Hopefully I won't get in trouble for this.
In England there is a show called Top Gear on BBC 2 famous for reviewing fast cars and blowing stuff up. The three hosts decided to come to America and travel across the South. They each bought three cars to make the trek. In order to make things interesting, the hosts were given missions along the way. This video segment features a mission in which the goal was to paint one another's cars to attract the most attention.
Some of the slogans painted on the cars were..
“I'M BI”
“MAN LOVE RULES OK”
“Country and Western is rubbish”
“Hillary for President”
“Nascar Sucks”
The trio pulled into a gas station where the manager calls upon her relatives to help throw rocks at both the hosts and camera crew because she is angered by what is painted on the cars. The hosts and crew narrowly escape.
Obviously this is not typical across all of America, but what does this image of Americans represent who we are as a people to other countries?
Is this any different than what we see on shows like COPS and Jerry Springer?
Do we crave this as Americans?
Is this good journalism on Top Gear's part?
What I think: There could have been some careful Survivor-esque editing to increase tension. However, I do not think that the event was staged because from experience I know that such events are highly possible in certain parts of our beloved country.
Please note: If the above link to the video does not work, here is another.
Finally, a word on copyright...
Awhile back, the BBC asked YouTube to take down all of Top Gear videos. Recently, the two have become friends again (presumably through the exchange of money) and most of the videos are back up.
Except for the one video I need. Typical. However I have found other nooks and crannies on the Web that still have the video. And for educational purposes, I think its okay. There must be some clause for that in the BBC somewhere. I hope.
Comments (5)
While the ploy to get a good story out of this situation was clever, I will not say that they acted morally. Provoking a negative response to their actions is no less than what the paparazzi do everyday in their shameless celebrity stalking. Enticing their subject to act in a controversial way seems like a pretty big shortcut. However, I would bet these men set out to make a statement about American culture and they succeeded. Whether that sucess was received fairly and morally, just might not matter.
Posted by Amanda Peterson | March 5, 2007 12:06 PM
Posted on March 5, 2007 12:06
After spending time in Europe this summer, sadly this is the perception that outsiders have of our country. Obviously the events are more likely to happy in the South, and I think the crew should mention that this particular region has attitudes that are generally different from the rest of the country.
Posted by Kayvon Sarraf | March 5, 2007 1:09 PM
Posted on March 5, 2007 13:09
I believe this is another case of Borat : Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) but not as creative. It’s almost a copy of the movie in the sense that these men are from England where this kind of humor has emerged. I am not surprised that in a sports obsessed country that people would throw rocks at a car displaying “nascar sucks”, especially in the south where Nascar is bigger than the World Cup in Europe. I believe I read an article after the Super Bowl that a Chicago Bears fan legally changed his name to Peyton Manning after losing a bet so anything is possible especially when provoked. The Brits are having a nice laugh on the expense of our cultures obsession with sports but I don’t think that will change anything.
Posted by Anonymous | March 5, 2007 8:34 PM
Posted on March 5, 2007 20:34
Im surprised they made it out alive, NASCAR is like a religion nowadays.
Posted by Anonymous | March 7, 2007 11:26 AM
Posted on March 7, 2007 11:26
While this incident does not surprise me, in fact I find the concept hilarious, I cannot come to the conclusion that this makes people of the deep south more NASCAR obsessed than those who follow football (soccer) worldwide. Recently people in Europe have been dying as a result of football violence, including a police officer killed by a homemade bomb in Italy. Tensions are so high between opposing fan bases that wide scale brawls often erupt before, during, and after matches. Most clubs have hooligan elements that are often anti semitic or just racist in general that chant racist slogans at players and fans alike. In Paris one of these supporters was killed by a policeman after a mob attempted to beat a Tel Aviv supporter after a UEFA Cup match. These incidents are vastly more serious than a couple dumb red necks chucking rocks at a car. Football is the worlds game and, as such, results in overzealous supporters willing to succumb to mob mentality.
Posted by Andrew Wiebe | March 10, 2007 12:06 AM
Posted on March 10, 2007 00:06