The Mexican ambassador in London has complained to the BBC over “inexcusable” comments made by the presenters of Top Gear.
In the show, broadcast on Sunday night, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May were discussing the new Mastretta sports car which hails from Mexico when Hammond said “cars reflect national characteristics.”
He then said: “Mexican cars are just going to be lazy, feckless, flatulent, overweight, leaning against a fence asleep looking at a cactus with a blanket with a hole in the middle on as a coat.”
Mexican food was also described as “refried sick”.
Clarkson then joked that the ambassador wouldn’t complain because he would be asleep.
But that comment may come back to haunt the giant Top Gear presenter – with Eduardo Medina Mora writing to the BBC demanding an apology over the “xenophobic” remarks.
He said: “The presenters of the programme resorted to outrageous, vulgar and inexcusable insults to stir bigoted feelings against the Mexican people, their culture, as well as their official representative in the United Kingdom.
“These offensive, xenophobic and humiliating remarks only serve to reinforce negative stereotypes and perpetuate prejudice against Mexico and its people.”
The BBC isn’t commenting on the situation but has confirmed it will speaking to the ambassador.
The Mastretta MXT
It’s the latest in a long line of controversial remarks from the popular trio who rarely go an episode without offending a sector of society.
Jeremy Clarkson’s victims include everything from Vauxhall workers and environmentalists to mental health charities, Gordon Brown and even South Korea.
But the 50-year-old showed humility at the end of Sunday’s episode when he told Australian viewers he was thinking of them following the catastrophic floods the country has suffered.
The comments on Top Gear were, unsurprisingly, met with widespread criticism on the Guardian website. One commenter reminded himself of a TV review about a BBC period drama which featured a woman pleasuring a maid.
He wrote: “It’s not every day you see a leatherclad dildo on the BBC. Unless it’s Jeremy Clarkson.”
Harmless fun or deeply offensive? Leave your comment on the episode below
These guys should be fired. This article doesn’t even quote the most outrageous parts of the comment.
I found the comments very offensive and full of prejudice. I personally know people in Mexico that work 10 hours a day and get paid $50 dlls a week. I support the Mexican ambassador that is demanding an apology. The TV Program is being showed in different Mexican TV programs and people are upset.
Well if the people watching the show only make $50 a week and work 70 hours a week, I doubt any sponsors are really going to care what they think..
You must be English…as a Mexican i can assure you, the comments do not offend me, they only reasure the ignorance of your people!…simple as that!
This is reprehensible. BBC Worldwide has blocked the YouTube posts of this offensive garbage due to copyright laws. The actual show should have been censored by BBC BEFORE IT AIRED. Ignorance and power = dangerous. There’s been a flurry of evidence lately that British media has some deficiencies in scruples and common sense (for example, “Do you think homosexuals should be executed?)
Richard Hammond : you give yourself away like an American, GRINGO that is the way they think..
I hope that of Jeremy Clarkson but not from you Richard Hammond .. this is a Mexican who sees your show every day (the reruns on BBC latinoamerica)
is not the same the car, that the Mexican people
Maybe the Mexicans should care less about what British people say and concentrate more on turning their country into something other than a narcoterrorist dump.
well lilplatinum, then stop consuming drugs so that all the countries (Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Guatemala, El Salvador, India, China, Vietnam, and so on) that produce them can stop violence in its territories. Not only Mexico is having violence due to Drug Cartels, smarty pants… Mexico is not a Narcoterrorist dump. No country is. There is hard working people, ancient culture and tradition. The Top Gear presenters went too far with their comments. We in Mexico have our problems as you in the UK have yours. Misery, racism, poverty and bad politics exist there and everywhere in the world…
That’s a ridiculous comment Lilp. I am from the UK, lived in Mexico for two years and it is nothing like that. Don’t be so bloody ignorant. Clarkson is a prick and should be taken off TV and that is all there is to it. If Gray and that other bloke lost their jobs on Sky for a stupid little remark about a female running the line then Clarkson should be out of a job. He’s an idiot and you sound like a bit of a nonse yourself…….
Technically incorrect. Dump would be US people, where drug that travels through Mexico really ends
Jeremy Clarkson and James May have obviously never been in Mexico and their xenophobic comments only reinforce ignorance
The fact that you haven’t included Richard Hammond just goes to show that you never even saw what happened, much like half the people commenting here. Go watch the clip before getting offended.
What you can expect from an old british stinky clown like clarkson, a looser gay with a hair cut that seems more like a pussy girl (May), and a stupid replica of a Hobbit like Hammond. So I really don´t care what they say, by the way you are welcome to Mexico in case you want to personally clarify something else bunch of asholes !.
I think the comments should not only be offensive to Mexicans. But for every person who prides his/herself of being non-racist and simply morally sound. Not only do the comments do reflect not only a complete lack of education, but an incredible amount of ignorance regarding other cultures, people, and the speed at which modern communications travel. While I think the hosts should publicly apologize, I doubt they will. Only great men are capable of admitting to error and apologizing. Any moron can spit an insult.
Fire the Buggers!! They are Dinosaurs in this Modern Age of new motoring. They are juvenile and way way past their sell-by date as Ambassadors for the Motor Car. Their Arrogance insulting a country with terrible social problems is beyond just an apology. I am not surprised at their idiocy and ignorance and they do Britain no good as presenters on the BBC by displayng an ignorance of breathtaking depth – I hope they read ALL of these comments and get fired
The only thing I agree on all this crazyness is that I’m surprised that it was Hamster the one who stabbed this time, and Clarkson was the demure one
Haha the comments here are hilarious. Clearly you people don’t understand a joke. Nobody got offended when the Australian guests called the British ‘pomme bastards’. Most of you people commenting are making rude, insulting and vulgar comments yourself, so who are you to talk?
c’mon son….a limey badmouthing other country’s food….in the wise words of michael jakcson : “they just ignorant”
join the facebook group “Mexico and Friends of Mexico against Top Gear”
it is a tounge in cheek programme ,usually the funniest programme on tv and anyone who takes the comments seriously is a complete fool.I REPEAT ITS FUN.
Find it funny that any believes anything will happen to these guys. This show is huge and they pretty much say whatever the hell they want. If you do not like them, do not watch them. If you are easily offended do not watch them because they will say something offensive to someone. Being PC is getting ridiculous and people need to move on.
he is one ignorant old poor little lost man… i just feel sorry for him
Oh come off it everyone, they are only taking the piss – they take the piss out of themselves every show as well, as they do the english on occasions also.
Feck me, nobody will be able to say anything soon – because odds on any joke will always offend someone.
He took the piss out of the French too – which he does most weeks, but doesn’t seems to have made their Ambassador cry.
well i thought it was HILARIOUS! stupid mexicans