As reported a few days ago on Being Latino magazine and here, the call from prominent U.S. Latino organizations to remove the infamous TOP GEAR Mexican video segment (posted at the bottom of this page) has succeed. Yesterday, BBC Worldwide America President Herb Scannell replied:
So, people, what do we learn from this?
- Yes, if you have issues, you need to go into constant action, especially when it comes to social media. Social media gives you access to share your content (both good and bad) to a worldwide audience.
- BBC America took the letter sent to them seriously. They are cc’ing the FCC too.
- BBC America also knows that the growing U.S. Latino demographic is watching. This letter was a quick response.
However, what this letter does not do is the following:
- It makes no mention of BBC megastar and TOP GEAR host Jeremy Clarkson. So far, Clarkson and his two amigos, Richard Hammond and James May, have not faced any disciplinary action. Just some lame (and yes, racist, in the case of Clarkson) statements (still waiting to hear from May) about how we should all relax and know that this is just humor.
- The BBC also seems to be endorsing the behavior of the TOP GEAR guys since (guess what?) this story has actually gotten TOP GEAR tons of free publicity. We think that is just lame.
What TOP GEAR should do, in the spirit of social media, is to acknowledge the errors of their ways. Have fun with this story. Film in Mexico. Ride the Tortilla Car. Have Clarkson drink a Tecate on air.
Or how about this? Make a serious statement about how humor can indeed go to far and adds to the problem of illegal immigration violence in the U.S. That would be noble and would actually win Clarkson a lot of new viewers.
In the meantime, the TOP GEAR defense is starting to heat up. Here is one post called Liberal snobbery moves into ‘top gear’. The columnist writes:
But there is something more to this latest round of disingenuous outrage and eye-contact-avoiding contrition. In the myriad criticism aimed at Top Gear and its man-child presenters, one can hear the sound of sabres being rattled as liberal, right-thinking types affirm their superiority over a mass of people who quite like a programme about cars. For his critics, Clarkson, you see, is more than a person. He’s a phenomenon. Seasoned anti-Clarkson warriors are not just seizing the opportunity to have a pop at theirbête noir. They are seizing the opportunity to have a pop at all those they think he represents: the ignorant, the selfish, the people who laugh at tongue-in-cheek references to Frenchies and Eye-ties.
Yes, the perspective in England is different from that of US Latinos, and that is the crux of the issue for us. Remember: once the BBC records something and posts it publicly on YouTube and then, more importantly, block the video after it was shared by many, you are in fact admitting that there was a problem to begin with. Also, the BBC thinks that by trying to remove something, it will just go away. Well, it hasn’t, as you can see, we still have the video.
And by the way, for those who need to know, I am not a liberal snob as some may suggest. I am actually quite moderate. But when it comes to battling stereotypes and educating people about U.S. Latinos, I roll with the guys who like to expose ignorance.
As for Jerry Clarkson, would love to buy you a pint and tell you some real jokes.
Franky Benítez 
WE STILL HAVE THE VIDEO ; )
So technically what the BBC is not showing in the US, we are!!!!!
May, Clarkson and Hammond are still pendejos, even if they did get censored.
Great post. here my open letter to the BBC.
Nice!
Here is what I’ve learned: Latinos join the Muslims of this world in limiting freedom of speech. Newsflash: you DO NOT have a right to not be offended. Virtually all Hispanics I know are to varying extents and openly racist against blacks (and often against whites too). We don’t need a thought police telling people what to think (and say). And if you want to improve the situation of Latinos in the US, start with not
being disproportionately represented in the
criminal statistics. Start with improving the knowledge of the English language. Stop the illegal immigration. These things would fix all the problems you are, for whatever reason, blaming top gear for.
This is a two-way struggle. Of course, Latinos need to take care of their house. But at the same time we need to monitor the Internet to make sure stupid buffoonish comments are called to task.
And yes, I have every right to be offended and to post whatever I want on my blog. Last time I checked, I am the owner of this domain and I pay for that service. You, of course, have the right to write your blog and not read mine. But I do appreciate your taking the time to comment on my blog and adding to its traffic ranking. Gracias.
Ofcourse you have a right to say what ever you’d like, especially on your blog. I am merely pointing out how wrong and pointless it is to bully BBC through lawsuits, diplomatic channels, and general fist shaking. You will probably get your censorship. And you will get a fake, forced apology. The rest of us will get (worst case scenario) a neutered top gear, and an even less free society.
I am, however, still hopeful BBC will stand it’s ground. They have done nothing wrong. Top gear has done nothing wrong. After years upon years of Pretty nasty American jokes, there was no outrage, no lawsuits, and no fake apologies and censorship. That should tell you something.
Have the BBC come after me. They don’t know my lawyer.
Well, just because others haven’t done it doesn’t mean I can’t.
Confronting a bully is not the same as being bullied…
Everything you mention about why we can’t be offended is pretty irrelevant… And I don’t know where you live but in Los Angeles. Chicanos and another Latinos who are “openly racist against blacks” are rare here. Lot’s ‘o interracial dating here would indicate that you are wrong about “Virtually all Hispanics”.
You see, that’s the problem with blanket generalizations.
Also, not to consider racism itself as a reason why Hispanics are “disproportionately represented in the criminal statistics” is naive and shallow.