The Chaser lads v Sam Newman: media commentator hypocrisy
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Today is the day we really see how hypocritical elements of our media are. The electronic age now means that shortly after someone in/on a live media setting says something they shouldn’t have, punters all over the globe can see or hear about it within minutes — be it the Chk-chk-boom girl, Clare Werbeloff, or former Hawthorn and West Coast coach Ken Judge and his unfortunate “…you’re bigger than Hitler’s gas bill” jibe to a co-commentator. In the case of the latter, when it happens in a low-rating environment and is said by a low-profile media identity on the other side of the country, it denies those of us on the Eastern Seaboard who can’t think for ourselves the opportunity of being told what to believe by the media. Thus to the best of my knowledge we haven’t had Patrick Smith, Caroline Wilson, Mike Sheahan, Jill Singer, Greg Baum, John Brumby, Neil Mitchell, Catherine Deveny, Kellie the former Hi-5 member who recently did a raunchy photo shoot for RALPH magazine, Jon Faine, Tim Lane, Sam Lane, Flinders Lane, Kevin Rudd, Robyn Riley, Tony Jones, Wendy Tuohy, Michael Leunig, Andrew Bolt, Rebecca Wilson, Michelle Grattan, the new teenage editor of The Monthy, Derryn Hinch, Caroline Overington, Media Watch nor even 9am with David and Kim give their thumping opinions about what Judge said and what our stance should be at the next dinner party if we were decent citizens. (SEN presenters are excused as they haven’t been told what to think by the AFL yet.) Of course it ultimately doesn’t matter that much because Judge — a decent man — unreservedly took back what he said on WA radio:
But here’s an exercise, had the unsavoury comment above been made by Sam Newman on the Footy Show, how many of the above named opinion makers would have had their two bobs’ worth on the issue? And how many of them — plus others who would have chimed in from certain “groups” — would have started their mock-shock-horror response with, “I wasn’t watching it/didn’t see it/wouldn’t watch it but…” But Ken Judge’s gaffe still is, of course, widely accessible and the fallout has been heard by many, many more through net and blog replays. Which brings us to the sensational Chaser who returned to the screen last night in their usual style, reminding everyone that daylight is second when it comes to the best talents on Australian TV at present. One of their sketches involved them manhandling a mannequin of Governor General Quentin Bryce. She was groped, dragged up a ladder, and after a few unsuccessful attempts, thrown over a fence. Stand by. The hypocrisy Geiger counter is starting to make a funny noise. “Racetrack” Ralphy Horowitz is a former producer at The Footy Show, (where most of his 9 years was as Sam Newman’s producer) the Sunday Footy Show, SEN & 3AW. |
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14 Comments
There is a difference. The Bryce mannequin was certainly manhandled in a very disrespectful manner but she was not groped in a salacious manner as a projection of what the groper would like to do to that particular female in real life.
The Chaser skit was about disrespecting power, authority and propriety not about a male desire for the power that comes from sexual molestation. It is the objectifying of woman as sex toys by people such as Newman and Johns that really gets up people’s noses.
So, Ralphy, you still don’t get it. And if you don’t get it then the Footy Show probably never will.
I agree with you David, The Footy show stunt was aimed at an indiviual whereas the chaser stunt was aimed at the Melbourne Club not at our Govenor General. Quite different.
Satire isn’t always that complicated Ralph, which is what the Chaser was doing - then again being familiar with Footy Show humour it’s no suprise something went over your head. Perhaps when Julian Morrow arranges to have Sam Newman’s bowel cancer put back, maybe then (maybe) your desperate attempt to be outraged at hypocrisy towards overreaction might have some credibility. Might.
Just how desperate are you to get a gig at the Footy Show again? This kind of crawling might do the trick elsewhere, but is this really their demographic anyway?
Ralphy:
What exactly is your point? All that copy, so many propositions/accusations/suggestions?, but no recognisable outcomes.
As a former newspaper, TV & radio hack, I feel qualified to repeat that old newsroom adage that you’re lucky you work in the sports department, man, because if you didn’t, that’s where you would be sent after such a confused attempt at journalistic comment.
As for both the Melbourne & Sydney Footy Shows, I predict that their respective audiences may now consist only of forensic palaeontologists.
Hi All;
* The last three paragraphs of 14 in the story mentioned the Chaser and their mannequin stunt - the body of work simply compared if Sam Newman had said what Ken Judge did.
* I never said there wasn’t a difference between the two sketches, in fact I made no comparison at all.
* I didn’t make any mention for or against the Footy Show mannequin stunt. For the record -my 9 years were between 1996-2004. That stunt happened in 2008.
* Fred, it wasn’t bowel cancer it was prostate cancer. The mannequin stunt happened in Sam’s 2nd show back post surgery.
* Fred, not outraged at anything least of all how very important opinion makers go about their business. It will be interesting if any of them jump as quick as you three on this topic.
* Fred, no intention of going back to The Footy Show. The team there and I would agree that I’ve had my go. I still watch it. Still talk to Sam too - funniest bloke on the planet. If everyone was as loyal as him life would be easier for all.
Ralphy Horowitz
The bryce stunt was Chaser has jumping the shark. Times have changed and the boys have been revealed as not being much funnier than candid camera.
Around the watercoolers of the nation was a big fail. Last nights episode was as weak as some of the earliest cnnnn work.
Thank goodness for BennyW. Thought I was only one on then planet who couldn;t see any jokes. Dreadful show. Pathetic lack of brain.
The Bryce skit was stupid - sure you can find some puffy ‘aimed at authority etc etc’ It was the same as Sam’s because it totally disrespected a woman - doesn’t matter how - one who has maintained dignity and help to many causes. If you can;t see how
crude it was - you deserve the low standard of Chaser.
Chasers are now believing their own hype - always takes the funny out of comics.
Ralphy, you’d like to give the appearance that you don’t know what you are doing. Why would you focus on the Chaser mannequin skit unless you were implicitly comparing it to the notorious manneqin skit on the Footy Show. The comparison is so obviously there that to claim that you were not making it is disingeuous at best. Let’s not mince words here - it’s an outright lie.
Your final line about an hypocrisy Geiger counter clearly implies your belief that the Chaser skit should, but won’t, engender as much outrage as the Footy Show skit did. As I explained earlier the reason that the Chaser skit does not create this outrage is that its purpose and execution is entirely different to what occurred on the Footy Show.
Your belief that Sam Newman is the “funniest bloke on the planet” indicates a terminal inability to see what’s really going on with his brand of humour.
Ralphy
Ken Judge made a stupid insensitive racial joke and apologised. When did sam apologise? I cant remember but I cannot remember the aforementioned opinion makers jumping on Sam until he refused to apologise. I cannot comment on either mannequin as I have not seen either, but I thought the reason Sam was in trouble was because he called a board member of ICI a liar and she refused to do the “loyal footy industry” thing and back down. Any update on that lawsuit.
The funniest bloke on the planet is a bully, he’s hilarious until he picks on something you are offended by and then not so funny. I gave up ten years ago. How many logies ceremonies has he not attended in the last ten years, I think it was only the one when this was going on. Couldn’t face a room where he didn’t have control perhaps.
One for your editor, perhaps hypocrisy meter as geiger counters measure radioactivity
For those trying to say that you are sucking up for your old job I say that it is the only way the packerlytes know how to act, protect sam, eddie and the show at all costs, they are infallible. Play the man and use the facts that work for you and ignore the facts that dont.
again ralphie I love your work with headley grintewr just as i did john’s when he was on
Can we have an opinion that doesn’t either attack caroline wilson or defend the footy show? Is it possible? perhaps an article on how the stadium deals are wrong and could be fixed?
Good comments by David. Ralph seems to have taken a long winded way to defend his sports buddies. Would have been simpler to write “Don’t be mean to my mates Ken and Sam!”. I thought these sports types were made of tougher stuff!
I think the predatory and inconsistent nature of the media, particularly the football media, is worthy of comment.
But Newman has form. To compare him with Judge is a bit incongruous.
Hi all,
* David I’d suggest you give the impression that The Chaser didn’t know what they were doing. Very, very talented boys, but they certainly know how to push the “outrage” buttons. They of course didn’t mean to hold the mannequin by the crutch with a tight shot of Julian Morrow’s hand placed where it was, it was all about disrespecting power, authority and propriety… Also just Google’d “The Chaser” news and got 147 mentions most regarding the GG skit so I’m not far off
* Heathdon, the better example of the “aforementioned opinion makers” style is the way so many of them jumped up and down over what they thought/hoped was Sam making a crude comment about a female Tasmanian MP who was shown on the Footy Show last year. He didn’t at all, and that’s a fact. He’s made plenty of comments over the weeks that were crude - that wasn’t one of them. Nor am I sticking up for Sam, just pointing out the “we’ve-got-nothing-new-to-write-so-lets-get-into-Newman” brigade. Of course the Carro sketch he did was in poor taste, but for 4-6 weeks there, The Age’ s references in particular reminded one of “Yes, we’re all individuals” from Life Of Brian. (BTW, if it was up to him and he wasn’t expected to go, I can assure you he’d have gone to no Logies ceremonies ever!) On your last point, I neither attacked Carro (who I greatly respect) nor defended the Footy Show, I simply asked what would the reaction have been had Sam made the same comments as Judge.
* Nelson be as mean as you like. (Never was mates with Ken Judge, just found him a decent man so I stated it.)
Ralphy
Ralphy -
Was Julian Morrow suggesting that he would like to grab the actual person by the crutch?
No.
Was Sam Newman suggesting that he would like to sexually fondle/molest the actual person? Yes.
At its simplest that is what the argument is about. As I stated earlier purpose and execution is central to this argument.
I note that you are no longer pretending that you did not have the Newman mannequin skit in mind when you were on the lookout for supposedly hypocritical lack-of-outrage responses (to a skit that you saw as essentially similar to Newman’s).
Hi Ralphie
I had to include the following link as the incident you just mentioned about the tas mp could have been a better example to compare with judd. I took it that sam said some lurid things in relation to the appearance of the mp. I still think the same. In bad taste. Perhaps ask yourself if two salesmen spoke the same way about a female worker would it be harassment? I think it is up to opinion not fact as you stated. I hope with your further writing your not one of those who state things as fact when the fact has not been established.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24111970-12377,00.html
I take your point about if he had his way but how many has he missed?
I think you named caro second in your list. what I would like is no mention of her in a bad way at all. I like listening to and reading you as you are ready to converse on facts, if I read an article from any footy show alumni that even mentions caro, although always stressing the utmost respect, I know what im getting. Are they just that upset that she got the childhood they wanted, growing up in a footy club?OK ….. a bit rough.