The Mirror "newspaper" has published a story entitled "Jeremy Clarkson's N-word shame", and released a video showing his use of the word. They've called for Sir Jezza to be sacked from Top Gear and the BBC. Clarkson has responded with an apology.
On 1 May 2014 the Mirror ran the story on its website with the headline, "Video: Watch Jeremy Clarkson use n-word in unseen Top Gear footage."
This is the video in question that the Mirror has obtained. It was filmed by Top Gear but wasn't used in the programme.
Clarkson then responded with this video (which you can view here if the embed doesn't work):
It's obvious Jeremy did mumble the word under his breath. I'm 10 years younger than him and when I was at school we all said the same rhyme. Whilst not defendable it is a part of English culture for those of us of a certain age.
I would say though that when in front of adults we'd substitute the offending word for tiger. In Clarkson's case he used teacher in the version used in the programme.
The rhyme is an ancient one and was initially sung by American schoolchildren, but most English people know it from "A Counting-Out Song", from Land and Sea Tales for Scouts and Guides by Rudyard Kipling.
Don't forget that Sir Jezza of Clarkson and Piers Morgan have had a long standing spat. Morgan was recently humiliated when all of America said they hated him and didn't want to watch him on their televisions, so he was sacked by CNN.
Morgan was editor of the Mirror from 1996 to 2004, when he was sacked for falsely claiming that British soldiers abused Iraqi prisoners. He will still have influence with the Mirror.
James May has come out in defence of Jeremy:
Jeremy Clarkson is not a racist. He is a monumental bellend and many other things, but not a racist. I wouldn't work with one. #ThatIsAll
— James May (@MrJamesMay) May 1, 2014
And JC himself tweeted:
I did not use the n word. Never use it. The Mirror has gone way too far this time.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) May 1, 2014
I, and therefore Speedmonkey, feel that Lord Jez Clarkson of Chipping Norton has done nothing wrong. The film wasn't shown on television but was obviously bought by the despicable Mirror to humiliate him. Piers Morgan may or may not be behind it but it stinks to high heaven.
This is Sniff Petrol's contribution to the argument:
What's your opinion, should Baron Clarkson of Jezzashire by sacked or should we ignore this for the silliness it is and carry on?
By Matt Hubbard