BBC Defends Racist Jokes

The BBC isn’t always as sophisticated as it seems: The channel is defending offensive jokes about Mexico on one of its programs, saying jokes about national stereotypes are a “robust part” of British humor. The uproar began when hosts of the car show, Top Gear, said Mexican cars would be “lazy, feckless, flatulent, overweight, leaning against a fence asleep looking at a cactus with a blanket with a hole in the middle on as a coat.” Mexico’s ambassador to London fired off an angry letter to the BBC. "When we do it, we are being rude, yes, and mischievous, but there is no vindictiveness behind the comments," the BBC replied in a statement. "Whilst it may appear offensive to those who have not watched the program or who are unfamiliar with its humor, the executive producer has made it clear to the ambassador that that was absolutely not the show's intention.”