Top Gear stars cause religious row after dressing up in burkas on Boxing Day special

Daily Mail (UK) ^ | 28th December 2010 | Daily Mail Reporter

[Moltke]

Jeremy Clarkson and his Top Gear co-stars have sparked religious outrage after dressing up in burkas on the Boxing Day special.

Clarkson and Richard Hammond decided to dress in niqabs, a form of the burka where everything but the eyes are covered, in order to disguise themselves on the road.

They also got James May in on the act when they greeted him from hospital after he fell and hit his head on rocks in the Syrian desert.

[philled]

The British version of The Office is much better than the American, British Little Britain is better than American version, too.

I agree! By the time the Office hit the USA, I'd become so used to the UK version it ruined it for me. I can't imagine Little Britain Americanized- please tell me they didn't try it! Also, What Not to Wear (UK) was great. A half-dozen years ago I had a major crush on Trinny Woodall...

[SevenofNine]

That the dude okay I remember that story didn’t see the crash I hear about it

[SevenofNine]

You haven’t hear you hear of Absolutry Fablous they try bring to American TV right now soon

[FrdmLvr]

Oh yeah. The American version of WNTW is way too long and boring. And they are no Trinny and Suzanne. And Michael Scott is certainly no David Brent. Ricky Gervais was genius in that role.

You can understand every word of Vicki Pollard in the American version. She talks way too slow..it just ain't right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7rnVWo7SGM&feature=related

Did you ever see Trailer Park Boys, a Canadian production but it played on BBC America.

[KevinDavis]

I was sure that car was not going to make it.. That was awesome...

[KevinDavis]

There is also talk of bringing Peep Show over to American TV..

[SevenofNine]

yeah I hear I wonder going be success they try bring Coupling to American TV that didn’t go well

[Frantzie]

I found on youtube an episode where he and Hammond drove a Lancia Stratos circa 1970s. It was a small awesome rally car with a V-6 Ferrari engine. There is a kit car version available in England that uses a V-6 Alfa engine. What is amazing is the kit car looks just like the Stratos.

A subseqent episode on YouTube has Clarkson driving the kit version which needed some sorting. The kit with an Alfa V-6 is more powerful and faster than the original with the Ferrari V-6. My guess is that was the engine used in the Ferrari Dino.

The Stratos is an amazing car. Pre Ferrari in the 1950s - the Formula 1 car to race was usually either a Alfa or Lancia. Old man Ferrari had worked at Alfa.

Most UK auto journalists have a love hate relationship with Alfas.

Before I dumped Tv - Top gear had one where they drove a Mazda RX 8, Audi TT and a Alfa Brera (?). They have to at the end go to a Scottish National Gallery to defend the design styling to 3 university art professors. Hammond had the Rx-8, Clarkson had the Audi and threw in a bunch of Bauhaus design BS to the bemused professors. James May who is the most articulate gave his critique of the Alfa, it was voted the best and I think was put in the gallery. Search google for episode 9.2 from 2007.

It was bizarre and hilarious.

[Oztrich Boy]

If anybody is still in the dark about Top Gear, then find the episode where they made the run from the Amazon River to the Pacific.

"Top Gear: Ambitious, but Rubbish"

[LibFreeOrDie]

The highlights of that Top Gear episode are on youtube. The burkas appear at about 11 minutes into the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8SgYx_8EPs

(Youtube has a lot of other British Top Gear videos,too.)

[Sergio]

Very cool. Thanks for sending me the link.

[The Comedian]

It's a political row. Islam is a political cult, not a religion.

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[MamaDearest]

Before I dumped Tv -

We dumped satellite TV too. I would estimate "regular" TV is watched a maximum of 20-25 hours in a full year at our house. Too many shows bashing Christianity and/or showing offensive (to my family) lifestyles.

The Alfa we owned was quite attractive (white with black mag wheels and black top). Everywhere we went people loved the car. It turned over in the coldest of weather (and at the time we owned it was kept parked outdoors). My husband is a sports-car loving type of guy.

What we like most about the series is that Hammond, Clarkson and May all readily vocalize whether the cars they drive are pathetic, their shortcomings and even the difference between original cost and what they can be bought for now "used" in these economic times. I cannot picture this kind of honesty from an American version of the show. Too many people (controlling) have vested interests in "things" here in America lately (and definitely there are the same issues with the channels/stations that would feature the shows).

[NotYourAverageDhimmi]

“Islamic extremist Anjem Choudary, said: ‘The burka is a symbol of our religion and people should not make jokes about it in any way...”

Is Choudary the guy with that homeless man beard and funny hat?

[MamaDearest]

Islam is a political cult, not a religion.

They've created their own stereotype. Jeff Dunham has been doing it for years.

[KevinDavis]

I don’t know. It is going to be on Spike Tv so it could be good as the British version..

[Vanders9]

Oh yes....”James May is up there in his washing machine. I will not let the best car in the world be beaten by a flying washing machine!”

[usconservative]

This is why I absolutely love the BBC version so much better than the American version. Saw the episode, LOVED it!