Clarkson says New Zealand is the real holy land

Motoring programs are not usually something I follow that much.  However something that links Israel and New Zealand needs a mention.

Jeremy Clarkson, of Top Gear has written to say that New Zealand is the real holy land

With characteristic humility, Clarkson uses his newspaper column to advise God that he made a mistake when choosing the Middle East as his religious base.

"If you were God and you were all-powerful, you wouldn't select Bethlehem as a suitable birthplace for your only child because it's a horrible place.

"And you certainly wouldn't let him grow up anywhere in the Holy Land.

"What you'd actually do is choose New Zealand."

You know, in some ways I actually agree.  Israel is a rugged place.  Nobody else but the Jews want to live there, really.

If God really were all-knowing, continues Clarkson, "children at Christmas time today would be singing 'Oh little town of Wellington' and people would not cease from mental fight until Jerusalem had been built in Auckland's green and pleasant land."

Perhaps the most startling compliment, however, is Clarkson's claim that if God had got it right, "Jesus would have been from Palmerston North", a stark deviation from the verdict of his countryman John Cleese, who once said the North Island city should be renamed "suicide capital of New Zealand" because "if you wish to kill yourself but lack the courage to, I think a visit to Palmerston North will do the trick".

I actually think Clarksons comments could be related to the high number of Born again Christians in Palmerston North, including those that have been predicting the second coming for a while now :-)

Clarkson is better known for mean-minded and borderline racist insults than glowing compliments.

In 2007 he attracted flak for not only calling the Malaysian-manufactured Perodua Kelisa the "worst car in the world", but suggesting that it had been built by "jungle people who wear leaves as shoes".

In 2005 he gave a Nazi salute while reviewing a car from the German company BMW, and said the vehicle's satellite-navigation "only goes to Poland".

My feeling is that you can't take any of these comments too seriously...

John Cleese appearing in Israeli film

British Actor John Cleese is to appear in a film by Israeli Writer-director Reshef Levy.  I must say, it looks really interesting and a lot of fun!

The film, written by Levy, follows Jonathan, a 12-year-old boy whose life is turned upside down after his father dies in an accident at a bank he works for. After the bank refuses to take responsibility for the accident, Jonathan decides to rob the bank with the help of three senior citizens.

This is also quite ironic when considered in relation to one of my previous posts.  Miriam Margoyles (currently touring New Zealand) called Monty Python "anti semitic".  Ms Margoyles (herself Jewish) advocates a boycott of Israeli Artists.

I would conclude that in fact, Ms Margoyles is more antisemitic that John Cleese or Monty Python!

Miriam Margoyles coming to Palmerston North

Miriam Margoyles has announced that she will perform in Palmerston North.

This is the location that John Cleese called the "suicide capital of the world".

Miriam Margoyles also accused Monty Python of being anti-semites

I didn’t like them. They were anti-Semites and they didn’t like women and they didn’t like me, because I was a, at that time probably a pushy little broad. And they weren’t interested in people like me.

So, I wonder if there is a relationship, or is it purely ironic?  Surely it will be picked up.

I wonder if MM will spend time in Palmerston North seeking out the Jewish Community.  I seriously doubt that she will bother, even though she is performing on Rosh Chodesh, which has significance to Women in Judaism.  And I'm not even mentioning her disgraceful support of Boycotting Israeli goods, artists and academics.