Top Gear’s Racism is Endemic

On the 30th January 2011 edition of Top Gear, Richard Hammond decided it would be funny to stereotype Mexicans as:

“lazy, feckless, flatulent and overweight.”

Clarkson and May then went on to say Mexican food is sick with cheese on it, they stand about doing nothing; and a whole load of other offensive stuff. Complaints were received over the remarks.

An apology was quickly fired off, after threats of legal action by some. Steve Coogan said that stereotyping had gone too far on the show:

"With Top Gear it is three rich, middle-aged men laughing at poor Mexicans. Brave, groundbreaking stuff, eh?”

He’s right, of course. Stereotyping is a quick gag that mercilessly divides a wide range of people into a degraded group based on uninformed nonsense. To say that Mexicans are lazy sticks two fingers up at the fact that in America they are more than prepared to work jobs that others class as “below them”.

What concerns me most about the entire episode is the line of defence the BBC took:

"Our own comedians make jokes about the British being terrible cooks and terrible romantics, and we in turn make jokes about the Italians being disorganised and overdramatic, the French being arrogant and the Germans being overorganised," it said.

"Whilst it may appear offensive to those who have not watched the programme or who are unfamiliar with its humour, the executive producer has made it clear to the ambassador that that was absolutely not the show's intention."

The BBC said stereotype-based comedy was allowed within its guidelines in programmes during which the audience knew it could be expected.

Whilst this may appear as reasonable as some, it does not to me. The argument being deployed here is a time-travel paradox, which I have blogged about before. Would a new viewer to Top Gear, expecting a light entertainment program about cars, expect the presenters to stereotype to the point of sheer racism? Highly doubt it. Only through the show constantly broadcasting these views does it become “expected”, but this is only reliably held by regular viewers.

I like Top Gear

Here’s the admission part. I like Top Gear,even though it revolves around the following format:

• Review of a car nobody can afford.
  
• A short film featuring repeated set-ups.
  
• Sucking up to a celebrity who is plugging their latest book/film/tv show.

Now I don’t care if it is scripted - you can still admire the music and visuals which are consistently outstanding. Top Gear is also a program that can be easily watched with friends. It knows its demographic and never strays outside of it.

How this is Endemic

The issue I take with Top Gear is that these stereotypical, offensive remarks don’t add anything to the program other than a cheap laugh from the audience. I wouldn’t miss them if they disappeared overnight, and I doubt anyone would in fact notice.

What most concerns me is that I am reminded of ‘Sachsgate’ – the content is very similar – offensive remarks get broadcast. Rather than form an angry lynch mob against the presenters, I ask why this was not left on the editing room floor? All of this content would presumably have been signed off by a superior. We know after the Ross/Brand outrage the BBC had tightened up – why is this stuff still getting through?

That’s the problem that needs to be addressed, rather than using a logical paradox to reinforce the current status quo. It isn’t just a couple of motormouths (like what I did there? ), it’s an institutional failure.

A Bit Of Fun

Because Stewart Lee is awesome, I present to you himself ripping Top Gear to shreds: