Clarkson joins the Burka row with fury over 'burka babes' joke

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1297965/Top-Gears-Jeremy-Clarkson-sparks-fury-burka-babes-underwear-joke.html


Jeremy Clarkson has joined the debate on whether burkas should be permitted in Britain in his own inimitable style.The outspoken presenter provoked a flurry of complaints after telling viewers of Top Gear on Sunday night that he had seen a Muslim woman wearing saucy underwear beneath her gown. Clarkson had been discussing the best way to stop drivers being distracted by female pedestrians, along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May. More than six million viewers had tuned in to watch the show, which featured guest appearances from Hollywood stars Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz.


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In front of the studio audience, he said: 'This is an important bit of news, I really want to bring this up. People imagine that the most dangerous time of the year to drive is November or perhaps February - dark nights, fog, ice. 'But we were talking about this the other day and we think the most dangerous time to drive a car is round about now. Sunny skies, light breezes, girls wearing short skirts, because the thing is, you can't not look. You can't physically not look.' Hammond interjected, saying: 'You can physically not use your mobile phone and it's easy not to drive home when you've had 18 pints of lager. But when you're driving along and a girl walks past, you have to look. Actually, do you not think that here, there is actually a case for the burka? Because then the problem would go away.'

Clarkson then replied: 'No, no, no. Honestly, the burka doesn't work. I was in a cab in Piccadilly the other day when a woman in a full burka crossing the road in front of me tripped over the pavement, went head over heels and up it came, red g-string and stockings. I promise that happened. The taxi driver will back me up on that.' Despite disbelief from his co-stars, Clarkson again insisted the incident took place. By yesterday morning, seven viewers had already contacted the BBC to complain, while singer Lily Allen labelled the comment 'distasteful' on her Twitter site. Another viewer wrote: 'Clarkson is too old for mini skirt jokes - burka story obscene - horrid.'

The debate has intensified across Europe after both France and Belgium announced they are introducing bans on veils earlier this month, prompting accusations of discrimination against Muslims. Spain is considering it and similar calls have emerged in Britain, although these have been ruled out by the Coalition government. The ban in France will include women wearing niqabs, veils covering the head and mouth while leaving the eyes exposed and the head-to-toe burkas, which also cover the eyes with a mesh mask.

Immigration Minister Damian Green, resisted demands from Tory MP Philip Hollobone to ban the burka, which critics claim is a symbol of the oppression of women. Mr Green said a ban would be 'rather un-British' and run contrary to the conventions of a 'tolerant and mutually respectful society'. This is despite a YouGov survey which found that 67 per cent of voters wanted the wearing of full-face veils to be outlawed. Clarkson, 50, is no stranger to controversy. In 2008, he famously mocked lorry drivers by saying they cared only about fuel prices and killing prostitutes - a reference to Suffolk Strangler Steven Wright and Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe. His comments drew more than 300 complaints.


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Fantastic fella, now its; France, Syria, Belgium, Spain, UKIP, the Labour Party, the British government and Clarkson all involved in this burka row. I do like Clarkson, his views are usually spot on and he knows when to stick his foot in. :P The man just tells it how it is.

CLARKSON FOR PM!!

Do you think his comments merit complaints?

[MrPinkPanther]

This story aside (because I fear we will get into an argument) I think Clarkson is a douche.

[Special]

let's see if his a 'fantasitc fella' when he says something you disagree with...

[-:Undertaker:-]

let's see if his a 'fantasitc fella' when he says something you disagree with...

How does that even make sense? You think Clarksons comments are distasteful I take it then? - oh please, it was a joke. If people do not like his humour then they shouldn't tune in, simple as. This thread is only intended anyway as a light joke, as its typical Clarkson.

[Jordy]

To be fair he probably is telling the truth. I remember watching a documentary on Saudi Arabia not long back which is probably the most strict of all the Muslim countries, women have to wear the burqa or some sort of head-dress I believe. Anyway you saw people wearing the burqa shopping in expensive lingerie shops and places like Gap, Ted Baker etc all within Saudi Shopping Centres. They do buy the same clothes as the rest of us to wear around the house and in private places, they just cover up in public.

As for the relevance of this article I don't really see how it matters, Clarkson hasn't really said his thoughts on the burqa, he's just told a story.

I personally think my Burqa story tops it though, yesterday at Alton Towers, 4 women wore the Burqa on Rita at Alton Towers and then bought the ride photo, it honestly made my entire day.

[Neversoft]

I think a bunch of the same people just love complaining to the BBC because they hate paying license fees. Some of the stupidest stuff gets complained about these days... in other news didn't Clarkson once get around 50,000 signatures in an online petition to make him Prime Minister?

[Moh]

I think a bunch of the same people just love complaining to the BBC because they hate paying license fees. Some of the stupidest stuff gets complained about these days... in other news didn't Clarkson once get around 50,000 signatures in an online petition to make him Prime Minister?
Yeah, I'v seen loads of things on other channels that are much worse and people don't complain to them lol

[Apolva]

Only 7 complaints?

Problem: People will complain about anything on TV.
Solution: don't watch TV, it's not compulsory, go read a book or something.

[Inseriousity.]

I personally think my Burqa story tops it though, yesterday at Alton Towers, 4 women wore the Burqa on Rita at Alton Towers and then bought the ride photo, it honestly made my entire day.

I was at thorpe park and saw 2 women wearing it. First time I've seen someone wear one actually. Having seen some of my ride photos that day, I should've wore one as well tbh (then again they're so expensive, robbing *******s)

I find Clarkson funny. It's just typical Clarkson humour and I wouldn't be surprised if it's true.

[Camy]

I love how stupid people are, and actually bother to write in and complain about this. It was just a joke, people are far too serious. At the end of the day he wasn't saying anything 'anti-burqa' and people don't have to watch top gear, they should know what hes like by now.

[Storking]

i hate jeremy clarkson and his stupid views

[cocaine]

i love jeremy clarkson ahaa, always spot on.

[Apple]

He just doesn't care lol. Love him. :)

[GommeInc]

Surprise suprise, the pedantic members of society come oozing out of their holes to complain about a harmless comment made by Jeremy Clarkson again. It was obvious these people with nothing better to do with their lives would complain about that. It was quite a compliment that comment, at least these burkha wearers have style under there :P When I watched it, he wasn't criticising the Burkha or the people who wear them, he was criticising drivers who always look and cause accidents.

[Tash.]

I personally love Jeremy Clarkson. I am at a loss to understand how you could be offended by him, everything he says which ends up being controversial is tongue in cheek, he's just a joker. The irony is if he presented most of his views in a formal way I probably would despise him but as it is I love him. What I do despise is people who continually watch things they know they don't like and I think sit and wait for something they can complain about to ruin television for us all. Happened to mock the week with Frankie Boyle, he's gone and although luckily the show is still good it could've ruined it! It was the same when lots of people (more than the 7 who complained here) complained about the smoking of a pipe on top gear, I mean come on!! Some people need to lighten up.

[Apple]

I personally love Jeremy Clarkson. I am at a loss to understand how you could be offended by him, everything he says which ends up being controversial is tongue in cheek, he's just a joker. The irony is if he presented most of his views in a formal way I probably would despise him but as it is I love him. What I do despise is people who continually watch things they know they don't like and I think sit and wait for something they can complain about to ruin television for us all. Happened to mock the week with Frankie Boyle, he's gone and although luckily the show is still good it could've ruined it! It was the same when lots of people (more than the 7 who complained here) complained about the smoking of a pipe on top gear, I mean come on!! Some people need to lighten up.
I agree completely with this post. Many of these people who complain love it when they have an opportunity to complain and it just ruins it for the majority.

[alexxxxx]

so what it's a joke, barely 'joining the burka row.'

[Camy]

I personally love Jeremy Clarkson. I am at a loss to understand how you could be offended by him, everything he says which ends up being controversial is tongue in cheek, he's just a joker. The irony is if he presented most of his views in a formal way I probably would despise him but as it is I love him. What I do despise is people who continually watch things they know they don't like and I think sit and wait for something they can complain about to ruin television for us all. Happened to mock the week with Frankie Boyle, he's gone and although luckily the show is still good it could've ruined it! It was the same when lots of people (more than the 7 who complained here) complained about the smoking of a pipe on top gear, I mean come on!! Some people need to lighten up.

I agree with what your saying, but that wasn't the reason he left mock the week.

Like I said before, people are far too serious, need to learn to take a joke, and stop being so bloody politically correct all the time.

[GommeInc]

I personally love Jeremy Clarkson. I am at a loss to understand how you could be offended by him, everything he says which ends up being controversial is tongue in cheek, he's just a joker. The irony is if he presented most of his views in a formal way I probably would despise him but as it is I love him. What I do despise is people who continually watch things they know they don't like and I think sit and wait for something they can complain about to ruin television for us all. Happened to mock the week with Frankie Boyle, he's gone and although luckily the show is still good it could've ruined it! It was the same when lots of people (more than the 7 who complained here) complained about the smoking of a pipe on top gear, I mean come on!! Some people need to lighten up.
Agreed. Have you seen Hairspray, where the fat girl's friend's mum is a devout Christian and she sits infront of the television making note of every "vulgar" or "rude" comment? I swear people do that when they watch TopGear :P

[kk.]

The burka should never be banned on this country. You should be allowed to wear what you want in public.

I do think that they should be banned in certain places; airports, banks, some shops, etc, basically, anywhere where you're not allowed to wear hoods or balaclavas. My mum read a comment out to me from a paper: 'we wouldn't be allowed to wear skimpy skirts or bare faced in muslim places'. My response was, do we really want to be compared to these types countries. We accept all kinds of cultures and I think that just goes to show what type of people British are, accepting.

[Tash.]

I agree with what your saying, but that wasn't the reason he left mock the week.

Like I said before, people are far too serious, need to learn to take a joke, and stop being so bloody politically correct all the time.

I'm pretty confident that one of the reasons he left was because he could no longer say what he wanted to without fear of being denounced. Now i'm sure he wouldn't mind getting a slap on the wrists for some of the stuff he says, but if it's constantly edited out of the program because of fear of the complaints then whats the point?


Agreed. Have you seen Hairspray, where the fat girl's friend's mum is a devout Christian and she sits infront of the television making note of every "vulgar" or "rude" comment? I swear people do that when they watch TopGear :P

I've not seen Hairspray but thats exactly how I imagine some people do it. I can't work out whether I should feel sorry for these people because they have clearly got nothing better to do or being angry at their lack of grip on reality.

[-:Undertaker:-]

The burka should never be banned on this country. You should be allowed to wear what you want in public.

I do think that they should be banned in certain places; airports, banks, some shops, etc, basically, anywhere where you're not allowed to wear hoods or balaclavas. My mum read a comment out to me from a paper: 'we wouldn't be allowed to wear skimpy skirts or bare faced in muslim places'. My response was, do we really want to be compared to these types countries. We accept all kinds of cultures and I think that just goes to show what type of people British are, accepting.

That isn't what the polls have shown which is support for the banning of the burka, so maybe we should have a referendum on issues such as this to see what the British people really think rather than assuming what they think.

[kk.]

That isn't what the polls have shown which is support for the banning of the burka, so maybe we should have a referendum on issues such as this to see what the British people really think rather than assuming what they think.

Oh I don't disagree that the vast majority would probably want it banned. But what I'm saying is that, that's not the image that I'd want to portray as Britain.

[alexxxxx]

That isn't what the polls have shown which is support for the banning of the burka, so maybe we should have a referendum on issues such as this to see what the British people really think rather than assuming what they think.

just because you have majority of people wanting to stop something harmless a minority of people are doing doesn't mean that it's right to do so. civil rights are for everyone not just the majority.

[-:Undertaker:-]

just because you have majority of people wanting to stop something harmless a minority of people are doing doesn't mean that it's right to do so. civil rights are for everyone not just the majority.

Democracy is what the majority want, and it is your opinion that it is harmless - hence why we [are supposed to] have democracy.

[alexxxxx]

Democracy is what the majority want, and it is your opinion that it is harmless - hence why we [are supposed to] have democracy.

so if a majority want to ban homosexuality, that's ok too - because it's the majority?

it's flawed logic and goes against the very idea of rights and freedoms.

[-:Undertaker:-]

so if a majority want to ban homosexuality, that's ok too - because it's the majority?

it's flawed logic and goes against the very idea of rights and freedoms.

Thats democracy i'm afraid, obviously you leave some parts out for civil liberties otherwise it would reach awkward stages - but the wearing of a burka is not needed for a religion or religious cause. I have discussed my part on this before anyway - i'm not keen on a ban on clothes but I am concerned about ghettoisation in this country and this may be one way to balance the problem out before it turns nasty.