# Is Jeremy Clarkson fired now? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 15, 2014, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127 "2014-07-15T01:45:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/1 "2014-07-15T01:45:13Z")
Top Gear UK…greatest automotive info-tainment show _ever_, has a presenter who is hanging on by a thread…due to his big mouth. The BBC gave him one last chance...screw-up again and you're sacked. Tonight’s Top Gear ep featured Jeremy proclaiming that _this_ track has “two lesbos” 😕 So, is he done? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/2 "2014-07-15T01:55:49Z")
I wonder why he didn’t just use ‘tiger’ in the rhyme. While I did hear the offensive version as a child, the first one I learned was with ‘tiger’. ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/3 "2014-07-15T02:25:18Z")
I didn’t even know there were other versions. I thought it had always been ‘tiger’. Must be an age thing I suppose. Clarkson is what? In his mid to late 50’s probably? Probably doesn’t even know there’s a non-offensive version now. Anyway, I reckon it’s like that reversed audio thread down-forum; folks are hearing things in meaningless noise because they expect to hear it. eta: So, does that mean the new series has premiered then? ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/4 "2014-07-15T02:28:03Z")
> [@Barking\_Dog](#): > > I didn’t even know there were other versions. I thought it had always been ‘tiger’. Must be an age thing I suppose. Clarkson is what? In his mid to late 50’s probably? Probably doesn’t even know there’s a non-offensive version now. > Anyway, I reckon it’s like that reversed audio thread down-forum; folks are hearing things in meaningless noise because they expect to hear it. > > eta: So, does that mean the new series has premiered then? Same here. The only time I heard a version without “tiger” in it was in the movie Pulp Fiction and I assumed that was something Quentin Tarantino made up for the character. ---
**Author:** ![Quarter\_Lane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c68b51/32.png) [@Quarter\_Lane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quarter_Lane)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/5 "2014-07-15T03:04:44Z")
I’m a little confused. No new episodes of Top Gear have been produced since Clarkson was given his “final warning.” My guess is that whatever episode you watched was an older one. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/6 "2014-07-15T03:17:51Z")
It was tiger when I was a kid. He IS the show so his departure will be noticed. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/7 "2014-07-15T03:23:18Z")
If talking about Lesbos at Monza is wrong, then SkyF1 needs to sack their entire commentary team. It took me forever to figure out what they were actually saying. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/8 "2014-07-15T03:36:20Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > If talking about Lesbos at Monza is wrong, then SkyF1 needs to sack their entire commentary team. It took me forever to figure out what they were actually saying. It’s “Lesmo”, actually, but as **Barking** said, you kinda hear what you expect to. Check the track map [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autodromo_Nazionale_Monza). The two Lesmo corners are 4 and 5. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/9 "2014-07-15T11:14:23Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Same here. The only time I heard a version without “tiger” in it was in the movie Pulp Fiction and I assumed that was something Quentin Tarantino made up for the character. Me too. > [@Barking\_Dog](#): > > I didn’t even know there were other versions. I thought it had always been ‘tiger’. Must be an age thing I suppose. Clarkson is what? In his mid to late 50’s probably? Probably doesn’t even know there’s a non-offensive version now. I don’t buy this. Clarkson isn’t stupid, he has three kids, and the rhyme is really popular. It’s almost impossible he’d have never heard another version. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/10 "2014-07-15T11:54:30Z")
I’m around Clarkson’s age and in the UK. As a kid I only heard the offensive version. But I’m all grown up now and so is Clarkson, he knows he should knock that shit off. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/11 "2014-07-15T12:35:13Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#): > > Top Gear UK…greatest automotive info-tainment show _ever_, has a presenter who is hanging on by a thread…due to his big mouth. > > The BBC gave him one last chance...screw-up again and you're sacked. > > Tonight’s Top Gear ep featured Jeremy proclaiming that _this_ track has “two lesbos” > 😕 > > So, is he done? He tweeted yesterday about filming, so I would say that TG is still in production. Declan ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/12 "2014-07-15T13:35:49Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I wonder why he didn’t just use ‘tiger’ in the rhyme. While I did hear the offensive version as a child, the first one I learned was with ‘tiger’. I am younger than Clarkson, born in 1974, and I learnt the offensive version. I cannot remember where from. I’ve discussed it with friends (living abroad it is one of those “weird things you did back home that you really don’t do any more” topics) in the same age range and they had the same experience. To be honest, anything but “Nigger” sounds wrong to me, but I am neither in any danger of actually using that word nor actually saying the rhyme in any form, so it isn’t really an issue. I’m just glad we’ve moved on from those times. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/13 "2014-07-15T13:57:36Z")
It would have been smarter to use “tiger” or something else obviously not the N-word, rather than mumble through it. But man, you have to listen with a mind of WANTING to hear the N-word, in order to actually pull it out of those mumbles. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/14 "2014-07-15T14:03:57Z")
We always said “Tigger” as kids. Which I suppose is the halfway point between the original and “tiger” with all the benefits of drawing Hundred Acre Wood into my accidental racism. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/15 "2014-07-15T14:08:47Z")
> [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](#): > > I’m around Clarkson’s age and in the UK. As a kid I only heard the offensive version. > [@amanset](#): > > I am younger than Clarkson, born in 1974, and I learnt the offensive version. Maybe it’s a UK thing. I was in San Diego when I was a child. OTOH, San Diego was once the home of the Grand Poobah (or whatever he’s called) of the KKK. ☹ But race was not a non-issue in our household, and apparently in the rest of the neighbourhood and the neighbourhood of my schoolmates as well. Or maybe we were all sheltered. I can’t remember when or where I heard the offensive version, but I definitely learned the ‘tiger’ version first. I’ve no reason to use either/any version, so nowadays when it comes to mind I always think 'Eenie, [Manny, Moe](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pep_Boys), [and Jack](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwN6aQN82GY). 😛 ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/16 "2014-07-15T14:10:32Z")
I have a couple of his books and couldn’t care less. Nor does he I imagine. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/17 "2014-07-15T14:15:30Z")
As I recall (and it’s been a while) growing up in Michigan in the '60’s, we said “Catch a rabbit by his toe, if he hollers let him go…” Maybe that was just my family. It made me think of the Trix rabbit. StG ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/18 "2014-07-15T14:24:00Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > As I recall (and it’s been a while) growing up in Michigan in the '60’s, we said “Catch a rabbit by his toe, if he hollers let him go…” Maybe that was just my family. It made me think of the Trix rabbit. > > StG Wiki says there are all sorts of alternatives. > **[Eeny, meeny, miny, moe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eenie_Meanie#Current_versions)** > > "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe" – which can be spelled a number of ways – is a children's counting-out rhyme, used to select a person in games such as tag, or for selecting various other things. It is one of a large group of similar rhymes in which the child who is pointed to by the chanter on the last syllable is chosen. The rhyme has existed in various forms since well before 1820 and is common in many languages using similar-sounding nonsense syllables. Some versions use a racial slur, which has m Si... > [@](#): > > There are many common variations, such as replacing tiger with “piggy”, “nigger” (when the word was still in common use), “tinker”, “tigger”, “chicken”, “monkey”, “baby”, “spider”, “teacher”, or a two-syllable name; and changing the verb in the third line to “screams”, “wiggles”, “squeals” or another verb. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/19 "2014-07-15T14:25:26Z")
I never heard the “tiger” version until I moved to the United States in the 1990s. When I was a kid in Britain, it was always “n\*\*\*\*r” (there were not any black people around to be offended). Clarkson may well never have heard it another way. “Tiger” is clearly an early bit of political correctness, introduced in America (although, no doubt, the whole rhyme is originally American: “holler’s” was never part of British vernacular.) We already had this discussion, at the time, in another thread. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2014, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127/20 "2014-07-15T14:27:39Z")
This might be off topic and even warrant a thread of its own but is the n-word somehow less offensive in the UK than in the US? If a TV personality dropped an n-bomb in the US he’d be auto-fired no questions asked. I guess my question is… is the word itself less offensive or does the UK in general just have a higher tolerance for naughty words but the n-word is still at the tippy top of offensive words? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-jeremy-clarkson-fired-now/693127.md?page=2)