I think him harmless, but am regularly surprised by the degree of opprobrium he attracts.
He is a self-appointed jester to his own court and appears to say all that he says to amuse himself as much as others.
I am a keen motorist, but no longer a fan of motoring on the telly. Nonetheless... The change that JC brought about in Top Gear was extraordinary. It went almost overnight from a dull-but-worthy whine about handbrake levers and clattery diesels to a show that managed to inform more, entertain more and leave you with a sense that they had a view on what they were discussing.
Before him there were bearded dullards talking from half a yard up their own fundaments and a couple of token women saying things like "If I were in the market now, this is certainly a model I'd think about".
I'd much rather hear someone say "I was going to tell you all about this car, but it's simply too dull. I can't be bothered".
He is a knowingly theatrical reactionary and bigot and (in small doses) it is all huge fun. Compare and contrast with the worthy and lovable C Balding (who made really crass remarks to a jockey about using his winnings to get his snaggly teeth fixed) and Euro-Dull Worthiness of Tedium J Inverdale being deeply unpleasant about Marion Bartoli...
Balding and Inverdale take themselves and their professionalism deeply seriously and present themselves as the complete sports-journo package... but cannot help letting some snide little bully-banter seep through. And they get away with it.
Clarkson wrote BUFFOON in large letters on his own forehead and still people take his deliberate offensiveness seriously.
