You were worried the Americans would screw up Top Gear

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25408602-5017817,00.html

Push to make Top Gear less sexist By staff writers NEWS.com.au April 30, 2009 02:01am Push to make Top Gear "female-friendly" POPULAR boy-racer TV show Top Gear may be forced to hire new presenters as part of a government push to make the show more gender and ethnically balanced. This week the Equality Bill was introduced into Britain which encourages employers to take "positive action" to widen diversity in the public sector workforce. Top Gear, along with a number of shows funded by the BBC, now fall under the Bill. There has been pressure on the boys who review their mechanical toys to change, with a leading academic earlier this month saying that the BBC should employ more women to help make shows such as Top Gear "female-friendly", reports London’s Daily Mail. Dr Louise Livesey, tutor in sociology and women's studies at Oxford, accused Top Gear of "entrenched, institutional sexism". As well as being hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, the car show has a "boys' club" production team and fewer female than male guests, it was claimed. But Top Gear executive producer Andy Wilman claimed it was "utter drivel" to suggest that the show excluded women, saying: "If the show is allegedly female-unfriendly, why is almost half the audience female? "Secondly, if we are to have a female presenter just to represent the sexes, then by that logic Loose Women needs a bloke in the line-up pretty sharpish. "I actually believe these sorts of mandates are patronising to women viewers, because they assume that women can't enjoy a show's presenters on merit, but can only appreciate a program if spoken to by one of their own sex."

Funny, my wife and kids (two girls) have zero interest in cars. We don't own or watch TV, but non of them ever miss TG when I down load it!

There are many reason I'm an EX-PAT Brit, this is just one of them!

Danger Mouse and Penfold FTMFW!

I agree, too, that my wife loves TG and sees no problem with it in the slightest.

Being an old fart I had to look up FTMFW, but thanks. I may be a proud new American citizen, but I can still love my heritage and what England once stood for. DM is all that is good about what Britain used to and should still be Bond, Bourne and the rest are just pretenders to his greatness

Honestly, I think my wife would like TG less with a female presenter. Currently, she can laugh at the idiocy of the boys.

Although she did enjoy Sabine driving the hell out of that van around the 'Ring.

Tim Baxter wrote: Honestly, I think my wife would like TG less with a female presenter. Currently, she can laugh at the idiocy of the boys. Although she did enjoy Sabine driving the hell out of that van around the 'Ring.

I agree, My wife never misses a new episode and even a second or third re-run

She laughs like a mental case!

They better leave that show the hell alone. My wife says it's one of her favorite TV shows. "Female unfriendly"? BullE36M3. They don't make fun or otherwise put down women. They are however quite outspoken about how the berkeleying commies have berkeleyed everything up over there. I strongly suspect that the commies are trying to stifle a very popular and vocal critic.

Although a few more guest appearances by Sabine would not be remiss!

The show isn't good because it has "male" presenters, its good because it has James May, Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson. Breaking up that dynamic trio would ruin the show. One day that will run its course and they should look for another good trio (male, female or mixed), but not now, not while they've got an equation that works.

Note to governments: STOP DOING THINGS FOR THE SAKE OF DOING THINGS!!

The clear solution to this issue: PINK STIG!

My wife hates most of my car TV. She enjoys Top Gear as is.

My wife pesters me to get the newest Top Gear, a women who has no interest in cars period can sit and watch reruns of this show.

i think they are talking about the Austrialian version of Top Gear - different hosts, different Stig... I may be mistaken though...

The Australian version is HORRIBLE.

It wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so obviously trying to be just like the English show. It pretty much comes off as a parody... although I don't think I noticed the main host saying "in the world...".

aircooled wrote: "in the world...".

there should be a law saying no other commentator is allowed to say this except Jeremy

Rusty_Rabbit84 wrote:

aircooled wrote: "in the world...".

there should be a law saying no other commentator is allowed to say this except Jeremy

the motion is seconded, let's have a vote.

I think they need to have a show where they go out of their way to poke fun at this law.

"Some say, that she has never used a vanity mirror, and that her teeth are self-cleaning. All we know is... she's not the Stig. But she is the Stig's female cousin!"

And then Pink Stig will come out.

Seems like a good time to repoast this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMuO-8S_0Wg

GregTivo wrote:

Rusty_Rabbit84 wrote:

aircooled wrote: "in the world...".

there should be a law saying no other commentator is allowed to say this except Jeremy

the motion is seconded, let's have a vote.

I vote yea.

I haven't seen the OZ version of TG yet. Is it really as bad as people say?

friedgreencorrado wrote:

GregTivo wrote:

Rusty_Rabbit84 wrote:

aircooled wrote: "in the world...".

there should be a law saying no other commentator is allowed to say this except Jeremy

the motion is seconded, let's have a vote.

I vote yea. I haven't seen the OZ version of TG yet. Is it really as bad as people say?

you're not missing much at all...

FWIW, in the UK, Top Gear is aimed at women. They are the supporting demographic which watches the show.

Edit: +1 on TG Aus being pretty bad.

I read this news story out loud, and my girlfriend said it's the most retarded thing she's ever heard.

Should tell you something...

Rusty_Rabbit84 wrote:

friedgreencorrado wrote:

GregTivo wrote:

Rusty_Rabbit84 wrote:

aircooled wrote: "in the world...".

there should be a law saying no other commentator is allowed to say this except Jeremy

the motion is seconded, let's have a vote.

I vote yea. I haven't seen the OZ version of TG yet. Is it really as bad as people say?

you're not missing much at all...

It might get better. James Morrison is due to replace one of the hosts (the Clarkson wannabe.) And the two other hosts were almost bearable.

It will just be an excuse for them to dress Clarkson up in drag!

May is pretty much a female, right? Just look at his shirts!

Just to echo what everyone else is saying, my 54 year old mother loves TG, she always wants to know if I have any more episodes of "that english car show" on my DVR. She gets visibly angry if she is ever forced to watch any other live-action show with a car in it.