Op-Ed: Jeremy Paxman: 'Like a bad kebab, Greece is vomited out of' euro

London - Paxo put his foot in it on Thursday's edition of BBC's Newsnight when he said Greece “like a bad kebab”, faced the prospect of being “vomited out of the single currency”.

Jeremy Paxman, the provocative and abrasive Newsnight presenter, often described as the thinking woman's crumpet, rather lacked diplomacy when he likened Greece to a "bad kebab". The Telegraph reported Paxo managed to offend not only his guests but some viewers who complained to the BBC. Greek Minister Giorgos Papakonstantinou, appearing live from Athens, responded to Paxman by saying “Can I take issue with your 'bad kebab’ analogy, which I find offensive. The Greek economy is in a crisis and the Greek people are going through a lot, and deserve some respect, and I really did not find that very appropriate.” Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman also took umbrage, saying “I think that was, actually, quite inappropriate, to say that the Greeks have done something terribly wrong.” Paxo is well known to viewers for his sharp sense of humour which cuts to the quick of a situation, and Greece does indeed face the prospect of being vomited from the euro as it is hardly going to go willingly. Unlike the offensive remarks of Christine Lagarde, Paxo's comment was aptly amusing.