BBC Car Shows, The Stig, and Romance Novels

Bitchery Reader Fizz sent me an email that led to the Google Search of Champions. Heather writes about:

potentially THE most powerful endorsement of romance in the known universe.

See, there is this show called Top Gear, aired on the BBC and hosted by Jeremy Clarkson (AKA ‘Clarkson’), Richard Hammond (‘Hamster’) and James May (‘Captain Slow’).

TG is a car show at heart – it’s a hilariously awesome car show, but it’s basically all about the shiny bodywork and VROOM VROOM noises, with the occasional deep and meaningful question…like for example, “How many motorcycles can you jump in a bus?” or “Can you turn a 1974 Reliant Robin – otherwise known as one of the little three-wheeled cars from Mr Bean – into a functioning space shuttle?” or “Can a Bugatti Veyron outrun a fighter jet?”

They have a tame racing driver, who does the test drives: The Stig

The Stig likes to listen to romance audiobooks in the car. He’s quite famous for it. No one knows who or what he is, but Stig is loved by all…and he loves his romance.

Is it possible to get any more powerful validation as a genre? What do you think?

Seriously, the BBC just loves to stick the knife in and twist, doesn’t it? Clever witty shows about cars… and I’m unable to watch them. WOE I HAS IT.

According to the Wiki, The Stig has driven laps listening to power ballads, and learn Italian tapes, but a few other sites reference The Stig’s listening habits.

So, hello out there in BBC land: anyone watch this show? The burning question is, what novels is The Stig listening to!?

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  1. Vuir says:

    A friend of mine swears that the Stig was female in at least one episode.

  2. The F says:

    We LOVE this show and I absolutely adore The Stig. It’s just such a funny show. You should watch the episode where they cross the great ol’ US of A. HILARIOUS stuff of epic proportions.

  3. Randi says:

    I shall add my little voice to all the others about TG. Not a gear head AT ALL, and accidently happened upon TG on BBC America. As it happened, they had David Tennet (from Dr. Who) on. It was hilarious. Then they had the episode, mentioned above thread, where they drove that little tiny car around the BBC offices. SO SO funny. Oh, they also gave Simon (from American Idol fame) a trophy, of sorts, and the footage of them dropping it off was hilarious.

  4. xat says:

    My mom turned me onto Top Gear when she sputtered over the phone at me, “Grannies! In race cars!” I’ve not missed an episode since on BBCAmerica.

    The Stig is awesome; both revered and feared. In the episode where the guys have to put together a kit car in Scotland before the Stig makes the drive from London—with requisite rest stops—the general public’s response to seeing him is great. A lot of stopping and staring and cell phone picture-taking is going on. The Stig rules and if I wasn’t so close to menopause, I’d happily bear his children. At the least I’d carry around his camshaft…

    (Heh. “Married15” not anymore, sweetie, not anymore.)

  5. Kaite says:

    LOVE Top Gear. LOVE The Stig. The Stig listens to romance novels while driving because The Stig can listen to anything on earth and still be so cool, he freezes the water on Mars with his awesomness.

    I also love Hammond. He’s just so googly sweet and cute, I want to fold him up and carry him home in my pocket to snuggle him up.

    Clarkson is a bit of a twat, but he’s a self-aware twat, so I can forgive him for it. Except when he picks on Hammond. *squints evilly across the ocean to BBC studios* Leaves my Hammond be, Clarkson!

  6. Invisigoth says:

    OMG! SQUEEEE!  I LOVE Top Gear!  It’s on BBC America if you get it and I think there are downloads available on the bbc homepage.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/

    you gotta love a show that bills itself as Jackass meets Car&Driver;.

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