Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson in race row

The BBC may be sued by an Indian-born actor for airing an episode of Top Gear in which host Jeremy Clarkson used a racial slur against Asians.

In the recently aired Top Gun Burma special, Clarkson had just finished building a bridge. As an Asian man walked across it, Clarkson said “That is a proud moment, but there’s a slope on it.” Slope is a derogatory name for people of Asian descent. The origins of the slur are unclear, but it was used more commonly between the 1940s and 1960s in reference to Vietnam.

Actor Somi Guha, with the help of her lawyers Equal Justice, has lodged a formal complaint with the BBC. She requested the show not be commissioned for another season until something is done to make sure the racism will not continue.

In her complaint, she wrote:

Casual racism in the media by established BBC stalwarts is constantly brushed aside…I find it offensive that Jeremy Clarkson refers to people of different races in pejorative terms. What is that saying to children who watch him? - that it's OK to bully and make racist comments.”

Guha also referenced in her letter that this was not the first time that Clarkson had said something racist. In a 2011 episode of the show, Clarkson and his co-host Richard Hammond made gross generalisations about Mexicans, calling them “lazy, feckless, and flatulent.” Iris de la Torre, a Mexican student, pressed charges, but dropped them as soon as she received a written apology from BBC.

De la Torre was also represented by Equal Justice. Lawyer Lawrence Davies made a statement, saying:

The BBC defends his behavior as British humour but it is offensive, casual racism being used to boost ratings.”

This begs the question: where is the line between humour and racism?

Furthermore, as the BBC is funded through a public license fee, why should we be legally required to pay for programming which makes racist comments?

Guha is prepared to take legal action against the BBC if they do not respond to her complaint. Equal Justice claim that the lawsuit, which would accuse the BBC of violating the 2010 Equality Act, could cost the media conglomerate up to £1 million.

Belinda Schwarz