I happen to quite like Jeremy Clarkson. No matter that he's a bit right-wing or that some of his newspaper articles seem to have been cobbled together in a couple of minutes, probably by a ghost writer*.
In person and on tele, he's entertaining, interesting and his views are slightly tempered by humour.
No wonder some are willing to confess they like him.
All that being equal, some people still don't like him. So my question today is: Does knowing that his Mum created the original Paddington Bear toy for him make him more likeable?
"Originally made one Christmas as a present for Shirley's and her husband Eddie's children Jeremy and Joanna, the bear remains a classic of its kind - one which still gives me pleasure whenever I see it - and it served as a kind of yardstick when judging other products. Some things, like Concorde and the Jaguar XK120, look right from the word go. It was created with love and it was born with that indefinable something known as star quality. You either have it or you don't."
Michael Bond, author of the Paddington Bear stories
* Although, for the sake of libel writ prevention, let's say not.
July 1, 2008 | Reply
Nah.... Wouldn't make any difference to me, because I like him anyway, mainly because he is so politically incorrect and doesn't care what anyone thinks. Even when I don't agree with him, I find him entertaining. And given I am not the slightest bit interested in cars, I find it highly peculiar that I can sit happily through episode after episode of Top Gear on Dave and be utterly enthralled. James May and the Hamster help of course, but it was Clarkson who hooked me in.
My 12 year old daughter thinks he's hilarious. I'm inclined to agree.
July 1, 2008 | Reply
"And given I am not the slightest bit interested in cars, I find it highly peculiar that I can sit happily through episode after episode of Top Gear on Dave and be utterly enthralled. James May and the Hamster help of course, but it was Clarkson who hooked me in."
You, too, hey? Lot of it about... ;-)
July 1, 2008 | Reply
I am so enthralled I referenced some BMW he recommended in pretty much the first line of my new book. In fact, there will be rather a lot of Top Gear/Clarkson/Hamster/May/Dave references until my editor makes me take them out (the one I've just finished was hommaging Green Wing all over the place, and I had to take most of the references to Mac's mane out...)
July 1, 2008 | Reply
"James May and the Hamster help of course, but it was Clarkson who hooked me in."
Same here. People really don't like him? News to me.
July 2, 2008 | Reply
Oh, they do.