One of the things that I really like about Top Gear is the irreverence of it’s presenters and the fact that they love taking the piss out of the seriousness with which some people take some social issues. Now there is no doubt that smoking tobacco is both foolish and very bad for your health. But the brouhaha that has erupted in the wake of Jeremy Clarkson and James May lighting-up “Porsche branded pipes” in segment of the show suggests to me that the political correctness crowd have absolutely no sense of humour.
Lawbreaker: Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson flouted the smoking ban and heaped more embarassment on the increasingly under-fire BBC
James May lights up the pipe which was filled with a herbal honey mixture and not tobacco – but Richard Hammond, who recently quit smoking chose not to light up
Without even seeing the segment you can tell two things, firstly that no tobacco products were ignited and secondly the gentlemen in question were taking the piss out of brand marketing, not encouraging anyone to take up smoking.
This is the sort of marketing that the likes of Harley Davidson has so cleverly exploited and other automakers dream about.
“Iain Se7en” tee shirts anyone?
Cheers Comrades
Filed under: Cars, Comedy, Ethical questions, Humour, Media Matters, Political Correctness, Television | Tagged: PC police, smoking, Top Gear
Bwahahaha! I took up cigars in protest of the Pubs and Clubs ban in NSW.
Those Top Gear guys are rippers, the anti-fun crowd hate them, such a bunch of tossers. Leave them alone i say.