Top Gear in firing line again...

**HenryDorsetCase** · 31st December 2010, 10:44

I watched it last night. It was interesting that they did that stunt in Damascus, which is apparently very liberal. I enjoyed Jeremy's very subtle* digs at teh situation "for political reasons we can't....."

Of course Muslims dont have a monopoly on religious stupidity, and some Xtians might find some aspects of the Top Gear "road through Damascus" somewhat disturbing. I won't elaborate because giving it away would spoil the jokes.

I am finally getting round to reading Richard Dawkins "The God Delusion" which made for an interesting counterpoint when watching this.

Its Top Gear though, they're taking the piss. I do think the formula is a bit tired now.

**jasonu** · 2nd January 2011, 05:19

Originally Posted by Cayman911

the new Top gear USA however is brilliant! get it watch it.

Mate you must be jokeing. That show is a shameless copy of the (now not as good) English original and is a total pile of shit. The yanks have done the same thing to numerous other Brit shows and got it all fucked up. Faulty Towers and Steptoe & Son are 2 classic examples that come to mind. However, Threes Company, a copy of Man About The House was well done.

Originally Posted by Cayman911

but TG USA isnt trying to be UK, and for that reason i think US > UK at the moment.
i actually enjoy it. the presenters are good.

Yes it is, they even use very similar jokes and try to copy the 'unrehersed banta' thing with little success.

**Dave Lobster** · 2nd January 2011, 07:03

It's a pick up truck. What's sexy about a vehicle designed for transporting manure around?

Originally Posted by Cayman911

= sex

**rachprice** · 2nd January 2011, 08:04

Well to me they were just dressing up as women in a country where thats what the women wear

How different would it be if they were in the UK with dresses on? Not at all in my opinion

**onearmedbandit** · 2nd January 2011, 08:07

I used to watch TG back in the day (think 1990's) when it used to be on at 2am on BBC1 (TV1 ran their programming in the wee small hours) when it was Jeremy, Tiff and Quienten. It still had the comedy, JC taking the piss out of Vauxhaull, Tiff taking the piss out of JC, Quienten taking the piss out of, well everybody. Sure they did some more serious car reviews, but even back then I didn't watch it for the reviews, I watched it for the content. If I want a review on a particular car, I'll buy a magazine or drive it myself.

Over the years I watched TG concentrate more and more on the humour, and less and less on actual reviews. Perfectly fine by me, I don't watch TV to get bored by stats, measurements and CoD factors, I watch TV to be entertained. And that's what TG does. Entertain.

**NZsarge** · 2nd January 2011, 08:27

Originally Posted by onearmedbandit

And that's what TG does. Entertain.

Fair cop but I guess it comes down too what you consider entertainment to be, sometimes it get to be beyond silly but it's what ever flicks ya switch I guess.

**HenryDorsetCase** · 2nd January 2011, 10:37

Originally Posted by rachprice

Well to me they were just dressing up as women in a country where thats what the women wear

How different would it be if they were in the UK with dresses on? Not at all in my opinion

thats a pretty disingenuous view, given the cultural and social implications of the burka/islamic religion blah blah.

Where they did it (Damascus) is very liberal and they were wearing the only burkas visible anywhere. And, like I say, they are equal opportunity "offenders" in the sense of giving offence: what they did in Israel is probably equally offensive to xtians as well.

It is like the Danish cartoons: a lot of media created bullshit.

**onearmedbandit** · 2nd January 2011, 12:29

Originally Posted by NZsarge

Fair cop but I guess it comes down too what you consider entertainment to be, sometimes it get to be beyond silly but it's what ever flicks ya switch I guess.

Oh I agree. However there is no international standard on levels of silliness, so what may seem silly to you and I may not seem silly to another. And what doesn't seem silly to us, may be way past silly for someone else. Something about not being able to please everyone all the time.

**rachprice** · 2nd January 2011, 14:08

Originally Posted by HenryDorsetCase

thats a pretty disingenuous view, given the cultural and social implications of the burka/islamic religion blah blah.

Where they did it (Damascus) is very liberal and they were wearing the only burkas visible anywhere. And, like I say, they are equal opportunity "offenders" in the sense of giving offence: what they did in Israel is probably equally offensive to xtians as well.

It is like the Danish cartoons: a lot of media created bullshit.

They are still just dressing up as women....I don't think its a big deal but then I wouldn't be offended by whatever they did in Israel either