began to crash down on the presentersâ cars as well as those of the crew. Genuinely fearing for their safety, the Top Gear convoy sped off. The appalled southerners gave chase and the screen footage was even left blank for a few moments when the team realised they could be in big trouble. After a frantic stop to hastily wash off the offending graffiti and a frenzied race to the county border, as in an unexpected real-life horror movie such as Jeepers Creepers , both trio and crew eventually made it to safety.
Clarkson was left to rue the whole frightening episode: âIn certain parts of America, people have started to mate with vegetables!â On-camera, he admits that heâs now so homesick that he pines for a homosexual British flight attendant to serve him tea and scones.
The brilliant piece of television came to a close with devastating poignancy: they arrived in New Orleans after all their tomfoolery and that redneck incident, only to suddenly be brought back down to earth by the horrific devastation caused to that city by Hurricane Katrina. The dynamic brilliantly brings home the human cost of this natural disaster. As the three drove round what looked like a war zone, their faces were genuinely pallid, open-mouthed and speechless at the blitzed landscape. Jeremy asks how America can sleep at night knowing New Orleans is still in such a mess one year after the hurricane struck. Suddenly, all thoughts of selling their cars and winning any challenge were gone; eventually they worked with a local mission to give the cars away to people whose lives had been wrecked by the storm.
Back in Blighty, Clarkson was still clearly exasperated and the following weekâs column in The Times made no attempt to hide his contempt for much of what he had just seen. Having kissed the ground when he landed back in Blighty, he proceeded to rail against the paranoia, the bureaucracy, the conservatism and litigation culture in what he called Americaâs âpolice stateâ.
When the team reunited in the studio to screen the trip, they revealed that in New Orleans an American lawyer had expressed her disappointment at the car theyâd given away, saying it was different to what sheâd thought had been offered, and apparently even threatening to sue for misrepresentation. James May was safe, though â he couldnât even give his Cadillac away! This masterful Top Gear special ends by rightfully being described asa âproper Boyâs Own adventureâ, before Clarkson concludes they have learnt two important lessons: yes, you can buy rather than rent and second, donât go to America. Genius!
CHAPTER 9
The Stig: Top Gearâs Tame Racing Driver
A s typified by the inclusion of Stigâs American cousin in the superb âUS Road Tripâ special, the brilliant presenting talents of the three main characters in Top Gear are substantially complemented by the showâs âtame racing driverâ, a cartoon character which had, in a very short space of time, become a central part of the programmeâs massive appeal.
At the time of writing, the real identity of The Stig has recently been the subject of a High Court dispute between the BBC and HarperCollins, publishers of the life story of a certain racing driver. Top Gear fans were shocked and excited in equal measure when it was announced that the man behind the famous white helmet had written his autobiography and was therefore about to reveal one of televisionâs most closely guarded secrets but for now, letâs rewind and trace the origins and history of one of modern TVâs most famous images.
The Stig wasnât always so well known. For the debutappearance on the first show of the new Top Gear , the character was a pragmatic and safe necessity. All three of Top Gear âs presenters are known to be very capable drivers indeed, far superior to the man on the street, but the quantity and speed of so many of the
Clarkson was left to rue the whole frightening episode: âIn certain parts of America, people have started to mate with vegetables!â On-camera, he admits that heâs now so homesick that he pines for a homosexual British flight attendant to serve him tea and scones.
The brilliant piece of television came to a close with devastating poignancy: they arrived in New Orleans after all their tomfoolery and that redneck incident, only to suddenly be brought back down to earth by the horrific devastation caused to that city by Hurricane Katrina. The dynamic brilliantly brings home the human cost of this natural disaster. As the three drove round what looked like a war zone, their faces were genuinely pallid, open-mouthed and speechless at the blitzed landscape. Jeremy asks how America can sleep at night knowing New Orleans is still in such a mess one year after the hurricane struck. Suddenly, all thoughts of selling their cars and winning any challenge were gone; eventually they worked with a local mission to give the cars away to people whose lives had been wrecked by the storm.
Back in Blighty, Clarkson was still clearly exasperated and the following weekâs column in The Times made no attempt to hide his contempt for much of what he had just seen. Having kissed the ground when he landed back in Blighty, he proceeded to rail against the paranoia, the bureaucracy, the conservatism and litigation culture in what he called Americaâs âpolice stateâ.
When the team reunited in the studio to screen the trip, they revealed that in New Orleans an American lawyer had expressed her disappointment at the car theyâd given away, saying it was different to what sheâd thought had been offered, and apparently even threatening to sue for misrepresentation. James May was safe, though â he couldnât even give his Cadillac away! This masterful Top Gear special ends by rightfully being described asa âproper Boyâs Own adventureâ, before Clarkson concludes they have learnt two important lessons: yes, you can buy rather than rent and second, donât go to America. Genius!
CHAPTER 9
The Stig: Top Gearâs Tame Racing Driver
A s typified by the inclusion of Stigâs American cousin in the superb âUS Road Tripâ special, the brilliant presenting talents of the three main characters in Top Gear are substantially complemented by the showâs âtame racing driverâ, a cartoon character which had, in a very short space of time, become a central part of the programmeâs massive appeal.
At the time of writing, the real identity of The Stig has recently been the subject of a High Court dispute between the BBC and HarperCollins, publishers of the life story of a certain racing driver. Top Gear fans were shocked and excited in equal measure when it was announced that the man behind the famous white helmet had written his autobiography and was therefore about to reveal one of televisionâs most closely guarded secrets but for now, letâs rewind and trace the origins and history of one of modern TVâs most famous images.
The Stig wasnât always so well known. For the debutappearance on the first show of the new Top Gear , the character was a pragmatic and safe necessity. All three of Top Gear âs presenters are known to be very capable drivers indeed, far superior to the man on the street, but the quantity and speed of so many of the
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