I’m a little shocked that the BBC has now actually issued a formal apology to the Mexican Ambassador to the UK for the comments made on Top Gear UK this past weekend. They rarely apologize for Top Gear’s antics. This is not the first time they’ve offended someone and it certainly won’t be the last.
Here’s the statement in full:
“The Executive Producer for Top Gear has written to the Mexican Ambassador and apologised for the comments made about him during the show. On the broader issue of comments about Mexicans as people, the show has explained they were making comic use of a stereotype; a practice with which regular viewers of Top Gear will be familiar.
“We are sorry if we have offended some people, but jokes centred on national stereotyping are a part of Top Gear’s humour, and indeed a robust part of our national humour. Our own comedians make jokes about the British being terrible cooks and terrible romantics, and we in turn make jokes about the Italians being disorganised and over dramatic; the French being arrogant and the Germans being over organised. When we do it, we are being rude, yes, and mischievous, but there is no vindictiveness behind the comments.
“This stereotyping humour is in itself a factor in the tolerance which the ambassador states is so prevalent in Britain.
“In line with that tradition, stereotype based comedy is allowed within BBC guidelines in programmes where the audience has clear expectations of that being the case, as indeed it is with Top Gear. Whilst it may appear offensive to those who have not watched the programme or who are unfamiliar with its humour, the Executive Producer has made it clear to the Ambassador that that was absolutely not the show’s intention.”
For those curious – here are the offending remarks:
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Where’s the apology for the citizens of Alabama? We got it from them a few years back in equally lovely fashion.
Alabama makes the rest of the United States look bad. You owe the rest of us an apology.
Props to the BBC for allowing Top Gear to be Top Gear. I wish American networks would have the balls to allow this kind of stuff.
There are Alabamians who perpetuate the stereotype, as with any place, but there are a lot of people there who aren’t homophobic, don’t hate Hillary Clinton and aren’t obsessed with country music.
That’s true, I have a cousin from B’ham who is a liberal like me. It’s just sad that the one’s who are bad are the most visible. Of course, as a native Mississippian, it was cringe-worthy to watch. But it is what it is.
I’m glad they’re being the bigger person and going ahead and apologizing. I’m also glad that they didn’t just simply apologize but explain that this is how the show works and that its basically empty words, nothing meant by it. Now we can all get back to watching the new season and laugh at more jokes.
So what you are saying is that racist remarks are OK? Yeah, even if they are “joking” they keep making this remarks and want to make the rest of their audience it’s nice if they do it with everyone else?
It just shows the lack of brain of these people. I’m not mexican, but I sure find this offensive. What do they think they are…?? I’m not watching these guys anymore. Screw you, ugly dicks!
Thank you dear Oliver.
Mexico has the bigger culture around the world.
Try to visit us and you will see wonderful places and peoples.
Rubicel Torres
Viva Mexico
This is not an apology. I don´t care if you have “differente type of humor” being RACIST is not funny. Not becuase Germans, Italians and others have been bashed to does it make it ok for those a….holes to be IGNORANT AND RACIST towards any others. Your freedom of speech does not make it right for people to offend. I am sure they would love that Hitler would be alive so that they could also kill someone too and later write an ” apology letter” saying they have also killed englishmen, italians and germans and that makes it oK. BBC SUCKS, you are racists too.
I’m Mexican\Egyptain and it’s all humor people shouldn’t take it into heart. I found it funny and I know Mexicans are the hardest workers in the USA and are not lazy. Americans are the laziest and fattest people in the world and kiss and are intemit with there causins and sometimes get married to them hows that for comedy. LoL i just hope the Mexican Cartel doesn’t go after theTop Gear! lol lighten up people without comedy we wouldn’t be laughing!
i agree… without comedy we hould not have any laughter at all and why r people takinging it up there asses so much… it called a JOKE people!!!! im a mexican and it was quite funny but i dont take it up my ass!!!
lighten up people!!
so you didn’t mind the comment form richard hammond stating,
“how crap must it be to have to wake up and realize you are Mexican”
Actually, it was a pun. May said the producers of the car claimed it has ‘good direction’. Then, Hammond asked: ‘Good direction? Imagine you wake up blah blah blah…’ So, if you can’t see that he is actually refering to the lousy governments that we, MEXICANS, have had for… 150 years, then you seriously need to go back to listening-comprenhension classes. Or maybe, you just don’t possess the ability to understand that kind of subtle-double meaning humour.
And just for the record, he was being condescending to Mexicans; thing I do find funny. Why? Because we have endured despicable governments for quite some time (Stereotype? Yes. Reality? You bet). But then again, it is easy to say/write/whine things without understanding them with a ‘cool-headed’ attitude.
Finallly, a fun fact to remember. During the 2010 World Cup, on a Mexican TV show of course, some Mexican bloke covered with dirt and stomped several times the Argentine flag (in primetime TV). I never heard or read that Mrs. Fernandez de Kirchner was outraged by this; nor that the Argentine embassy in Mexico City sent a letter to Televisa complaining about it. So, if we are going to preach others about their nasty attitudes… Shouldn’t we preach by example?
Just sayin’…
The programme certainly does poke fun at nationalities often, but they’re wrong about this being in line with calling Germans ‘over organised’. I’ve watched TG for years and this is without a doubt the most offensive language they’ve used during that time. This half-hearted apology is worthless and only paves the way for them to continue their racist ‘humour’.
Francis it is so true that it is not in the same line callin Germans ” over organised”, I think that is not offensive , that would be a compliment for some people. I am a very har working and educates mexican woman and I find their comments totally offensive and racist. No one should ever promote or laugh at RACISM.
I am outrage about the poor explanation of the Top gear poople and the BBC, trying to justify a bounch of RACIST comments about the Mexican poople. Using the “humor” as a weapon of Descrimination it is not acceptable.
Don’t try to fool us! Stereotypes are use only for IGNORANT PEOPLE!
I am mexican and found the clip hilarious. The clip ridicules the stereotype itself which is what makes it so funny. As to the food, I honestly think they must be talking about USA’s “MEXICAN” food.
Lighten up!
Viva Mexico!
This is not an apology. BBC needs to do better than that.
One thing is saying a joke about stereotypes
Another is saying “how crap must it be to have to wake up and realize you are Mexican”
Thats not poking fun of stereotypes
I am so offended by these comments. I will not fire back insults towards these men because I am a classy, smart, Mexican WOMAN!!! I will say this:
Stereotyping has been done by many and I myself take it as humor but this is to much. I am not going to assume all British are this ignorant but I will say that you men are. I am very proud to be Mexican and I do not feel the need to bash other races to make myself feel amused or superior.
Listen carefully to the video and that is not what he said. He somewhat gave it a negative connotation though. Nevertheless, I wake up every day a Mexican and it seems to have no negative effect on me (that I know of)
Fact is that if you are looking at getting offended, just about anything will do it for you.
Just remember that Top Gear is about how many stupid things you can say and get away with while getting paid for having fun with cars!
Apology issued, apology accepted, I’ve lived many years in London, as Mexican I have never came across English people as Clarkson & Co., two things to bear in mind for Mexican people: 1) Not all English are like Clarkson & Co., perhaps they are in the lowest class or they are just funny tossers, 2) There are racist Mexican jokes against other countries as well, so don’t have a thin skin… as for BBC only one thing: 1) if everything is based on humour, I do not recall any Top Gear jokes, at the same level, against Pakis, Hindus or Arabs… mind you…. I bet many English people would laugh, why do not apply the same???… oh, forgot, political correctness…
There’s a fine line between humour and offense. The TG presenters are notorious for pushing the envelope.. usually it goes over well. But sometimes they do go too far. This is one of those times.
A couple of seasons ago, they had a joint episode with Top Gear Australia. Jeremy Clarkson made dig after dig at the Aussie presenters. The first couple of times, it was funny. But then it got to be mean-spirited. We Aussies are usually the first to laugh at ourselves, but even we were turned off by it.
This is not an apology, come on, give me a break. This is a series of excuses.
Like if I deliberately punch you in the face and break your nose and then I say. I am sorry if my fist landing square in your face fractured your fragile nose.
Maybe I am reading to much into it (and I am certainly self admitted biased on this) but personally, that does not sound like an apology to me. In fact, it sounds like a bait to make the Ambassador look like a dick pushing him into a “damn if you do, damn if you don’t” type situation.
Lol this was somewhat hilarious. I’m latina,I don’t stink & I WORK! Lol is still funny. I’ll say that Mexicans ARE hard workers, honestly, they try to cross the border over the states in order to work. Like dude ge over the Mexicans wearing hats and all that shit. By the way Mexicans make fun of other nations as well, so this is practically dumb ‘stereotypying jokes’ like Mexicans make about Asians, Europeans. Many people say that Italians smell like armpits and all that shit. I’ve to to Italy and I find it not true. it’s like everywhere! You’ll find ugly smelly, bipolar, nice, tall, short, white, black people!!
Now that was a brilliant, i couldn’t stop laughing!!! I love the show!!! And for what I saw, there was no reason for an apology. Also I agree with Manuel, the food they are talking about is more like Mexican’s food Gringo style, but oh well, nobody’s perfect.
Oh and by the way: I’m MEXICAN and PROUD of it!!!
Just extremely disappointed in The Hamster, Captain Slow, and Jezza. They know better. To script such comments for ratings should be beyond them. I wish Hamster never survived his crash.
So you now wish a man was dead, and his wife and children without their husband and father, just because of a joke? Granted, it was in extremely poor taste, and it should have never been said, but wishing death on someone for it seems like a huge overreaction.
Outoutout.
Yes, they do push the limits often. To your point, when I saw this I wondered how many would get offended. I underestimated just how many would though.
It was not overboard for me but perhaps I just have thicker skin.
I agree that they tend to criticize every country they know of, sadly, I´m pretty sure none of them three know Mexico personally or at least read about it, how can you talk dirt about a country that fabricates a lot of good cars, cars with good retail value in the US and Canada like the Jetta or Bora, like the new Ford Fiesta, I would invite the production of Top Gear to visit Mexico personally and visit VW plant in Puebla or Ford´s plant in Cuautitlan and I am sure they would be pretty impressed by Mexican standards which is more than I can say for UK, that actually no car is theirs, I am talking about Jaguar owned by the chinese, Aston Martin, Land Rover, all great cars but no longer english. And I totally agree with Mastretta, they have never disaproved a car because its from a country I don´t like that has never been done in Top Gear, if they had tested it and then said it was rubbish then, they might have a point. This issue has grown all around the world and it will end in Mastretta going personally along with the car to the program, and I think they will apologize to him personally and let the Stig drive the MXT and see his timing (I can´t wait to see) I am very proud of this even if I can´t afford one, but I´m really looking forward to see how it manages around the Top Gear track.
I just read an article a bout a young lady who is attending a University in London. She is doing what I would like to do. She has hires a group of lawyers to sue Top Gear. It looks like their joke is going to cost them about One Million Euros. Ms. De la Torre keep doing what you started and god blessyou where you are.
I found the “apology” more offensive than the actual show. First I don’t think most Mexicans have problems with stereotyping (Have you see the Mexicans at football games?) In my opinion the real problem was that the “joke” wasn’t funny so many people didn’t laugh and felt offended.
Second, the reaction of Mexican politics were exaggerated and just made free promotion of one mediocre show. And the thing about a legal action is just stupid.
But the BBC answer is the worst. It implies that Mexicans can understand the great British humor and that Top Gear is one good example of it. The letter offends Mexicans and Britons at the same time.
I’m a Mexican who loves British humor. So I demand an apology!!!
“make jokes about the British being terrible cooks and terrible romantics, and we in turn make jokes about the Italians being disorganised and over dramatic; the French being arrogant and the Germans being over organised.” how does this compare to being fat, lazy, and hating to wake up being Mexican. Never gonna watch you guys again.
I’m Brazilian, I’ve been in Mexico and London, I say that Mexico is a great country which we consider as “Latin America’s older brother. ”
Mexicans are not lazy, they are very hardworking and in fact I researched the Mexican automotive industry is bigger than the British and one of the best in the world. In Latin America, Africa and USA of 10 cars 4 are made in Mexico. But the funniest thing is that people think of Mexico as a cactus, this is false. Mexico uses a lot of last-generation technology, after Japan Mexico has the best robotics. I am a graduate automotive engineer in USA. And these three monkeys or clowns of Top Gear are just circus clowns.
I honestly think that these British TV bozos didn’t finish elementary school. They have no idea of the glorious Mexican culture and history, its gastronomy (recently recognized by UNESCO as an intangible world heritage) and have no respect for other people’s countries and cultures. After seeing this stupid TV show, it makes me vomit to listen to the “World Famous BBC??? Now I see why people all over the world hate it when the Hooligans travel abroad…
So here I go again, maybe because I’m Mexican-American I don’t find this very offensive. They(Top Gear guys) are wrong in some stereotypings, lol I find it funny that they called the Tortilla Car heehehe. They are dumb :b but Mexican food it’s yummy. Home made of course! & for example, if you wanna talk crap about Mexico you should be more on the corruption, politics, drug dealers, and awful government topics
Just a bit of advice.!
The Top Gear dudes just proved they’re hypocrites and cowards. I’m pretty sure they’d neve make fun of, say, Israel, would they?
Yes, they are sorry but still saying they are rigth, If this is a jock why isnt anybody happy about it? their weird humouor does not have to be accepted by any other countries, and if the others take the shit they trow at them doesnt mean everybody have to take it buch of ignorants witha high profile, thats all they are.,
They shouldn’t have apologized. It’s Top Gear. They make fun of everyone and everything. The US doesn’t demand an apology every time they slag off Americans and they do so all the time.
It was a joke when may said that the car name was the tortilla, I laugh, but then Richard took it too far and it looks kind of personal, that wasn’t funny at all. Maybe his girlfriend or wife cheated him with a Mexican, hell I don’t know. Or just maybe his is just an ignorant that he believes in the USA propaganda of Hollywood movies, series and cartoons, in which they put an inaccurate and false image of the Mexicans with huge massive yellow hats, ponchos, sit next to a cactus, etc. I dare them to find just one Mexican with that stereotype. Richard comments were disrespectful and racist. And May’s comment on the Mexican food it’s wrong too, because Mexican food was put on UNESCO heritage list just like the French food.
This bullshit of apology it’s not good enough to me, they have to do a real apology in front of the cameras during their show.
viva mexico cabrones, ahuevo.
Sadly, the show (Top Gear) has poor criteria, the presenters’ lack of education and respect towards other cultures (even their own!) is evident. They didn’t know some
german cars are ensembled in Mexico because they are hard-working and good manufacturers!
Don’t take these kind of racist comments and remarks as common, that’s a different form of violence. There’s a marked difference between a joke and a verbal agression disguised as a coward joke!
I’m mexican and I did feel offended. And their apology was shit, it certainly didn’t make me feel any better about their jokes, actually it felt more of a joke. It’s sad to think they have that image of us, wish we could change it. I’ll begin with myself continuing to be a good non-fat hard-working clean with great-taste-for-food mexican woman.
BUT it’s not that bad though, there’s offensive jokes everywhere… and one can’t live trying to ask for an apology from everyone. World doesn’t care enough.
“If karma doesn’t hit you, I will”
Im glad they apologized. Their comments went too far. It was not funny. There is a difference between humor and hate. It was very offensive.
It is our stereotype that the Top Gear team is a group of dirty bastards who never shower and resort to cheap humor on account of their powerlessness and ignorance.
I’m beginning to believe the Brits are the only nation capable of giving, and more importantly, taking, jokes.
If I say in front of millions of people that the mother of the producer is a big fat lazy b…ch who hands her b…tt to anyone with a big c…ck! And then, I laugh about it. Then, the producer should not be offended because I am just joking!
This is one of the worst apologies that I have seen in my life! It only shows the cultural abyss of the BBC shows and how it is always OK for them to denigrate other cultures.
The producer’s justification is a better joke than the stupid xenophobic jokes from the hosts of Top Gear. The guy is simply saying: Yes, we are racist but that is OK because we are using it to make people laugh. Yes, we know we are denigrating your whole country but that is how we are, so respect my freedom to denigrate you in front of millions of viewers.
The producer’s excuse is just rubbish!
Ha hilarious when so many people have a simultaneous sense of humour failure. For gods sake why were any of the ‘offended’ people even watching TG anyway?! Its ALWAYS offensive. Get a life. BBC should not have apologised (if you can call it an apology;-) haha
I have to say as a Brit I am deeply offended by some of the comments that have been made here.
Most people in my country would find this funny because what is being said is obviously not true. Mexican food for example is very popular in this country and who are the Brits to talk about food when it comes to stereotype jokes ???
The fact so many people from other nations think that the people of the UK are completely ignorant to the rest of the world really is quite disappointing.
I agree that there are jokes for every nationality but that doesn’t mean that you have to be offensive and you have to accept it.
These three men are a good example of how a very bad problem like “bullying” can be developed. The children learn that making jokes on any person are a great idea. If the person feels bad about that, it doesn´t matter, you do not have to apolygize, you are right, the other is wrong for not understanding that everyone has the right to laughing at you (I do not think so).
I do not care if it is a TV Show, I do not care if they make jokes of Germans, Italians or Mexicans they do not have the right to be offensive, they have to be respectful with the human being.
@ Robyn
it was a bit of British humor….it wasn’t funny yet highly offensive. I will offer the same apology extended by the BBC.
I don’t give a shit with this
I love UK I do love it and it makes me sick to see how this racist gentleman make “funny jokes” about one of the most beautiful countries in the world, not only talking about the history and the beautiful places, but the people of mexico.
It’s just a shame that there are still lots of prejudices not only to mexico but a lot of countries.
I don’t know if they have been in mexico already, but i only hope that they come and see how we really are, and maybe just maybe we can teach them how to make some real comedy, not that lame-intend-of-funny-jokes they did.
What those individuals need is a lesson taught by life itself.
I truly hope one day they’re in a situation out of their control and people make fun of them and become humiliated. Then they’ll learn.
You just can’t make fun of things people don’t choose, as with nationalities, diseases or physical traits. Great comedians know that.
These are just ignorant persons which can’t come up with something truly creative.
There were a Little Racist. When Captain slow said it was called “the tortilla”, I was laughing. But after that, they gone too far. To me, they think Mexicans are fat ,slow, lazy, etc. Thats truly false!! Mexicans are very hard working people, they have a rich culture, and the food is fantastic! I have family members who live in Mexico and they look more White/European than Mexican. Even though I never been to Mexico, My mother told me it’s a wonderful place! I’m proud to be Mexican! I’m also Spanish and Italian.
The reason you shouldn’t get too upset is that Clarkson is an idiot. He makes lots of stupid comments all the time, about everything; global warming, pollution from cars, and so on. He doesn’t even know anything about cars. And the other two are just a couple of brainless pilot fish. I can’t imagine why the programme seems to be so popular. just pat him on the head, give him some change and tell him to run along and buy himself some sweeties.
Hey, if you think thats racist, don’t ever watch “Faulty Towers”.
Dang! I am kind of sad for all this because I really liked Top Gear, they got plenty of bash back and well deserved. To me they even looked nervous, like reading from a script. It was a joke, but guess what? do you homework, try the car. Mexico has been trough a lot lately, so take it easy and learn more about us. Then talk. Is clear people prefers to think of stereotypes than actually knowing others.
Quote from youtube –
“Top Gear can insult ANY other nation and no one would bat an eye, but as soon as they insult Mexicans, everyone goes absolutely APESHIT! I am far, far away from racist, and even I think that this whole ordeal is stupid”
True that,
Aussies and Americans are surprisingly cool about the regular jibes, These mexicans just flipped.