How others see us

Carol Gould at Pajamas Media:

Another glitch for Britain’s image in the world came on February 6 when television presenter Jeremy Clarkson, in an interview in Australia, referred to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown as a “one-eyed Scottish idiot.” The prime minister is visually impaired, is a Scot, and is believed by a large swathe of impoverished Britons to be an idiot, but the Clarkson gaffe made many feel that public decorum and the greatest of British attributes, graciousness, has evaporated.

Comments

[Kit]

Rubbish! We have a long history of insulting our Prime Minsters.

[Barry Foster]

I agree. We have a very healthy disrespect for politicians - and it's richly deserved. I'm all for being gentlemanly, but I like it that people like Jeremy can say things to cameras that I don't have the opportunity to do. He speaks for me. Actually, I wish he would speak up more for the motorist (and the common man) than he already does.

[Sebastian Weetabix]

I don't recall decorum & deference featuring strongly in Gillray's cartoons.

[Allan M]

The strange thing is that the magnificent Clarkson had to apologise for what is indisputable fact: the PM is a one-eyed, Scottish…

At least he stuck to the important opinion, for which, it seems, there is increasing agreement in the country.

As a disabled person with a noticable hump and much pain (also a spas-ticket (aka. blue badge), I find the pitying attitude of his critics nauseating.

[Laroquois]

I think calling Dear Leader an idiot was deeply offensive to idiots and grossly overestimates his abilities. All sing...

Oh, there was a little drummer and he loved a one-eyed cook
He loved her oh, he loved her though she had a cock-eyed look
With her one eye on the pot and the other up the chimney with a bow wow wow
Fa la la la la dee dee bow wow wow

And this couple went a courtin' for to walk along the shore
Said the drummer to the cookie "You're the girl that I adore"
With her one eye on the pot and the other up the chimney with a bow wow wow
Fa la la la la dee dee bow wow wow

Said the drummer to the cookie "Will you name the wedding day?"
Said the cookie "We'll be married in the merry month of May"
With her one eye on the pot and the other up the chimney with a bow wow wow
Fa la la la la dee dee bow wow wow

Said the drummer to the cookie "Will you buy the wedding ring?"
Said the cookie "Now you're talkin' that would be the very thing"
With her one eye on the pot and the other up the chimney with a bow wow wow
Fa la la la la dee dee bow wow wow

When they went to church to say I will the drummer got a shock
For her one eye killed the parson and the other stopped the clock
With her one eye on the pot and the other up the chimney with a bow wow wow
Fa la la la la dee dee bow wow wow

[Young Mr. Brown]

Manners are clearly a matter of debate. To speak of the Prime Minister as a “one-eyed Scottish idiot” will appeal greatly to some, but to others will make Clarkson appear as ungracious and boorish.

Perhaps more seriously, it gives the impression that Clarkson would be happier if the Prime Minister were a two-eyed English idiot.

[John East]

I 'm not sure I care if JC might "appear as ungracious and boorish" to some. Us JC fans accept that he is usually ungracious and boorish, and also rude, disrespectful, dogmatic and insensitive.

This is why we love him so much.