ooh, what's the phrase... oh yeah "such an unpleasant troll on every level". Doncha think?

...claimed the other day that Frankie Boyle is, and I quote, "a maverick". I think there's a certain kind of person that sees Clarkson the same way, just because he says ill-thought-out things. Apparently that's now the same as cutting-edge independent thinking. I don't begin to understand it.

The kind of national treasure I could happily see buried .

but I have to admit that I don't spend a great deal of time (none, in fact) worrying about what he stands for. He is a strangely-loveable buffoon as far as I'm concerned. I find his passion for cars ridiculous yet I always watch his programmes. He is a great TV presenter and that's enough for me.

so many people round so these parts seem to find sexism, xenophobia (crypto-racism) and a vast misunderstanding of machismo appealing. Maybe he's really in touch with the national mood.

but, to my mind, he embodies the slightly right-wing man who feels a bit lost in the world. He's past his prime and, although he used to be cutting edge, the modern world now routinely baffles him. This may be a sweeping generalisation, but I suspect that description fits a LOT of people.

many of his stetements are made because saying things calculated to incense the more "right-on" members of British society is now his brand image, his schtick. I think he started off with a few slightly right-of-centre, Guardian-unfriendly views, but now amplifies this characteristic into a caricature of his real personality and views. Which is what happens to most TV personalities, I guess. When he appears on QI he generally reveals himself to be rather more intelligent and sane than is otherwise evident, though The Schtick is even creeping in there, on his last couple of appearances.

He's popular because he has a platform to provide glib, uninformed social commentary which, because it tends to err on the side of 'carry on what you're doing, don't go to any effort to look after your fellow human beings or the planet' has a certain lazy appeal to some sectors of society. The fact that he is relatively uncensored and unfettered by anything so prissy as 'political correctness' (otherwise known as 'thoughfulness' or 'politeness') makes him something of a renegade, a characteristic he plays up to.

Ultimately he's the Daily Mail if it was a bloke: right wing, scandalised by anything and everything, ludicrous levels of self-righteousness. The fact that everyone from teenagers to 60-somethings idolise him - often overlooking his ultra-conservative outlook purely because he is enthusiastic about cars - is very depressing.

who I always found very attractive. Then one day, she was reading a Clarkson book, and I was so distraught I had to change trains. Perhaps she was a book reviewer and was about to deliver a withering 500 words on Clarkson's latest denim-clad diatribes... but I suspect not.

she fancied ypu and thought you were the type of bloke who would like Clarkson so she bought the book to impress you even thou it hurt her eyes to even pretend to read his lazy xenophobia.

Walk right back to her and give her a great big kiss

I warmed to him when he did a road trip to France. His little Englander portrayal didn't last long when he admitted that everything that mattered to him was better than back home, roads, food, cost of living etc.

I like him on Top Gear, his wordplay is often very enjoyable, but I've not tried his books.
I probably don't agree with much that he says (his dismissiveness of any kind of environmental/sustainability arguments for example) but he clearly plays it up for laughs.

he makes me laugh, he does some excellent interviews, for the star in a reasonably priced car slot, and he can be very eloquent and rather inspired with his use of language when describing cars and all that. Sometimes he's a bit of a prat too, which he seems aware of and his co-presenters happlily mock him for it. His views when expressed on this show have never offended me and I'm not right wing.

I've never read his books or Sun column, though I do often feel things are going to hell in a handcart.

Once when he presented HIGNFY he did come over as a bit of a tosser I must admit.

Overall my experience of the guy is favourable.

And that is a good trait in anyone.

... who lacks the wit and skill of PJ O'Rourke.

He reminds me of Bono. So basically he's someone whose work I despise but who I'd hate to meet because I might end up liking him.

I don't understand why he's popular but then I could generate a pretty long list of that category. The good thing is that in general, he's pretty easy to avoid (his QI appearances are not nearly as bad as they might be). I'm sure Alan Partridge would approve of him.

I used to like JC and Top Gear. Until Clarkson blasted his horn whilst I was crossing the road in Woodstock several years ago. Other than having the temerity to step on to a zebra crossing in front of him I have no idea what I did. I just smiled and received the one fingered salute. Charming man. Bloody Yorkshireman (sorry..does that count as a troll? It's ok. I'm a Lancastrian)

You really ought to see the Australian version, it's much, much worse than the UK edition.

I know this is hard to believe, but the Aussie franchise is even more downmarket, boorish and blokey than the British version.

It's sanctioned by Clarkson and co and has their blessing, so true to form the Aussies have slavishly copied the original format, while skilfully leaving out what little subtly was there to start with.

So what remains are three boorish, unshaven Aussie blokes in checked shirts insulting each other, while blathering on about powerful Aussie cars.

Here's a clip from the first Aussie series. Two of these dorks were quickly replaced by the time of the second series. I'll leave you to work out which ones and why.

I'll watch anything he does and read anything he writes.

much of what he says resonates with me - nanny state, UK no longer making 'stuff', environment, etc etc

I've taken the Guardian since 1968 :-)

I've tried to watch Top Gear and I just don't get it. It's all bit 'blokey' for my sensitive tastes.

but I do. His attitude and politics are all wrong, but there seems to be no malice in his public persona.

And besides, he once chinned that twunt Piers Morgan. I'd give him a knighthood just for that.

I am a long way from being right wing and don't agree with much of what he says but then I'm sure much of that is done for effect and to remain in character.He writes well amd makes entertaining television programmes. What's not to like?

He has flogged it pretty well to death by now, hasn't he? He started as a presenter and he was quite sparky. Slowly but surely it became an act. I don't watch him and I don't read him. I have seen and read it all before. It just now has a megaphone. The last of his non-comedy programs on 2nd War heroes was good.He can do it when he wants. He just doesn't want to as there is not much money in it.

Yes,

I re-call that now. I understand he went in to tv because the money was so good. He wasn't wrong.

He irritates me like you wouldn't believe.
If I were Levis I would sue him for their drop in sales. Who on Earth wants to look like him? Complete knob.
As for his comments about my beloved Birmingham - if you don't like the place don't come here.We have standards to maintain.

I find I can enjoy his work without agreeing with everything he says.

but get the 3 of the TG presenters together and they seem go all schoolboy-japes-and-pranks.

Think Russell Brand, Jonathan Ross and Ronnie Corbett after too much fizzy dandelion and burdock mixed with meths.

is great. Top Gear is good fun and is often breathtakingly shot - some of the best in television. The documentary that Clarkson did on the St. Nazaire raid was brilliant television which rightfully placed the heroic actions of a group of men right at the forefront of the story.
He's a good writer and an amusing man in general. Sometimes he says things that are a bit irritating. So what? Even Morrissey does that.

I put this to him via an email to Simon Mayo's 5live show when Clarko was flogging his Xmas DVD a couple of years ago. It was read out. Clarko agreed. In spades. He worships at the altar of PJ and held his hands up to trying hard and not being worthy, etc.

He is playing a part which pays him money. His opinions won't change the World.

The two programmes he made about the St Nazaire raid and the Victoria Cross showed him using his powers for good. Both were spot on.

How could Clarkson take that title when we have Jonathan Ross?

Personally, I can't stand him. I find him vile beyond measure. I'm not his target audience (unless one defines "target" as an object in his sights on a bike, as Jezza puts his put through the floor of his latest dick substitute and sends another snivelling liberal to kingdom come), so I doubt he's losing too much sleep over it.

Off screen, a friend of mine used to frequent the same cafe as him in West London, and said he was charmless and surly with the staff, which is a pretty good measure of a person in my book.

Still, if I had to have a pint with Clarkson or Piers Morgan, I'd choose Clarkson, no question. I think Piers Morgan is in his own rarified category of despicability.

What have I missed?

that's some serious blog acceleration.

Come on boys.. It's Christmas!

If Jeremy Clarkson were a sandwich,
[adopt risible throaty tone]
it'd be a Marmite one.
[switch back to drole aside mode]
But at least no one's forcing you to eat one.

[cut to Richard Hammond stuck up a tree on a Vespa]

But he said one thing in one of his columns that bothers me. He said that Microwaves shouldn't require you to put in a time because what bloke of a certain age can be bothered to do that?

He said that he tends to just bash in 8888 and see what happens.

So does he remove his undies when he sits on the bog - or is that just too hard to do as well?

what people have against him.

Is he just an annoying personality? Fair enough.

Or has he voiced some reprehensible opinion that I'm not aware of? I suppose it may be his global warming skepticism. So that's fair enough if it's the type of thing that offends you.

Personally, I quite like him. Larger than life, and clearly quite intelligent. I've dipped into his writings, and I can only remember curmudgeonly stuff about the sorry state of modern pop music or TV or whatever. I tend to agree.

He wrote a column for Performance Car magazine, and it was clear then that he had star quality - funny, provocative and always worth reading. In print it's not always clear how far his tongue is lodged in his cheek; I made the mistake of looking at the comments section of his Times column online and it was just a train of people fervently agreeing with what were clearly silly exaggerations meant for comic effect. Those people not getting it doesn't make him a bad journalist any more than David Cameron liking the Smiths makes them a bad band. (They are, but not for that reason...)

That is all.