[Clark]

Do you think Michael Richards (of Seinfeld-fame) is generally a funny comedian? Focusing on a particular standup comedy routine, do you think he was funny when he directed racial epithets at a specific class of people? Whether you answer "yes" or "no" to those questions, Richards has the free speech rights to say whatever he wants, even if it offends a class of people.

But in reaction to Richards' "statements", people that were offended by what Richards said exercised their right to disassociate themselves from his offensive speech. By doing so, they exercised something mightier than censorship, they exercised their right to spend their money elsewhere. At this very moment Richards can still say whatever offensive utterance he wants, and he can do it with full protection of the First Amendment, but most people will respond with "not on my dime." Since he can't get a gig, Richards no longer has any opportunity to offend the very audience paying his wages.

We Americans are currently embroiled in a similar situation with Jeremy Clarkson. If you believe he's funny, and aren't offended that he hates you because you're an American, then watch his television show. You may delude yourself in whatever fantasy convincing yourself he doesn't really hate you ("it's tongue-in-cheek", "he's really just jealous", "it's British humor", etc.), but know this fact: he hates Americans, and this means you.

If you think he's offensive, and it's obvious I do, then you need to do something that will allow him to continue exercising his right to spew his hatred of everything/everyone American, while also showing your strength as a consumer. Boycott his television show and tell every station that runs his show that you're doing so. Boycott the sponsors of his television shows, and tell them that you're doing so. Get others of a like mind to do the same thing (that's why I'm doing this). If enough people will "do something", he'll get the point soon enough and he'll either apologize, or he'll go on spewing his hate...but not on my dime.

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"I hate the Americans." - "Don't Stop Me Now", written by Jeremy Clarkson

"If you're thinking of coming to America, this is what it's like: You've got your Comfort Inn, you've got your Best Western, and you've got your Red Lobster where you eat. Everybody's very fat, everybody's very stupid, and everybody is very rude. It's not the holiday program, it's the truth."- Jeremy Clarkson

"If this were America, it would be full of people doing... whatever it is they do. Incest, mostly, I think." - Jeremy Clarkson while comparing a rural British village with a rural American village

"...I mean, the Americans are good for a lot of things, incest mostly..." - Jeremy Clarkson

"America: 250 million wankers living in a country with no word for wanker" - Jeremy Clarkson

"Most Americans barely have the brains to walk on their back legs." - Jeremy Clarkson

"In some parts of America they've actually started mating with vegetables." - Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear's Big American Road Trip

"They're made in America, of course, so that fat Yanks can go to the fridge without expending any energy." - Jeremy Clarkson while driving a Segway

"You see, the thing about putting a nice big engine like this on is for one big reason: weight, alot of weight. this big thing weighs nearly 600 pounds, which is the same as putting a whole american on the back" - Jeremy Clarkson

But mostly, I suspect the people who move from Britain to the States do so because they are interested in guns and murdering. - Jeremy Clarkson

"So why, you may be wondering, do I own a Ford GT? That's simple. The body is British, the gearbox is British, the steering rack is from an Aston, the chassis was set up by a couple of guys from Lotus, the wheels are German and the brakes are Italian. The power is American, yes, but it's tamed and sophisticated by Europeans. It's a metaphor, in other words, for the perfect world." - Jeremy Clarkson