Jeremy Clarkson’s comments on television have landed him in controversy more than once. Now he’s in trouble over a remark about his own TV set.
The controversial Top Gear presenter, who has driven environmentalists mad with his eco-sceptism, was commenting on the energy-saving mode on his new TV when he referred to “Lenny Henry in a cave”.
In a newspaper column, he wrote: “Like so many things in life these days, my new LG flatscreen television has an eco feature. You can choose how much energy you would like it to consume. Very little, a medium amount or tons. But one word of warning.
“If you turn the feature on, the screen dims so much, every programme looks like it’s being presented by Lenny Henry in a cave.”
War hero Johnson Beharry, 31, from Grenada, commented: “Remarks like this just aren’t funny. They legitimise racism.”
Mr Beharry, awarded the VC for his bravery in Iraq, said: “People think it is acceptable to poke fun at people without thinking about the consequences.”
Race equality campaigner Lee Jasper added: “It starts off with Clarkson making stupid racist comments and it ends up as playground taunts and racist slurs on the street.
“People take it as a green light and think, ‘Well, if Clarkson can have a joke at the expense of someone’s race then so can I’.”
He added: “It’s unnecessary. The whole point is Clarkson is naturally funny. There’s no need to resort to racism.”
Earlier this year the BBC apologised over comments on Clarkson’s Top Gear programme made by his co-presenter Richard Hammond about Mexicans. - Daily Mail