Jeremy Clarkson suggests Australia is on fire because 'God is embarrassed' about the country, sparks outrage
Jeremy Clarkson has been slammed on social media as a "lowlife" for an "extraordinarily disrespectful" column he wrote where he seemingly joked about Australia's plight and said it was one fire because "God is embarrassed" about the country.
The former 'Top Gear' host, 59, has not been one to shy away from a controversial opinion, and in his most recent piece for The Sun, he said he "suspected... God didn't want people to live in Australia" and that he had "created it as a continent far, far away where he could house all his experiments that had gone wrong."
He went on to state that several of the country's endemic species the country is home to, including saltwater crocodiles, which he described as "far too savage and bitey," the poisonous redback spider, "which likes to hide under lavatory seats so it can bite a man’s penis when he sits down to do his number twos," and snakes which could kill fully grown men with one bite.
The 59-year-old argued the presence of such species proved Australia was God's "remote outpost to house some of his more ridiculous ideas" and "stuff he came up with when he was drunk."
He pointed out it was uninhabited for millions of years — unfortunately forgetting it has been home to the Aboriginal people for tens of thousands of years — like it should have been, until recent times.
"Plainly, God is embarrassed. Because he’s decided to set fire to it," he wrote. "It’s been argued the fires raging across the country were caused by global warming or out-of-control barbies. But when you look at the footage, you know something Biblical is going on."
While the entire piece was written in jest, it has not sat well with social media users, who have called out Clarkson for being insensitive during a time of turmoil for the country.
"Baffling unfunny, and racist af considering that Australia has been populated for at least 60,000 years," one user wrote, while another posted, "@JeremyClarkson
you make me sick. Your tone-deaf attitude may be babbling senility or simple hubris but regardless of cause you should put your money where your big, fat mouth is, and apologize to suffering Australians losing their lives and homes by donating."
"Our bushfires have destroyed over 1,500 homes, killed 25 people, & killed half a billion animals and we’ve got a piece of s*** like @JeremyClarkson
poking fun at it. You’re a f****** moron mate," another tweeted.
"This Jeremy Clarkson piece in The Sun is extraordinarily disrespectful to Australia. Remarkable that it was published by a family, the Murdochs, who hail from Melbourne," a third user shared.
"#JeremyClarkson you are a lowlife. I’ve long suspected that you were fucked in the head, this is the final proof. Here’s a hint pal, don’t ever come back to Australia. You’ll find you’re not welcome," wrote another.