Identifying The Stigma

The British (but widely-exported) TV show Top Gear has been in the news this week. Host Jeremy Clarkson has been suspended after his latest incident of bad behaviour.  That's been followed by an on-line campaign from fans to have him returned.  Clarkson appears to be following the same cycle of public offence and forgiveness as Don Cherry and Rush Limbaugh.  Each is fuelled by a fan following in their respective countries that loves their idol more than they're willing to admit, and a public that has a short memory.

It's reminded me that I've been meaning to revive my lapsed attempt at a regular feature, Things I Should Like, But Don't, examining things that seem to be right down my pop-cultural avenue, but that I somehow don't appreciate.

I Should Like:
Top Gear 
 
Why should I like it?
Cars, sarcasm, British humour: there haven't been three things I like this much in one TV show since Sex, Toys, and Chocolate. (Which I didn't like either.)

Why don't I like it?
The problem is that Clarkson and friends don't understand the Jon Stewart Principal of Televised Snark:

• If you're going to be very critical of people and things, you'd better back it up with evidence.
• Being widely critical is easier to take if it's served up with a big dose of self-deprication. 

Dry British sarcastic humour rides a knife edge: when combined with a righteous cause, it can be highly cathartic. But when applied arbitrarily, it comes off as sadistic. And that's my problem with Top Gear. Rather than being interesting or informative, it just seems like three guys being jerks because they can. What could be a fun skewering of the absurdities of modern cars devolves into Simon Cowell Goes Driving.