Post by Beeth on Sept 17, 2010 17:11:39 GMT
I would have a new Stig, and just have his identity open from the start, and then never mention or discuss his name or show his face on the programme, unless hinted at as part of a gag or something. I'm sure that would work, albeit on a different level granted. But it would mean the position would be secure for considerably longer at any rate. And it would be amusing in a way.
Any road, folks were close to finding out the guy's identity anyway. I've been fairly sure it was Collins for a while now having read various bits of evidence about the place now. He's had a good run on the show, I personally wish him all the best in his future endeavours.
1. Ben Collins is no way cool enough to really be The Stig, even though we know it was him. In real life he just seems a bit like a boring posh knob.
He's a racing driver. All racing drivers have boring personalities. It really amuses me how people constantly complain about no-talent "celebrities" with dumb personalities, and then go on to complain about someone with a real ability who remains modest, good natured and shows little egotism about the whole thing, as being a "boring posh knob", as you so eloquently put it. Further example; Rowan Atkinson is a very "boring" and reserved person in real life, which is in stark contrast to the various personas he's played over the years, yet no-one calls him out on it.
I've already covered my comments on that first point, but I will agree with you on the staying anonymous front. I don't see Top Gear lasting that much longer myself, in its current form. There's nothing to have stopped Ben from writing the book, and then holding back on it's release. But if he feels he wants to move on to pastures new that's his decision to make.
Rapidly forgotten? He lasted considerably longer than Black Stig, appears in countless re-runs of the episodes on BBC and Dave alike so the show's not exactly hurting for screentime, and the character's been featured on endless and widespread merchandise all the way along. He's had a long and really rather good run. I hardly think he'll be forgotten in a hurry.
Not to mention Perry McCarthy made the exact same decision to release a book at the time he was Black Stig, I don't see any bile towards him for it. No mystique has suffered, because the Stig is a fictional character, played by whichever skilled driver has been lucky enough to get employed by the show.
Both McCarthy and Collins new the terms of their contract: If their identity is revealed on a public capacity, their contract will be terminated. I think the reason there's so much backlash is because few people know who he is. Which further cements my point on the "celebrity" contradiction. If it was, say, Michael Schumacher or someone equally famous who did turn out to be the Stig, there would still be backlash on him revealing his identity, but a good proportion of people wouldn't mind simply because he is a recognisable face.
I honestly don't get why people like to complain so much. Yes, he's compromised the show, but Top Gear's a good enough show to bounce back and employ a new driver, and a bit of change might inject a bit of new life into the show anyway. But to complain because he's "not famous" is a bit of a rich statement coming from people who routinely complain about "celebrities" and distinct lack of talent and, in some cases, intelligence.
I, for one, look forward to his new book; with seven years of experience from the show under his belt, I'm sure he has many tales to tell of his time on the program. It'll be refreshing to get a new perspective on its events as I'm quite a fan of the programme and what it has featured over the years.
tl;dr - Stop bloody moaning. He's a good guy.
P.S. - And don't give me all that bull about him "cashing in" on the franchise. He'll have made substantially more actually working on the programme than he ever will off the book he's released.
Any road, folks were close to finding out the guy's identity anyway. I've been fairly sure it was Collins for a while now having read various bits of evidence about the place now. He's had a good run on the show, I personally wish him all the best in his future endeavours.
A few thoughts occur to me from watching that This Morning interview:
1. Ben Collins is no way cool enough to really be The Stig, even though we know it was him. In real life he just seems a bit like a boring posh knob.
He's a racing driver. All racing drivers have boring personalities. It really amuses me how people constantly complain about no-talent "celebrities" with dumb personalities, and then go on to complain about someone with a real ability who remains modest, good natured and shows little egotism about the whole thing, as being a "boring posh knob", as you so eloquently put it. Further example; Rowan Atkinson is a very "boring" and reserved person in real life, which is in stark contrast to the various personas he's played over the years, yet no-one calls him out on it.
The first point is valid though, the TG team have created a persona that Ben Collins himself could never truly live up to in real life, he would've been better off staying anonymous, at least until TG had run its course and been cancelled by BBC
I've already covered my comments on that first point, but I will agree with you on the staying anonymous front. I don't see Top Gear lasting that much longer myself, in its current form. There's nothing to have stopped Ben from writing the book, and then holding back on it's release. But if he feels he wants to move on to pastures new that's his decision to make.
he could've gone down as part of the folklore, now he'll be replaced, be rapidly forgotten, just like Black Stig was, and will probably be forever regarded as the man who ruined the mystique of the whole character. What a tit!
Rapidly forgotten? He lasted considerably longer than Black Stig, appears in countless re-runs of the episodes on BBC and Dave alike so the show's not exactly hurting for screentime, and the character's been featured on endless and widespread merchandise all the way along. He's had a long and really rather good run. I hardly think he'll be forgotten in a hurry.
Not to mention Perry McCarthy made the exact same decision to release a book at the time he was Black Stig, I don't see any bile towards him for it. No mystique has suffered, because the Stig is a fictional character, played by whichever skilled driver has been lucky enough to get employed by the show.
Both McCarthy and Collins new the terms of their contract: If their identity is revealed on a public capacity, their contract will be terminated. I think the reason there's so much backlash is because few people know who he is. Which further cements my point on the "celebrity" contradiction. If it was, say, Michael Schumacher or someone equally famous who did turn out to be the Stig, there would still be backlash on him revealing his identity, but a good proportion of people wouldn't mind simply because he is a recognisable face.
I honestly don't get why people like to complain so much. Yes, he's compromised the show, but Top Gear's a good enough show to bounce back and employ a new driver, and a bit of change might inject a bit of new life into the show anyway. But to complain because he's "not famous" is a bit of a rich statement coming from people who routinely complain about "celebrities" and distinct lack of talent and, in some cases, intelligence.
I, for one, look forward to his new book; with seven years of experience from the show under his belt, I'm sure he has many tales to tell of his time on the program. It'll be refreshing to get a new perspective on its events as I'm quite a fan of the programme and what it has featured over the years.
tl;dr - Stop bloody moaning. He's a good guy.
P.S. - And don't give me all that bull about him "cashing in" on the franchise. He'll have made substantially more actually working on the programme than he ever will off the book he's released.