Uncomfortable.

[ysobelle]

Am I the only one who saw tonight's Top Gear in Vietnam and thought all the flippant, snarky comments about Americans and the war were somewhat...out of line? Especially the "punishment" for the boys if their own motorbikes died in North Vietnam being a red-white-and-blue, stars and stripes motorbike with American flags that played "Born In The USA"?

"Kids, if you don't understand why this'd be staggeringly inappropriate, ask your parents."

Yeah. I get it. I'm not really sure they do, though.

Comments

[elisabella.livejournal.com]

I love Top Gear (in general), and I have four of Jeremy Clarkson's books. I have not seen the Vietnam episode yet, though...

But I can say Jeremy Clarkson is *terribly* anti-American, and considers us all loud mouthed, fat, and rude. Which is irony at its finest if you have ever seen Jeremy Clarkson or heard him speak:)

I find the man a brilliant writer and host, but when it comes to this, he's an asshat. It's like he met one of the 'ugly American's' 40 years ago and has judged us all to be the same since then. Which is sad for him more than the Americans he judges...he just looks like a xenophobic ass:)

[antichris.livejournal.com]

Born In The USA is the perfect song to play on a trip across Vietnam.

Have you ever read the lyrics?

[ysobelle.livejournal.com]

I have. And I still find it staggeringly inappropriate to drive through a country with a giant "fuck you" on display. I find it inappropriate to make light of a war that some people are still fighting in their psyches every fucking day. I find it even more grossly inappropriate when it's done by Englishmen for cheap laughs.