Former Top Gear lead presenter Jeremy Clarkson - sacked by the BBC for an act of gross misconduct when he racially and physically assaulted a work colleague - has taken his presence, along with former co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May, to Amazon Video where they are putting together a series called The Grand Tour. This needs all the publicity it can get. Which may explain a story in today’s Sun.
Slipped the Sun a crock of crap, it backfired, so here I am LOOKING LIKE A TWAT
“DON'T MESS WITH ME ARGENTINA Jeremy Clarkson slams ‘ignorant little worm’ who kicked Top Gear stars off flight after Falklands rant … TV host, 56, vowed revenge on 'twisted' Argentinian airport worker who stopped him from getting home in 'hate crime’”, readers are told. But this “story” does not stand even a cursory examination.
What’s the schtick? “A SHOCKED Jeremy Clarkson was kicked off a flight by an airport worker who crowed ‘I’m from Argentina so f*** you!’ in a tirade over the Falklands … The TV star, 56, was due to fly home with pals James May and Richard Hammond when check-in agent Manuel Pereira stopped them boarding”. Is that so? Says who?
“Jeremy, caught up in a diplomatic row with Argentina over a Falklands number plate in a Top Gear episode, said: ‘He’s a stupid, bitter and twisted little man … The TV presenter called for Stuttgart Airport worker Manuel Pereira’s arrest after he ranted: ‘F*** you!’ … Clarkson fumed: ‘This ignorant little worm made us miss our plane and he will pay for it … The police said it was a hate crime and he would be arrested. Yes, even the Germans were 100 per cent on our side - for once”. Has he been arrested? Apparently not.
This may be explained by the next part of Nick Parker’s “story”: “Clarkson, Hammond and May were waiting to go home on Monday night after filming their new Grand Tour show … They got the call to board their BA flight to Heathrow but were stopped at the departure gate … Clarkson said: ‘Our security guys turned round and said, ‘They’re not letting us on.’ … I said to this little bald guy, ‘What’s the problem?’ He had a big smile on his face. He said, ‘You’ve missed it.’ We said we had left the lounge when we were told, and he said, ‘I’m from Argentina so f*** you.’” Do we have a second source for Jezza’s claim?
Sadly not. Instead, we read “‘Richard Hammond and our producer also heard him. It was disgraceful’ … Clarkson continued: ‘He marched off looking pleased with himself, no doubt to enjoy a disgusting dinner of refried beans. But he’s not heard the last of this’ … Clarkson accused Pereira of deliberately delaying them - and even spreading lies to stop them boarding”. This claim is not supported by what Jezza said.
But enough. Pereira - who is not Argentinian - has denied Clarkson’s claims. Moreover, had Jezza really complained to the rozzers, he and his pals would not have had time to catch the EasyJet flight to Gatwick, which departs soon after the BA one to Heathrow. On top of all that, look at the name on the by-line: Nick Parker, re-hired by the Murdoch press despite being convicted of handling a stolen mobile phone.
As the story concedes at the end, “The incident comes as the trio prepare to launch their new motoring show The Grand Tour”. Clarkson and his pals were too late at the departure gate and missed their flight. Tough titty. Get over it.
Parker’s story should be marked as “Advertorial”. Because that is all it is.
4 comments:
The oblong headed far right moron simply cannot help himself. To wit(less): "Yes, even the Germans were 100 per cent on our side - for once.”
And Little Englanders wonder why Britain has become as much of a laughing stock in the world as the United States.
Clarkson is the leader of a plethora of worthless TV "celebrities." Which tells you all you need to know about "British culture."
Asked about "Western Civilisation," Gandhi replied, "It would be a good idea." He could easily have substituted "British" for "Western."
Anybody who elevates numbnuts like Clarkson to "celebrity status" deserves exactly the kind of country they get. Which is Britain 2016.
Looks like this story will unravel as fast as the Sun's Emile Ghessen train ride across Europe without a passport.
Clarkson is quoted as saying that the BA flight was delayed anyway so by changing to easyjet they got back earlier. Being zelo-street's consultant timetable geek I've checked some records. According to flightradar24 BA919 was indeed 70 minutes late taking off on Monday, but because BA have a huge amount of padding in the schedule it was only about 30 minutes late arriving at Heathrow. Then it goes wrong for Clarkson. Because EZY8526 was also delayed, by over 90 minutes, and they don't have as much padding so it was still over an hour late when it landed. You would have thought someone who had been on the flight might have noticed that, assuming that person was sober.
In various versions of the report he was quoted as being in the lounge, I'm guessing he doesn't just mean the waiting area. The various first class/club lounges at Stuttgart are all in Terminal 1 but the BA flight normally goes from Terminal 3, not as bad as it sounds as the Terminals are actually different sections of one big building - but nethertheless still a hike if you leave it late - and have been drinking. He does admit having a beer, and he does have a record of having unfortunate events following beer.
Stuttgart Airport is defending their staff and might produce CCTV but because Germany is still a bit touchy about surveillance (Stasi/Gestapo memories still linger...) coverage is not as intense as in UK and the rules are much stricter.
But there is one question outstanding. Why did the group need "security guys"? Stuttgart is hardly a war zone. Or were they there to protect the public from Clarkson?
Anyway, in January 2001 I landed at Zurich, an airport where arriving and departing passengers could mix "airside". As I walking to the exit I was nearly trampled by someone desperately running for a flight. Someone who look very much like Clarkson.
The Sun and Clarkson. Bullies hang together.
Thanks, Alan. That makes it so much easier to ear.
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