Will Young slams The Grand Tour for ‘homophobic’ jokes
Will Young condemned The Grand Tour presenters in a series of tweets (John Phillips/Getty and Stuart C. Wilson/Getty)
Will Young has condemned The Grand Tour for being “f**king pathetic and actually homophobic.”
Sunday’s (January 27) episode of the Amazon show sees Jeremy Clarkson ridicule the LGBT acronym, asking co-presenter James May: “What is it, lesbian, bacon, transgender?”
The other host of the driving programme, Richard Hammond, uses stereotypes throughout the episode to repeatedly allude to the idea that Clarkson driving a Jeep Wrangler means he’s gay.
Watch a clip from The Grand Tour episode here:
I used to enjoy Clarkson, May and Hammond before homophobia racism, sexism became the purpose of their TV shows.
I naively thought, maybe that’s gone now.
Turn on The Grand Tour. 3 minutes in was this, followed by racist Colombia jokes and more homophobia. @AmazonUK 1/2 pic.twitter.com/K5yqyg63jV
— Kirsti Conk (@rckktsn) January 27, 2019
While Clarkson is driving the Jeep, Hammond tells him: “I’m proud of you. That’s a hard thing to do and you’ve done it. You’re going to be so much happier.”
He also comments on his fellow host’s clothes, saying: “You should have gone the whole hog… maybe some nice chaps, suede but ventilated at the back.
“And that [pink] shirt, you’ve picked up that colour—have you been getting advice?”
When the song “It’s Raining Men” plays in the Jeep later in the episode, Hammond suggests that Clarkson “think of it as advertising.”
Hammond sparked controversy in 2016 when he said that he didn’t eat ice cream, explaining that it was “something to do with being straight.”
Will Young takes aim at The Grand Tour and Amazon
Young condemned the comments in a series of tweets on Monday (January 28).
He said the show’s presenters were “SO uncomfortable with their sexuality that they reference in some lame way a Wrangler Jeep being a gay man’s car.
“And then Hammond and May’s ‘quips’ to Clarkson wearing chaps, a pink shirt, he should get some moisturiser,” added the PinkNews Award winner.
“Being gay is just SO funny for those type of straight men.”
— Will Young tweeting about The Grand Tour
“It’s f***ing pathetic and actually homophobic. And screw them and the show and Amazon (who by the way is a wonderful organisation I hope to forge a relationship with through LGBT content) for putting this shaming archaic tripe out.”
Tagging Amazon, he continued: “it’s insulting and they can’t rest on laurels of ‘oh we are just politically incorrect.’ It’s sad and shaming, bigoted and for f**k’s sake grow up. How dare they stereotype gay men.”
The “Leave Right Now” singer continued: “I DON’T drive a Wrangler Jeep. I DON’T wear pink shirts. I DON’T wear arseless chaps.
“You can be honest and funny without this ridiculous ‘lad’ ooh being gay and let’s laugh about it mentality. It’s repulsive and how DARE you do it and put it out @PrimeVideo.”
British singer Will Young tears into Amazon’s The Grand Tour (willyoung/twitter)
Young then commented on the “It’s Raining Men” scene, tweeting: “Hang on they are doing more HYSTERICAL things. Pink roof now on Clarkson’s Jeep AND they are playing ‘it’s raining men’ it’s SO funny I can’t contain myself.”
“I mean being gay is just SO funny for those type of straight men,” he added.
“And you know what really f**ks me off is this is a DECISION by the producers. Let’s make one of the narratives the ‘gay Jeep.’ How DARE you, you obtuse, bigoted immature babies of men.”
PinkNews has asked Amazon for comment.
Peter Tatchell joins Will Young in criticising The Grand Tour
LGBT activist Peter Tatchell also condemned the comments on The Grand Tour, telling PinkNews: “Jeremy Clarkson seems to have an unhealthy obsession with gay life. I wonder how and why?
“Pandering to gay stereotypes and making fun of gay men is a feeble throwback to the bigoted 1970s,” continued Tatchell.
“Clarkson, the director and Amazon Prime would never dare mock the black or Jewish communities in this way. Why the double standards?
“They are really scrapping the bottom of the barrel. If this is the best they can do, it suggests a serious lack of comedy talent.”
