Coogan accuses Top Gear trio of ‘casual racism’

Comedian Steve Coogan has laid into Top Gear presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, saying the trio were guilty of “casual racism” and describing them as “three rich, middle-aged men laughing at poor Mexicans”.

The Mexican ambassador complained to the BBC about the “outrageous, vulgar and inexcusable insults” made on the show after Hammond joked that Mexican cars reflected national characteristics, saying they were “just going to be lazy, feckless, flatulent”.

But Coogan said the adjectives better described Hammond’s comic approach.

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He also criticised the BBC, saying its defence of the presenters amounted to “tolerance of casual racism”.

The corporation wrote to His Excellency Eduardo Medina-Mora Icaza to say it was sorry if the programme, broadcast on January 30, caused offence.

But it claimed that national stereotyping was part of British humour and the remarks were akin to labelling Italians as disorganised and over dramatic, the French as arrogant and the Germans as over-organised.

Writing in a Sunday newspaper, Coogan said: “All the examples it uses to legitimise this hateful rubbish are relatively prosperous countries full of white people. How about if the Lads had described Africans as lazy, feckless etc? Or Pakistanis?

“The Beeb’s hand-wringing suggested tolerance of casual racism, arguably the most sinister kind.”

However, Coogan also said he was a “huge fan” of Top Gear.