Comments on: Top Gear attacked by rednecks

By: Dan Jamex

Dan Jamex — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:23:03 +0000

I work as a camera man for the BBC and was there! I have googled this because we have recently been going through the shows archives to look at my 6 years on the team – where i’ve been to places like Vietnam. Alabama was not staged. Do you think someone who displayed violence, homophobia, xenophobia and ignorance would admit throwing stones? this is the same country where in a city destroyed by a hurricane/storm someone had put graffiti stating that riots rule… Also where charity sue those trying to help. Believe me the stains in my pants an the fact we used coke to wash writing off (4 2ltr bottles) when we could’ve “staged” so much more, proves it real. If you think it was a set up then fine – you are only being as ignorant as those who threw stones.

By: Yirmin Snipe

Yirmin Snipe — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:28:51 +0000

There is a reason it matter whether it is staged or not. Because sometime in the future the reality will fade and people will assume that it was real. A similar thing happened when Disney made a movie about nature that included staged scenes of lemmings jumping to their death into the ocean. The reality was the lemmings were trying to escape from the bulldozer that was about to squash them so they would jump into a vat of acid to escape being crushed. Yet to this day there are millions of people that believe lemmings are stupid enough to follow each other over a cliff to die. I’m sure parts of the episode are already tainting peoples perceptions as someone retells the story and leaves out the bit that it was staged until you end up with people thinking that you would be stoned for saying nascar sucks in Alabama.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:13:56 +0000

sucks lol

By: tgfan

tgfan — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 17:49:57 +0000

The actual race is real but the scenes where you see bikers riding over cars ect they are faked. youtube some of them ie top gear parkour and you can see how they stage thm

By: Dave Stopher

Dave Stopher — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 12:53:00 +0000

That episode was funny as!!!

By: uncaring

uncaring — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:12:28 +0000

Honestly I couldn’t care less if it’s staged or not, it’s still funny and looking into is just ruining the fun for yourself. what is the point? it’s undeniable that a lot of americans are like that, hicks, rednecks, idiots that constantly blab about america being the greatest country on earth. the fact that you guys have to constantly tell yourselves that is enough to prove that it’s not true. i’m scottish, i love my country but we’re rubbish and we know it, and we’re proud of it, who gives a crap?

anyway, top gear is fantastic, that ep was one of the best and, staged or not, i’ll still love it as long as episodes with the quality of the lorry one keep on rolling out!

By: Automotive Parts

Automotive Parts — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:51:47 +0000

lol great episode! thanks for posting.

By: redneckman

redneckman — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 03:19:04 +0000

culture shock…..

By: blahblah

blahblah — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:54:25 +0000

What about all the races? Are they fake too? Like the bullet train and stuff. And what about all the challenges they are given…are they fake aswell?

By: The Fact Man

The Fact Man — Wed, 28 May 2008 03:52:14 +0000

I love Top Gear. Easily my favorite show. But, I also accept that most of it is set up/scripted. That’s how they maintain such high level of quality.

I thought the American roadtrip episode was a bit much. They played to their audience a bit too heavily with every tired cliche they could fit in. Anyone else notice that James May’s heart didn’t seem to be in that one?

I decided to research and prove the redneck thing was staged. I live in north Mississippi near Memphis and on a business trip to Destin FL, I went right past their route. On the way back through Alabama I found the gas station in question and spoke with the owner. He was suspicious at first but after finding out I was a fan and not looking to quote him he admitted he was contacted weeks before the filming.

I contacted the BBC and the TG office next. The calls weren’t cheap, but I just had to ask them directly. When they found out I was looking to authenticate that episode they tried to fob me off with some free t-shirts and then refused to comment.

Sorry guys. I know you really really want to believe it’s all spontaneous, (and some of you still will) but on a top rated prime time show- nothing is left to chance.

For a more realistic example of an American road trip, watch Oz Clark and James May’s California Wine Adventure.