TV
'Top Gear' host slammed for cannabis joke
Published Tuesday, Aug 1 2006, 10:55 BST | By Daniel Kilkelly
Top Gear presenter James May has landed himself in hot water after joking about taking drugs.
The former bus driver claimed in a recent episode that he used to smoke cannabis as he drove his passengers.
"Being a bus driver was the easiest job I have ever done," he explained. "It was easier than sitting around on this show because there were no cameras around. Because you're not being filmed when you're a bus driver, you can just light up and have a joint."
A spokesperson for the busmen's union told the Daily Star, "It would be highly irresponsible to drive any vehicle whilst under the influence of drugs. It is not something that he should joke about. Bus drivers bear a great duty of care to their passengers. I am disappointed by James May's actions and would hope that looking back on them, he would make an apology."
A spokesman for the BBC insisted that the comments were made "in jest".
"The Top Gear team's irreverent sense of humour is familiar to the regular audience," he said. "The comment was not to be taken seriously."
The former bus driver claimed in a recent episode that he used to smoke cannabis as he drove his passengers.
"Being a bus driver was the easiest job I have ever done," he explained. "It was easier than sitting around on this show because there were no cameras around. Because you're not being filmed when you're a bus driver, you can just light up and have a joint."
A spokesperson for the busmen's union told the Daily Star, "It would be highly irresponsible to drive any vehicle whilst under the influence of drugs. It is not something that he should joke about. Bus drivers bear a great duty of care to their passengers. I am disappointed by James May's actions and would hope that looking back on them, he would make an apology."
A spokesman for the BBC insisted that the comments were made "in jest".
"The Top Gear team's irreverent sense of humour is familiar to the regular audience," he said. "The comment was not to be taken seriously."
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