The Internet has flattened the world. Now, news and videos are shared instantly. For some, that is good. For others, like the BBC’s popular TOP GEAR show, it might not be the greatest of ideas. The show, which was featured on 60 MINUTES last year, is coming under fire for its racist and stereotypical comments about Mexicans. The issue gotten so serious that the Mexican Ambassador of London called the segment “offensive, xenophobic and humiliating,” in a story from The Guardian.
‘These offensive, xenophobic and humiliating remarks serve only to reinforce negative stereotypes and perpetuate prejudice against Mexico and its people,’ Ambassador Eduardo Medina-More Icaza wote in a letter to BBC executives demanding an apology.
He also continued with this:
The presenters of the program resorted to outrageous, vulgar and inexcusable insults to stir bigoted feelings against the Mexican people, their culture as well as their official representative in the United Kingdom.
Here is the segment in question (UPDATE: The BBC has blocked YOUTUBE broadcast of this segment, so all you get is this below now. This happened around 11 AM EST today):
Luckily, we have a file of the clip and here is the video that the BBC tried to block:
The Guardian listed some of the comments that the hosts said on the segment:
‘Mexican cars are just going to be lazy, feckless, flatulent, overweight, leaning against a fence asleep looking at a cactus with a blanket with a hole in the middle on as a coat.’
[Co-Host Jeremy] Clarkson went on to joke that being Mexican would be “brilliant” because then he could sleep all day.
He said he was confident he would not receive any complaints about their comments because the Mexican ambassador would be asleep.
However, the ambassador did complain and wrote: “It is utterly incomprehensible and unacceptable that the premiere broadcaster should allow three of its presenters to display their bigotry and ignorance by mocking the people and culture of our country with such vehemence,” the ambassador wrote.
Ok, we love good comedy, but once comedy starts using tired and stale jokes, it stops being funny. The hosts at least could have been a bit more creative, but instead, they went for the cheap laugh and in the meantime, perpetuated stereotypes that Mexicans have been fighting for years. This has no place in popular culture.
If you would like to express your thoughts, you can contact the BBC on this link.
I like a good Mexican joke as well as the next “bloke” but these were just boring. I expect better mockery from brits. They probably haven’t tried decent Mexican food because that requires decent teeth to chew with…
I totally agree. If you are going to poke fun of ethnic groups, use some clever and intelligent humor, not stupid and lame bits that do nothing but promote stereotypes. Thanks for the comment!
I have yet to find a decent Mexican restaurant in the UK. Even the ones they rave about are p*ss poor.
Same here in Boston, although there is a great place near Fenway Park that I love: http://www.laverdadtaqueria.com/
Had this “humor” been in any way balanced, it would have been perhaps more palatable. But the German and Italian cars were lauded as well-built and sexy. Only the Mexican car was ridiculed. These jolly fellows mocked Mexicans confident in getting off with a verbal wrist slap at worst. I wonder if they would have been so cavalier in mocking Islamic or Irish extremists.
The BBC just blocked the video. Shameful.
Well, those were jokes. The mexican emassador in London Well, those were jokes. Ambassador Medina Mora is the least likely to make such complaints, while he was at the head of the national police there was no progress in the fight against crime.
In Mexico are so many jokes about other peoples and nationalities, we should not be hypocrites now.
I understand and thanks for your comments. I still think the jokes were not funny and will do more harm than good. And blocking the video on the Internet was not cool.
Have to say I’ve been a Top Gear fan for years, though I’ve only been able to watch episodes a few batches at a time due to the face that I don’t get BBC America. It’s frequently fed my automotive fantasies.
BUT, I knew the moment that I read the headline who said it and pretty much what he said. Clarkson is to automotive version of Howard Stern. He’s said pretty much the same sorts of things about other European nations and frequently has no use for U.S. policy. Pretty sure there are whole sections of the southern U.S. he wouldn’t be welcomed in.
Nothing much happens to people like this. Still, I’m glad the Mexican embassy stood up to this behavior and hope they’ll keep the heat on TG and the BBC. Pulling the video however is a silly move by an organization that should know better.
David, I agree with you, especially about the video. Air out the video in the open and let the debate continue.
I´m Mexican, living in Mexico and a fan of Top Gear.
Ok, so their jokes were offensive, but mostly just easy and lazy in their writing. What really got to me was that this was such a HUGE deal when there are sooo many important issues we should be focusing on and not some jokes made by some clowns. Period.
Yes, hopefully this kind of “humor” will be less and less.
And hopefully we will learn to give the right perspective to each piece of news that made it to the headlines.
Thanks for the post!
Sue
Thanks for commenting. While I agree that there are other issues that are more important to cover, this is still an important story in my opinion for the following reasons:
1. The BBC has basically taken the video down from all YouTube sites due to the uproar. Little do they know about social media and viral sharing.
2. The fact that these clowns made the joke and the fact that they even haven’t responded about this just speaks to their attitude, in my opinion. At least, take a moment to acknowledge the issue and like I said in my later post, actually have fun with it.
Gracias mil. Thanks!
Absolutely Julio! I do acknowledge this issue, do not justify it by any means and do think it was completely out of place.
Yes, the BBC messed up. Yes, these bozos should not be joking like that about anybody.
The thing is that the uproar it caused in Mexico was just to me… completely out of proportion. I had never seen so many tweets and FB statuses updated to talk about the “indignación por la BBC!!!”. It was on the news, the paper, the radio.. everywhere!
So all I´m saying is: really? this is what moves us to speak up? to ask for respect? really?
Do you know what I mean?
Gracias de nuevo,
Sue
I hear you, Sue. Entiendo. But sometimes, progress is made when silly and dumb comments are made in popular culture. But I do agree with you. If only social media could be used for good. Imagine that power.
This is an important story–because it speaks to a larger issue, the fact that we can use oppressive language against people and groups if we mask it in comedy. I don’t believe racial humor is ever funny, because it is fueled by prejudice and usually senseless prejudice. These hosts probably have no real issue with Mexico or Mexicans but they went after what they considered an easy target. I am offended by their remarks. I am Mexican American, but I like to believe I’d be offended even if I wasn’t.
That is a good point. As an improv comedian, I have made people a bit uncomfortable with some of my bits. However, when jokes this lame are used, it is almost arrogant.
You are right, Julio. There is a way for racial humor to be funny. If it is self-deprecating or respectful and mindful of stereotypes that can hurt, it is likely to be funny. As you mentioned these jokes are lame and not clever. They, the Top Gear hosts, can certainly tease about a Mexican-made sports car, but they abandoned the topic of the car and started hurling insults at a whole culture instead. It was very painful to watch that clip.
Aaron Rudolph
@limesnotlemons
That is a great point. Instead of taking the time to be artistically creative and clever, they resort to Speedy
Gonzales type humor. yawn. Oh yeah, and racist too.
I’ve read some of the comments from the Guardian. Turn it around on Brits and they don’t like being laughed at.
I notice how some have attempted to turn it around by bringing up serious issues about law & order in Mexico. That is besides the point, but so typical British. Pah!
Ya think? This is a simple thing: the jokes were lame. I mean, I am huge fan of great and clever British humor, have always been. TOP GEAR jokes were just so stupid and ignorant.