Controversial Opinion

[thewalrus]

[thewalrus]

[Les / Vipers Rule]

Nobody got a beating, I'm not condoning Clarkson's actions and no nobody should get sacked over such regardless of who unless they demonstrate a nature of doing such acts and fail to heed previous warnings. Clarkson has no apparent history of acting as such. BBC is noted to have protected Jimmy Savile for decades as a child abuser, but sacks Clarkson for one indescretion.

We are just not going to agree I guess Wally but it need not have come to a sacking, other measures could have been taken. But I figure some of the uppity types at BBC just did not like Clarkson and used this as a tool to rid themselves of him.

[ryguy79]

I skimmed...but is Les trying to say workplace violence is a normal thing?

[Talon]

Only if girls are beating up guys

[Les / Vipers Rule]

[thewalrus]

[Talon]

[Les / Vipers Rule]

[JaysonAych]

First of all, I want to say that Clarkson deserved to be fired. He had been given plenty of warnings by the BBC for his behavior, and even if he hadn't, punching a co-worker is inexcusable, especially given the reason for the uproar. A hostile work environment is not tolerable in any sense.

That being said, I don't think Clarkson is entirely a dick. Yes, he was a dick for throwing the punch over not getting a hot meal, but he was the one who reported the punch, and he had to know that this would be the end result, and yet he still turned himself in to the BBC. As I understand it, Oison Tymon didn't report the fight. I read an article on Jalopnik where he ended his long-running feud with Piers Morgan, and in the conversation he had with him, Clarkson opened up to Morgan about a lot of personal stuff that was going on in his life that was making him weary and giving him a lot of problems. Morgan actually stuck up for Clarkson in a column, and he didn't have to do it. Clarkson sounds like someone who had a lot on his shoulders and maybe he reacted badly in this situation because of that. Again, it's inexcusable, he went too far, and his punishment was deserved, but I think we've all done shitty things that we wish we hadn't done and wish we could take back. So I can empathize with him a bit because he at least owned up to his actions, and I don't think this is entirely representative of who he is, but he is 100% to blame for what happened. I hope he gets himself sorted out before he moves on to the next phase of his life. He's a talented presenter and fun to watch on TV and I hope he lands on his feet, but he's got plenty of soul-searching to do, I think.

[ryguy79]

All I can say is that I'd never expect to punch a coworker in the face and then keep my job.

[Turbojett]

truth.

[Talon]

[Les / Vipers Rule]

[ryguy79]

Les, feel free to use all the verbose arguments you please. You're a moron. He assaulted a coworker. Despite my love for Top Gear and being a fan of Clarkson myself, I think it is appropriate. I don't give 2 fucks about the politics of the BBC, you just don't go around punching your coworkers in the face without consequences.

"Life is not about bubble wrapping society from all incidents." Nor is it about doing the same to someone who assaulted his coworker over a sub-par meal.

[Les / Vipers Rule]

[the_edge]

[the_edge]

[thewalrus]

[the_edge]

exactly what wally said