[Closed] Top Gear Cenotaph outrage

The tabloids must be running out of real news....

Other than Osbourne cutting disability payments to fund a tax cut for those earning over £50k...

Yup. [url= http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/mar/13/george-osborne-fuels-speculation-over-nasty-shocks-budget ]It's not looking good.[/url]

Why do the Tories always have to be such moustache twirling villains?

Wars were fought for the right to do doughnuts in front of War Memorials!

...or something like that.

I'd question why TG chose to do that in central London in the first place. Quite what significance doing doughnuts along there has to do with Carz, is beyond me.

And, well I agree with the sentiment. It's not really the right place, nor probably the right time.

....

Edit, wait.. I know why....

Media Sprawl.

Good ploy. 🙄

Ken Block drives cars, he does stunts in cars should he just stick to Dubai?

Oh I see..

T'was him was it.

That explains a lot, sorry everything 🙄

I'm sure you could make something happening outside Westminster Abbey look close to the Cenotaph with the right long lens. This hardly even qualifies as Whitehall.

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Going round various locations in London doing doughnuts in a muscle car is starting to make previous series look cerebral, though. Does feel a bit like some desperate marketing

Poor decision, not surprising though the format is old hat and Evans a knob.

If you want a peaceful memorial planting it in a road seems to defeat the point somewhat.

And as for wing commander, admiral, general whatisface saying that the film crew could never give what those who died did, kind of ignores the fact that the majority were normal people who volunteered/were conscripted, so it's only a matter of fortunate timing that prevents that. It's an easy cheap shot that can't be backed up or answered back.

I'd question why TG chose to do that in central London in the first place. Quite what significance doing doughnuts along there has to do with Carz, is beyond me.

It's their biggest selling franchise overseas, so they need lots of well known landmarks so people vaguely recognise it. Same reason they picked Matt LeBlanc...

The Cenotaph would make a livelier presenter than Matt LeBlanc.

Yup I thought the same MrHoppy.

Most popular story on the BBC website

Isn't the cenotaph a memorial to those who dies fighting for our freedom? As ridiculous as it sounds, doing donuts in a mustang is one of those freedoms.

In other words.....who really cares?

Car drives on Road shocker!

Meh.

I'm only surprised the tabloids haven't managed to somehow blame the EU, and had a picture of Boris, photoshopped to look like Winston Churchill saying how all this will stop once we leave

They're slacking

"I'm sure you could make something happening outside Westminster Abbey look close to the Cenotaph with the right long lens. This hardly even qualifies as Whitehall."

And that pic isn't of Westminster Abbey. 😆

The media always use the phrase "Outrage as Top Gear...." hang on a sec.. are you [i]reporting[/i] outrage, or trying to create it? Given the tweet was at 5am, would anyone even have noticed if the final clip and been edited so it didn't show the Cenotaph? Are they deciding for us whether we're outraged?

Anyway, I like the way a sole cyclist has somehow got passed the road block in that pic.

I'd question why TG chose to do that in central London in the first place.

Isn't there a film of that car bombing round LA? I guess a well paid media person who is highly talented might come up with the amazing idea of doing something similar but in London - how incredible would that be? What awesome tv that would be...

Considering Clarkson used to plow up delicate landscapes in a 4x4, a few wheel spins in London seems like a huge fuss about nothing.

How much time has to pass before we get over a war that happened getting on for a hundred years ago? The UK's morbid fascination with the two world wars is really unsettling, my wife's American and they just don't get it. There's been almost a century of things going on since then.

It's just another building in London, it'll make for fun viewing.

"Isn't the cenotaph a memorial to those who dies fighting for our freedom? As ridiculous as it sounds, doing donuts in a mustang is one of those freedoms."

It isn't a 'freedom', it's a privilege enjoyed only by people involved in the filming of that scene, which I imagine took a lot of negotiating and planning to make happen. I'm pretty sure that if Joe Bloggs rocked up in his Citroen Saxo and started tearing about the place, he'd quickly be given a stern talking to. Or maybe shot.

But your next question is valid:

"who really cares?"

The UK's morbid fascination with the two world wars is really unsettling, my wife's American and they just don't get it.

Really?

That's completely different from my experience with Americans.

They are obsessed with veterans of all kinds. Every 3rd advert on the TV seems to offer services for veterans, finance, insurance car purchase etc.

The military is much more central to their culture than it is to ours.

If this daft stunt has only one outcome: that some chav is inspired to wrap his mums fiesta round a lamp-post, it won't have been wasted.

The UK's morbid fascination with the two world wars is really unsettling, my wife's American and they just don't get it.

They have Vietnam and Korea to hand wring about.....

Our chaps were in Korea too you know. I think our government at the time tried to keep it quiet. I have an interest - my uncle is buried there.

(edit) wasn't it a UN operation?

slowoldgit - Member
If this daft stunt has only one outcome: that some chav is inspired to wrap his mums fiesta round a lamp-post, it won't have been wasted.

I like your thinking. 🙂

It's a version of Darwin invented [s]motorbikes*[/s] extreme sports to cull the idiots out of our bloodlines.

*modernised it. 🙂

If this daft stunt has only one outcome: that some chav is inspired to wrap his mums fiesta round a lamp-post, it won't have been wasted.

Yes that's exactly what'll happen. No, it won't.

Rather like the apology tbh. My bold...

“[b]It doesn’t matter what actually happened[/b], it doesn’t matter what the circumstances were that could explain this away, w]hat is important about this is what these images [blook like[/b] and they look entirely disrespectful which is not and would never be the intention of the Top Gear team or Matt (LeBlanc).

“On behalf of the Top Gear team and Matt, I would like to apologise unreservedly for what these images [b]seem to portray[/b]. "

What a load of shit. And Richard Kemp, angry soldier for hire...

gobuchul - Member

They are obsessed with veterans of all kinds. Every 3rd advert on the TV seems to offer services for veterans, finance, insurance car purchase etc.

That's because they have a lot of them and the services and government don't look after them very well, leaving lots of room to [s]ambulance[/s] humvee chase

I'm sure you could make something happening outside Westminster Abbey look close to the Cenotaph with the right long lens.

If Chris Evans' "apology" on the radio this morning is to be believed, that's exactly what happened.

Oh FFS - why exactly is this disrespectful? Is there a map somewhere which shows all the places you need to be respectful to and the radius within which having fun is unacceptable? It's hardly as if they're making racist comments or cutting up cyclists. Pandering to the professionally offended.

I think they missed a trick here, surely Matt LeBlanc is technically an immigrant?

It's just a piece of road, not some sacred burial ground.

Plus, it was agreed in advance with Westmister Council what would happen and where. So if people want to moan about it, they should be moaning to them ?

This New, New Top Gear isn't going to survive it's first series, it seems the media world is out to jump on any tiny little thing - so they did something, near something - they hardly ran over a Chelsea Pensioner - sounds like a stitch up to me.

I think they missed a trick here, surely Matt LeBlanc is technically an immigrant

he's earning considerable more than £35,000 pa so he'll be OK.

he's earning considerable more than £35,000 pa so he'll be OK.

OK, how about:

"tax avoiding, muslim sympathising immigrant in Princess Diana Cenotaph disrespect wheel spin orgy"

There was a good chance that TG would not survive the loss of all three presenters. (Whether you like them or not). Que "there is no such thing as bad publicity" (not quite true I know) stunt, and here we are now talking about what could equally have been a defunct program.

Marketing.

Oh you cynic you!

I can't believe all the professional whingers have fallen for it again, the top gear publicity team must be wetting themselves laughing! Why promote something when you can get someone else to do it for you 😉

There's far worse things going on in the world today, the way people are going on about it you'd think he'd whipped his knob out and pissed all over it 😆

Sometimes music gets played on the radio months in advance of it being released. By the time you can actually buy it, the risk is you're actually bored of it already.

This, I fear, is the way it's going with me and Top Gear.

He's not even a real baby kangaroo.

But, but... I thought Clarkson was to blame for all that outrageous behaviour.

It isn't a 'freedom', it's a privilege enjoyed only by people involved in the filming of that scene, which I imagine took a lot of negotiating and planning to make happen. I'm pretty sure that if Joe Bloggs rocked up in his Citroen Saxo and started tearing about the place, he'd quickly be given a stern talking to. Or maybe shot.

The thing is they couldn't just roll up and juat start filming this. There'd have been weeks/months of written in triplicate documents to various governmental/police/H&S offices so someone somewhere in a high place decided it was okay to do.

Nice bit of free publicity to get the old Top Gear viewers salivating. Certainly now Chris Evans has been told off for flogging his Channel Four show too much on Radio 2. Suppose that only leave BBC News to have a 30 minute 'interview'/preview to promote it now.

It's absurd. I'm no fan of Top Gear, but come on. It's not in some garden of silence. It's by a road that, presumably, people do all sorts of other things on that are 'disrespectful', if that is taken to mean anything other than the kind of thing that goes on Armistice Day.

And as for wing commander, admiral, general whatisface saying that the film crew could never give what those who died did, kind of ignores the fact that the majority were normal people who volunteered/were conscripted, so it's only a matter of fortunate timing that prevents that. It's an easy cheap shot that can't be backed up or answered back.

They missed a trick, not using a German car.

The tabloids thinking Matt LePlanc was driving offends me more.

soon to be ex chancellor also complained about the noise, and says he was working at the weekend, obviously after some top gear freebies for christmas presents.

Deliberate and calculated PR to try and remind everyone that new top gear will be just as 'edgy' as old top gear.

Loveable buffoon Miranda filmed some of her TV show at Brentford library right next to the local war memorial her brand of slapstick comedy seems no more out of place than Leblanc ragging his muscle car at the memorial a few miles away and no fuss was made then

Deeply concerning.

Ken Block doing gratuitous donuts everywhere is well passed its sell-by-date.

I think it's people having a go at the ginger whinger. The three original presenters didn't seem to divide opinion like Evans does.

What we'd accept from them we won't from that Joey oik and the replacement crew.

Free the Top Gear Three........

I'm off me meds again 😛

I don't know what the story is about, who did it, why or where, but I'll not let that get in the way, I AM OUTRAGED!!!

kimbers - Member
Deliberate and calculated PR to try and remind everyone that new top gear will be just as 'edgy' as old top gear...

This.

Trouble is there's a difference between carefully crafted buffoonery and being an arse.

Other than Osbourne cutting disability payments to fund a tax cut for those earning over £50k..

Another load of spin for the morons to be "outraged" by.

@footflaps the average family has a household income of £65k (source IFS) - whats your point ?

From the Guardian article

"A spokesman for Top Gear said images taken by paparazzi made it look like the filming took place closer than it did in reality. He said all scenes were shot around 40 metres away from the memorial."

I mean come on, 40m it's hardly even in the same postcode...

It's just stupid though why do it?

The fact it is Ken Block and his pointless world of donuts is well depressing. Should be told to **** off.

downgrade - Member

I mean come on, 40m it's hardly even in the same postcode...

Since the news outlets made an effort to make it look closer than it actually was, obviously [i]they[/i] thought it made a difference to the effectiveness of their story...

My grandad didn't nail jesus to a cross so that Diana could marry a little Hitler from romania and the could claim benefits from hard working families in broken Britain with a fiscally responsible faceless beauraucrat in Luxembourg and single parent families all in their pslces paid for by people who've worked all tjir lives to build a Britain free from health and safety and put on a pedestal by sex perverts and out of control teenagers roaming the streets all high on poppers they've scored off Tory ministers and wearing england flags and its not even st Georges day who's Turkish and they're coming in the EU the buggers cos were coming out and a good job too.

I'm 39, you know.

Agree.
If it was rememberance Sunday then fair point. But at the moment it's a piece of rock - get over it.

I spent much of the ages of 17-18 going sideways in an XR2i round the war memomrial in my home town. That didn't make the papers.

I spent much of the ages of 17-18 going sideways in an XR2i round the war memomrial in my home town. That didn't make the papers.

And that's what General Stick Up His Arse is forgetting in the original piece. The lads and lasses of the same age who are remembered on the Cenotaph would have mostly laughed their socks off to see that car doing what it did and enjoyed the sight of it. Just because someone is dead for a particular reason, doesn't mean you should forget the person they were when they were alive, and only remember the reason they died.

just because someone is dead for a particular reason, doesn't mean you should forget the person they were when they were alive, and only remember the reason they died.

A really valuable point. (and much better put than me!)

Who's outraged again? Is it just the Daily Mail?

I think I'm outraged at the outrage.

thestabiliser - Member
My grandad didn't nail jesus to a cross so that Diana could marry a little Hitler from romania and the could claim benefits from hard working families in broken Britain with a fiscally responsible faceless beauraucrat in Luxembourg and single parent families all in their pslces paid for by people who've worked all tjir lives to build a Britain free from health and safety and put on a pedestal by sex perverts and out of control teenagers roaming the streets all high on poppers they've scored off Tory ministers and wearing england flags and its not even st Georges day who's Turkish and they're coming in the EU the buggers cos were coming out and a good job too.

I'm 39, you know.

Post of the year 2016!

From Ken Block's instagram

Hung out with this squad here in London today. Great group of guys, all petrolheads that loved checking the Hoonicorn out! Oh, and no one seemed to be offended by this morning's false tabloid accusations. They're smarter than that.

With him pictured next to a load of army chaps

soon to be ex chancellor also complained about the noise, and says he was working at the weekend, obviously after some top gear

There FTFY

Isn't the cenotaph a memorial to those who dies fighting for our freedom? As ridiculous as it sounds, doing donuts in a mustang is one of those freedoms.

How much time has to pass before we get over a war that happened getting on for a hundred years ago? The UK's morbid fascination with the two world wars is really unsettling, my wife's American and they just don't get it. There's been almost a century of things going on since then.

Yeah, and they lost every one of them, or ended with a no-score draw.

Pretty sure every way ends with a no score draw unless you're a weapons manufacturer.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-35800187

I was getting all outraged at them caving in reading the headline, but then worked out what they were actually saying - cleverly put!

I think David Coburn MEP has it nailed;

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I think David Coburn MEP has it nailed;

No he really doesn't, in fact he has got it completely wrong, this isn't a complaint by those who normally get labelled as the pc brigade and the permanently offended, it is the war whores complaining, those who think death in a lonely muddy field far from your loved ones is glorious and should be worshipped. And this war worship should be used to oppress modern freedoms and liberties.

The real obscenity is the reason for the existence of the Cenotaph.

Deliberate and calculated PR to try and remind everyone that new top gear will be just as 'edgy' as old top gear.

Doesn't need to be deliberate. Having Ken Block do his donuts around London seems like a pretty obvious thing for Top Gear to do, and there's no point doing that if it's not round the good bits. I don't think anyone would have had to go out of their way to make sure that at some point they would be in the vicinity of something that demands more 'respect'.

That said I'm sure they're quite happy with the publicity.