Top Gear in the South: What you didn't see

Kendall_Jones wrote: Wouldnt they (the rednecks) need to sign releases before bbc can put them on TV? KJ

Nope- its out out in public, just like when the local news films a community event.

Hey now sure there are some idiots in the south but that doesn't mean that there aren't in the North or any where else in the world for that matter. Plus at least southerns are usually friendly.

96DXCivic wrote: Hey now sure there are some idiots in the south but that doesn't mean that there aren't in the North or any where else in the world for that matter.

Like England?

BobOfTheFuture wrote: Some of the ignorance and narrow-mindedness I am reading here is pretty astounding too...

+1

96DXCivic wrote: Hey now sure there are some idiots in the south but that doesn't mean that there aren't in the North or any where else in the world for that matter. Plus at least southerns are usually friendly.

I'm pretty sure you could drive a "God Wants Fags to Burn in Hell" truck through the Castro District of San Francisco without being threatened by a shotgun toting mob the first time you stop for gas.

Salanis wrote:

96DXCivic wrote: Hey now sure there are some idiots in the south but that doesn't mean that there aren't in the North or any where else in the world for that matter. Plus at least southerns are usually friendly.

I'm pretty sure you could drive a "God Wants Fags to Burn in Hell" truck through the Castro District of San Francisco without being threatened by a shotgun toting mob the first time you stop for gas.

Guns and their ownership are not part of that local culture.

Not the best comparison, but please try again.

I agree that southerners are usually a pretty friendly bunch... until you get outside their comfort zone.

I am going to say that you could drive that pickup through anywhere else in the country and aside from a few verbal tongue lashings, not much else would happen.

Now on the idea that you could get other peoples to try and kill you with some offensive slogans.. you probably could, but you would need to carefully tailor your message. I would think that driving through parts of NYC and Detroit with "death to all N------s" on the side of your car or truck would get you killed pretty quickly.

The funny thing - to me - about this is that this was filmed long before Hillary Clinton was running for President. Yes yes yes, she's been running for president since 1992 according to Dr Hess I'm sure, but you know what I mean. Would it be as effective now?

Keith wrote: The funny thing - to me - about this is that this was filmed long before Hillary Clinton was running for President. Yes yes yes, she's been running for president since 1992 according to Dr Hess I'm sure, but you know what I mean. Would it be as effective now?

maybe in 2015-2016.

And no, I am not advocating that she run for president, I am just establishing a possible timeline.

neon4891 wrote:

Keith wrote: The funny thing - to me - about this is that this was filmed long before Hillary Clinton was running for President. Yes yes yes, she's been running for president since 1992 according to Dr Hess I'm sure, but you know what I mean. Would it be as effective now?

maybe in 2015-2016. And no, I am not advocating that she run for president, I am just establishing a possible timeline.

If things go "south" even more than they have, 2011-2012 could be timeline.

What I meant is that by the time the US episode was aired in the US, the concept of her officially campaigning wasn't so odd anymore because, well, she was. When TG was there, it was more of a joke than a reality.

In reply to JeepinMatt:

No, there are other "safe" stereotypes. People make fun of Catholics all the time, and it's socially "OK". I'm double-screwed, because I'm Catholic AND from the South. I'm proud of both.

That top gear episode isn't offensive simply because of what is said, but also because it is calculated to offend.

The backwoods hick redneck Southerner does exist, for sure. Here's the thing: for the most part they are like anyone else, if you don't poke them they won't fly off the handle. They went to intentionally poke them and raise a ruckus for their TV show. Just what did they think would happen?

Why didn't they ride through the rougher 'hoods in St Louis or DC with 'Crips and Bloods are Fags' all over the sides of their cars? Of course that's not acceptable. Not to mention they would most likely have never been found again.

So I guess that means it's OK to poke the stereotypical Southern redneck racist but not to poke the stereotypical black gang member in the name of funny TV.

Or drive through Boca Raton with the Obama-nation pic on the side of your car? Ok, maybe not that. Maybe in a Camaro SS with the Nazi SS replacing the official chevy badge?

Plenty of stereotypes to bait...

scardeal wrote: In reply to JeepinMatt: No, there are other "safe" stereotypes. People make fun of Catholics all the time, and it's socially "OK". I'm double-screwed, because I'm Catholic AND from the South. I'm proud of both. That top gear episode isn't offensive simply because of what is said, but also because it is calculated to offend.

I'm Catholic too. I was born in New York, but I've lived in NC for a long time and proud to call myself a North Carolinian. I'm not the most overly politically correct person, so a few jibes now and then don't bother me too much. I've heard some actual serious anti-Catholic stuff, but not all that much. And not necessarily from Southerners, I might add for those chomping at the bit for more anti-South fodder.

Jensenman wrote: .....Why didn't they ride through the rougher 'hoods in St Louis or DC with 'Crips and Bloods are Fags' all over the sides of their cars? Of course that's not acceptable. Not to mention they would most likely have never been found again.....

So you are saying "southerners" are on par with "Hood" gang members behaviorally?

Jensenman wrote: Why didn't they ride through the rougher 'hoods in St Louis or DC with 'Crips and Bloods are Fags' all over the sides of their cars? Of course that's not acceptable. Not to mention they would most likely have never been found again.

I think it’s well understood all over the world that you don’t go into an area controlled by criminal street gangs with a giant sign on your car that translates to "please kill me." Doing so wouldn’t have been nearly as funny as doing the same thing in a really bad part of England would create the exact same result.

I think the idea that there is a large section of the U.S. where you could be hunted down and killed by the general population for having the wrong sexual orientation or political affiliations has a lot more shock/humor value to someone from England.

Salanis wrote:

96DXCivic wrote: Hey now sure there are some idiots in the south but that doesn't mean that there aren't in the North or any where else in the world for that matter. Plus at least southerns are usually friendly.

I'm pretty sure you could drive a "God Wants Fags to Burn in Hell" truck through the Castro District of San Francisco without being threatened by a shotgun toting mob the first time you stop for gas.

Back when I lived in California there was an incident where a car was parked in the Castro with a bumper sticker that said "This car protected by a pit bull with AIDS". Somebody took a baseball bat to the car, broke out all the windows and did some serious body damage. Just because people don't carry shotguns there...

that guy should get his money back on his aids infected pitbull

Do you think that anybody from Top Gear listens to the Charlie Daniels Band?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMN7fGZW_BY

GlennS wrote: I think the idea that there is a large section of the U.S. where you could be hunted down and killed by the general population for having the wrong sexual orientation or political affiliations has a lot more shock/humor value to someone from England.

Exactly, they saw a chance to poke fun at typical american stereotypes.. the type that make it across the pond in such (seemingly) exagerated manner that nobody would belive them to be true

mad_machine wrote:

GlennS wrote: I think the idea that there is a large section of the U.S. where you could be hunted down and killed by the general population for having the wrong sexual orientation or political affiliations has a lot more shock/humor value to someone from England.

Exactly, they saw a chance to poke fun at typical american stereotypes.. the type that make it across the pond in such (seemingly) exagerated manner that nobody would belive them to be true

So that means that Southerners can make fun of Brits for killing people over a soccer game?

http://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/06/world/2-die-600-seized-in-britain-in-riots-over-soccer-defeat.html

Just google soccer riots and England. There are more incidents.

oldsaw wrote:

Salanis wrote:

96DXCivic wrote: Hey now sure there are some idiots in the south but that doesn't mean that there aren't in the North or any where else in the world for that matter. Plus at least southerns are usually friendly.

I'm pretty sure you could drive a "God Wants Fags to Burn in Hell" truck through the Castro District of San Francisco without being threatened by a shotgun toting mob the first time you stop for gas.

Guns and their ownership are not part of that local culture. Not the best comparison, but please try again.

You are correct, as usual, oldsaw. Guns are not directly in their culture, although I suspect rocks and bottles might fly. What they primarily do in that culture is order armed people to do their dirty work for them. In the proposed example, armed thugs in blue uniforms would arrest the the driver and passenger(s) of the "God Wants Fags to Burn in Hell" truck and they would be incarcerated, or beat, electrocuted or shot while "resisting arrest." The left has chosen to sub out their dirty work to the government, which the rest of us can pay for. Unlike a group of people who might be called shiny happy people driving through the deep south as they deliberately tried to piss off the locals who don't dial 911 every time someone pisses them off.

Dr. Hess wrote: ...In the proposed example, armed thugs in blue uniforms would arrest the the driver and passenger(s) of the "God Wants Fags to Burn in Hell" truck and they would be incarcerated, or beat, electrocuted or shot while "resisting arrest."...

I see where you are going, but I suspect you have not spent a lot of time in San Fransisco. It is far more likely that the cops would defend the drivers right of free speech. Any beatings that resulted would be as likely on either side. To characterize the cops in San Fransisco as the the defenders of "gaydom" is not very appropriate. Also of note is the fact that the gay population is VERY used to be "pissed on" so they don't necessarily react violently to every insult.

And much like southerners I am sure, it's not the fact that they are southerners (or gay) that makes them shiny happy people, its the fact that they are shiny happy people who happen to be southern (or gay).

haha, this thread reminds me of one of my friend's younger brothers. He flies a rebel flag off the 5' cb antenna on his truck. Until he hits paved roads, then the flag comes down.