same time in the same state of inebriation.
They could have had a terrible crash and been killed, to death! It was absolutely irresponsible of Clarkson and May to be drinking, putting others at risk like that. Tisk tisk!
It has ceased to amaze me that there seem to be so many people out there with nothing better to do. I agree great episode, though my vote for best might go to the episode where they tried to destroy a Toyota Hilux. Maybe not as witty, but quite amazing. And, of course, who can forget the return of the “Hamster.”
I can’t think of anything more English than driving to the North Pole whilst drinking a G&T… whoever complained should emigrate and take their whining ways elsewhere.
I heard a great term for those people sitting around waiting to be OUTRAGED (said with wildly shaking head and flapping cheeks and jowels).
Those people are “The Offended.” And that’s their place in life.
I’m not referring to normal people who are disappointed by unusually bad taste and outright bad behavior. I’m talking about the ones who just go through life looking for something to be Offended by.
I don’t watch car shows. Like most car reviews and all wax-n-sits, car-related caravans, and group-drives, they bore me.
Of course, if I didn’t have a life of my own, I would be OUTRAGED!
I guess it’s all about the right time and a place for things. I seem to remember, vaguely, helping a friend herd cattle along a road in rural Saskatchewan. There i was, bumping along in a Mazda pickup with a vodka and orange juice, following the herd so they wouldn’t take it in their heads to turn around.
BTW, no cattle were hurt in the process. I got a headache, though.
My God.. think of the Polar Bears!
My favorite drink….
Bombay Sapphire and Tonic with a twist of Lime
HMMMMMM HMMMMMM GOOD!!!
The most dangerous thing I saw on that bit was May using a knife quite incorrectly, while Clarkson was driving cross country. At least when May looked down the shot gun barrel they all yelled at him.
Sounds like the same kind of people who complain about pictures of puppies sitting in police hats.
Wait a minute, are they also suggesting that I shouldn’t be drunk and high while driving around shooting gophers out the window of the truck on my buddy’s private farm land? Not that I’ve one that sort of thing. Just wondering in case the opportunity arises.
That was a great episode.
I’m with Ash