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Jeremy Clarkson criticised for saying Greta Thunberg needs a ‘smacked bottom’
Published 14:31 8 Nov 2021 GMT
Homenews
He described her as an 'annoying bucket of ego'
Jeremy Clarkson has been criticised for writing a newspaper column in which he says climate activist Greta Thunberg needs a "smacked bottom." Writing in his Sunday Times column, the 61-year-old presenter laid into Thunberg, describing her as an "annoying little bucket of ego" with no "knowledge of how the world works" or manners. He then says that she needs a "smacked bottom." Clarkson clearly seemed wound up by the young activist, writing: "I simply don’t get the Thunberg phenomenon. "She has no knowledge of how the world works, no manners and no letters after her name because instead of going to school, she’s been busy sailing round the world so she can be mardy and abusive to grown-ups. "What she needs is a smacked bottom."The former Top Gear host - who infamously lost his job after hitting a producer for not providing hot food - goes on to label the 18-year-old a "pest."
Throughout the column he says that she should go to countries such as China and India, as in Europe and the United States she is lecturing people on stuff they "know already."
He describes climate activists as "timid and wet" for not being "uncomfortable" and surrounding themselves with people who don't like them, encouraging them to speak to Fox News instead of "CNN or the BBC."
And in a bizarre end to the column, he seems to suggest that climate activists should protest by killing themselves, bringing up the example of Emily Davison and Thich Quang Duc.
Many on social media questioned some of Clarkson's comments in the column.
One person wrote: "61year old Jeremy Clarkson calling for 18 year old Greta Thunberg to have her bottom smacked deserves a far more WTAF???? response than it got.
"Middle aged white men using column inches to have pops at a young girl who is concerned about the environment is just fucking weird." https://twitter.com/whoareyouanyway/status/1457393070304112650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1457393070304112650%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-6286425311364153636.ampproject.net%2F2110212130002%2Fframe.html Journalist Ross McCarthey wrote: "Today Jeremy Clarkson said Greta Thunberg ‘needs a smacked bottom’. "Real normal shit." https://twitter.com/RossMcCaff/status/1457352444476858371 Another asked: "What is about Greta Thunberg that makes all old guys gets angry and defensive? Brilliant to see so many young people in Glasgow caring about this planet." https://twitter.com/PamelaW31260390/status/1457468384740876288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1457468384740876288%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-6286425311364153636.ampproject.net%2F2110212130002%2Fframe.htmlIn the column, Clarkson does say that he agrees with Thunberg on one thing though: that there was no point listening to COP26 politicians because the people outside know what needs to be done.
At least the two agree on something.
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