Jeremy Clarkson suspended from Top Gear

[Iroscato]

How could they sue if they voluntarily quit because their co-host committed violent assault against a crewmember and was fired for it?

I'm not sure what's wrong with Captain America joining Top Gear

*Cough* By Chris Evans, they mean the british radio and tv presenter, not the american Chris Evans. There is of course the possibility you're joking, but I've seen the mistake be made before

[Borgholio]

Someone gets fired for assault and replaced. Honestly I don't see how that could possibly be grounds for a lawsuit, especially since it's public record that Hammond and May said they'll quit too.

[Zaune]

*Cough* By Chris Evans, they mean the british radio and tv presenter, not the american Chris Evans. There is of course the possibility you're joking, but I've seen the mistake be made before

Indeed. Here, have a listen (might need a proxy outside the UK) and tell me you'd want him on Top Gear.

[Mr Bean]

*Cough* By Chris Evans, they mean the british radio and tv presenter, not the american Chris Evans. There is of course the possibility you're joking, but I've seen the mistake be made before

Indeed. Here, have a listen (might need a proxy outside the UK) and tell me you'd want him on Top Gear.

I was in fact not joking because here Chris Evans means Captain Murica and no other person. I however wish I had been joking because it was an accidental excellent one.

Also you linked to a three hour program, where in that was Chris Evans? I found him by searching Youtube but aside from him being guilty of NOT being Jeremy Clarkson what's so terrible about him?

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

*Cough* By Chris Evans, they mean the british radio and tv presenter, not the american Chris Evans. There is of course the possibility you're joking, but I've seen the mistake be made before :P

Indeed. Here, have a listen (might need a proxy outside the UK) and tell me you'd want him on Top Gear.

Sure. Just fire the other two first and bring on some new co-presenters. The current format only works because of the chemistry Clarkson has with Hammond and May.

Also, as of about 1:30 PM GMT, the BBC itself has said nothing one way, or the other, about Clarkson's fate. Though given that it's possible that someone on the inside 'leaked' the BBC's intentions to the Telegraph, and the BBC has willingly forfeited any revenue from broadcasting the last couple episodes of the series, and the live show ... the end of Clarkson's career as a BBC TV presenter is a foregone conclusion.

[Thanas]

Someone gets fired for assault and replaced. Honestly I don't see how that could possibly be grounds for a lawsuit, especially since it's public record that Hammond and May said they'll quit too.

And if they are okay with Clarkson punching Co-workers, then it is better they go too.

[Iroscato]

Someone gets fired for assault and replaced. Honestly I don't see how that could possibly be grounds for a lawsuit, especially since it's public record that Hammond and May said they'll quit too.

And if they are okay with Clarkson punching Co-workers, then it is better they go too.

This. All three have been presenting the show for over a decade now. With the way the automobile industry is changing and evolving they've been looking pretty outdated for some time now anyway.
I still respect all three as presenters - May especially - but I really feel the show is long due for an overhaul.

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

Someone gets fired for assault and replaced. Honestly I don't see how that could possibly be grounds for a lawsuit, especially since it's public record that Hammond and May said they'll quit too.

And if they are okay with Clarkson punching Co-workers, then it is better they go too.

This. All three have been presenting the show for over a decade now. With the way the automobile industry is changing and evolving they've been looking pretty outdated for some time now anyway.
I still respect all three as presenters - May especially - but I really feel the show is long due for an overhaul.

All three of them had their contracts up for renewal at the end of the season. I suspect that Hammond and May's support of Clarkson may have as much to do with "You can't fire me, I quit" as it does with any personal loyalty they might've felt towards him.

And in other news, Straight from the BBC: It's official, Clarkson is done.

[Nathan F]

Whatever it is, I just hope it doesn't become the trash heap that is the History Channel version of Top Gear. That show is unwatchable.

That said, I'm sad to see Clarkson go. Not because I don't think he should go...if he assaulted a coworker, he deserves to be fired. I'm sad that he made such a stupid, self-centered choice. I'm angry at him for destroying one of my favorite shows through this short-sighted action.

[Borgholio]

I'm angry at him for destroying one of my favorite shows through this short-sighted action.

Seconded. I thought he was funny as hell and extremely entertaining. But he was a racist asshole who beat someone just because he couldn't special order a steak. That's unforgivable.

[Alferd Packer]

Don't worry. Netflix or even Amazon will probably snatch the trio up and produce what is essentially Top Gear in everything but name.

[Thanas]

I hope not, last thing the assholes deserve is to be rewarded for this.

[Mr Bean]

I hope not, last thing the assholes deserve is to be rewarded for this.

Bad news Thanas, they stand a excellent chance of being rewarded for this. In fact they may even financially benefit. As someone else said there's an excellent chance if all three quit then a bidding war will start to get May, Clarkson and James from Netflix, Hulu or Amazon to start hosting "Second Gear" or "I can't believe it's not Top Gear"

[bilateralrope]

Don't worry. Netflix or even Amazon will probably snatch the trio up and produce what is essentially Top Gear in everything but name.

That might be a bit difficult if Clarkson gets arrested. We are talking about bad enough that the victim took himself to A&E afterwards.

Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson sacked, now faces arrest over 'fracas'.

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

Don't worry. Netflix or even Amazon will probably snatch the trio up and produce what is essentially Top Gear in everything but name.

That might be a bit difficult if Clarkson gets arrested. We are talking about bad enough that the victim took himself to A&E afterwards.

Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson sacked, now faces arrest over 'fracas'.

If Clarkson gets arrested, tried, and convicted ... how long a sentence could he possibly face? About five minutes with the interwebs suggests that, while he could get up to five years, it's more likely he'll end up paying some sort of fine (for being a first-time offender.)

Anyway, anyone stupid enough to get into a bidding war over Clarkson will probably deserve everything they get. All extant evidence supports the conclusion that the notion of genuine remorse for being an asshole is a concept that is so utterly alien to Clarkson that it doesn't bear consideration. End result, he's going to maul the hand of whomever is dumb enough to try to feed him next. Like the Tyrannosaurus Rex, Jeremy Clarkson is better off being admired in a museum.

[DaveJB]

If Clarkson gets arrested, tried, and convicted ... how long a sentence could he possibly face? About five minutes with the interwebs suggests that, while he could get up to five years, it's more likely he'll end up paying some sort of fine (for being a first-time offender.)

To be honest, I seriously doubt a criminal investigation will go anywhere even if the guy he attacked actually does insist on pressing charges. I remember an incident almost exactly ten years ago, where two Newcastle United footballers suddenly decided to beat the snot out of each other in the middle of a match. In addition to the usual punishments you'd expect (sent off, fined by the club and the FA, banned for however many weeks), they got investigated by the police for public affray, but all that it resulted in was the police sending them a letter that basically said "Kindly remember that you're adults, and fucking act like it."

On a side note, several sections of the press are trying to dress this up as an honest, hard-working right-winger being persecuted by the evil leftie BBC... a viewpoint which Nigel Farage has rather kindly screwed over by saying that had he assaulted one of his staff for any reason, he would expect to be forced to resign as UKIP leader.

[Zaune]

Well, good for Farrage.

And let's face it, if Top Gear had been anything less than a massive ratings hit the three of them would've got the boot a long time ago. Farrage's predecessor Robert Kilroy-Silk could doubtless testify to that.

[Vendetta]

If Clarkson gets arrested, tried, and convicted ... how long a sentence could he possibly face? About five minutes with the interwebs suggests that, while he could get up to five years, it's more likely he'll end up paying some sort of fine (for being a first-time offender.)

It's more likely to be Common Assault (due to the minor nature of injuries inflicted), which is six months.

Either a suspended sentence or community service is more likely if it ever sees trial.

[AniThyng]

If they replace Clarkson with Chris Evans then they will, and probably sue for constructive dismissal as well.

Why?

Edit: never mind, didn't read the rest of thread

[bilateralrope]

After reading this opinion piece a question comes up in my mind: Is this the first time that Clarkson has attacked someone ?

It was not Tymon who complained to the BBC. It was Clarkson who bought the assault to their attention. After it happened in a public place, leaving Clarkson with two choices: Tell BBC management himself or wait until they learn someone else's version of events from elsewhere.

On that note, if Clarkson is picked up by someone else, are the people forced to work with him likely to be able to get any protection from him attacking them ?

[Mr Bean]

On that note, if Clarkson is picked up by someone else, are the people forced to work with him likely to be able to get any protection from him attacking them ?

Do you think he's a rabid dog? He's managed fifty odd years without randomly punching co-workers, he got angry and did something he should not have he did not contract punch-itus.

[LaCroix]

This hating is getting out of proportion.

While he is a bit of a racist (and in a 'prejudiced grandparent' way, not the rabid 'shoot them darn immigrants' way - it's not as if he were joining neonazi meetings) and other things, he does not have a history of violence. He doesn not even have a history of being a primadonna demanding strange things or special attention.

This was a case of someone having a stressy day/week at work (and maybe other things we don't know off) who had a lapse of temper over not having the meal he was looking forward to all day. Having an argument in such a situation with insults can happen. This time, tempers ran too high, one word led to another - he flipped, and it came to blows.

Should this be excused away? No.
Should he lose his job for acting that way? Yes.
Should this cause him to never be considered fit to work again. Hell no!

[Ziggy Stardust]

This was a case of someone having a stressy day/week at work (and maybe other things we don't know off) who had a lapse of temper over not having the meal he was looking forward to all day. Having an argument in such a situation with insults can happen. This time, tempers ran too high, one word led to another - he flipped, and it came to blows.

Should this be excused away? No.
Should he lose his job for acting that way? Yes.
Should this cause him to never be considered fit to work again. Hell no!

Agreed. Of course he deserves to be punished for doing something so stupid.

But to be perfectly honest I would have been super irritated in that situation, as well. Wouldn't have punched someone, but I certainly would have at least complained. People trying to paint it as some rich man's privilege are being ridiculous. Presumably, when they are doing these shoots they work out deals with the hotel/restaurant, and someone screwed up so the crew didn't get their dinner. Cold cuts and soup isn't much of a dinner.

Again, not defending him for the punch. That was WAY over the line, regardless of the situation. But I think it's silly how far people are going here into painting him as a deranged, psychopathic Goebbels attacking people for not having his truffles covered in gold flakes. He's a crotchety old fart with low blood sugar who overreacted after working all day and not being given the food he had specifically arranged to have ready for him.

EDIT: Also, I have no desire to wade into the moronic three-way between Thanas, Flagg, and Purple, but I can't believe people are hyperventilating over what is quite possibly the least offensive Nazi joke I have ever heard anyone utter. Comedy shows make more specific and offensive Nazi references than that ALL the fucking time, and nothing about the context of that situation could possibly lead you to believe he wasn't making a joke.

[Thanas]

The ones who messed up are the crew themselves, for they went far over the time allotted for shooting. They were supposed to come in at dinner time, they came in past midnight. It is all in the articles.

Ziggy, I would like to know what more specific Nazi reference there is than a Nazi salute.

[LaCroix]

The ones who messed up are the crew themselves, for they went far over the time allotted for shooting. They were supposed to come in at dinner time, they came in past midnight. It is all in the articles.

And he had his quarrel with the crew. To be precise, the producer - THE person responsible for the situation of them being out there all day and not getting dinner. If he were having a quarrel with he restaurant team, it would have been definately been a worse situation, but he was arguing with exactly the person responsible. But here, he argued with the producer who got them into that situation, probably got lip, gave lip, and it went out of hand from there.

Not as if a grumpy old person getting angry with people was something uncommon. The producer himself didn't even file the complaint, if I got it right. As a criminal case, he'd probably got off with a warning to learn to keep his temper in check. It's just that it was within the work environment which caused this to be a scandal, for BBC publicity reasons.