‘Threatened’ Tony has opportunity to repent — in budgies
|
The moment seems perfect: noted smuggler of budgies Tony Abbott parading the latest swimwear designs endorsed by a prominent member of a community he has just insulted. So will the Opposition leader accept the invitation? Melbourne-based swimwear designer Funky Trunks will parade its latest designs at a launch on March 30, with special guest Olympic diving gold medallist Matthew Mitcham. Event organisers sent an invitation to Abbott on Monday night but are yet to receive a response. Mitcham — who has become a popular and positive role model for young gays after spectacularly winning gold in Beijing — didn’t invite Abbott personally but PR rep David Lyle told Crikey he’s “expressed a desire to meet Tony”. Abbott has some fence-mending to do. Questioned by 60 Minutes reporter Liz Hayes on his thoughts around homosexuality, the devout Catholic provided a moment of Sunday night television typically awkward when it comes to him dealing with minorities and social inclusion. In transcript:
By Monday night Abbott was back-pedalling on the ABC’s Lateline, but in speaking to Leigh Sales seemed to make matters even worse:
Mitcham’s agent says the star athlete doesn’t want to get into the controversy around Abbott’s latest comments. But he’s been roundly criticised by gay groups and other commentators — even usual ally Andrew Bolt — for revealing he suffers from the very definition of homophobia. The message from gays was simple: there’s nothing to be afraid of. The PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians And Gays) group spoke for most: “As a hopeful leader of this country he should be promoting understanding and accepting, not feeding the fear-mongers who oppress this minority group by continuing the belief that our sons and daughters are second-rate and to be feared,” spokeswoman Shelley Argent told the Sydney Star Observer. It’s worth noting Abbott has said the right things in the past. In 2008 he admitted “the love and commitment between two people of the same s-x can be as strong as that between husband and wife” — even though they should be denied marriage. “Regardless of whom it’s between, a sexual relationship should be characterised by trust, honesty, maturity and commitment,” he said. Funky Trucks — officially endorsed by Mitcham, with fabrics that “undergo weeks of testing in harsh chemicals to ensure maximum durability…” — certainly sound like they’re up to the task for the life-saving Opposition leader. Abbott’s spokespeople, however, didn’t respond to questions on whether Abbott will join Mitcham at the launch later this month. What do you think?
|
|
|
|
37 Comments
OMG, Iwas reading the article with much interest until I saw the pics of the Monk, YUK. I doubt he will ever need to worry about being chatted up by a guy, no self respecting Gay surely would be attracted to the Mad Mick, woops monk.
Tony Abbott - Politician of Conviction and “Cast Iron Man” - “all stick and no chaps”?
I wish the pink lobby could be a litle more humourous. Abbott’s problen would seem to be not so much ‘homophobia’ as a combination of vanity (of course EVERY gay man wants to sleep with him) and inability to trust his own capacity for defending his honour or resisting temptation. What could possibly happen to a man who is comfortable in budgie smugglers in public?
All that chest hair removal must have been painful. Only a Catholic would choose to do so much agonising penance.
I’m calling the RSPCA immediately.
Those appalling garments clearly involve “cruel and unusual” treatment of budgies.
Perhaps Abbott should challenge Rudd to a competitive nude photo shoot. It would be the only contest he would be favoured to win.
@ KLEWSO and IVOR
I’d much prefer to see Tony Abbott in Speedos than Penny Wong in a dress.
Buit seeing as how we’re all so fixated on homosexuality, maybe you could ask Kevin about his views on gay marriage or how he’s never been a gay icon?
On Gays, both male and female. My stepson was one of the main instigators of Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Madigra. It is generally ackowleged that around 10% of people are genetically inclined that way. They are stuck with it. Although I have been associated with them for 40 years or so I have never felt threatened in that time. As a 16 year old I was aproached by a gay workmate who when he found my inclination, suggested I aproach some girls. A couple of years later I was given a room in a boarding house shared with a known gay person. He once tried to get in bed with me but was forcibly rejected. If that is regarded as being threatened the answer is yes I have been. The remedy, if you dont like it, reject it and get over it.
MPM - how do you hold a beer without a humous bone in your body
humorous….
MPM is homphobic. Who’d have guessed? Yet another thing he can add to his list of immature attributes.
GEOFF.C3, You’re history of avoided homosexual encounters was strangely boring and irrelevant.
Nevertheless, I am very gladdened to hear you have gotten over it.
I see yet again mpm you ask someone else to do your bidding. Try getting off your slack rear end and send an email to the PM if you want to know his views. What a tedious creature, time the mods checked on you again.
Tony Abbott cannot seem to make up his mind as to whether he is aging he-man, an advisor on women’s behaviour, or how to keep them chained to their ironing-boards. Or the professional model for Lycra. He rabbits on as to how and when they may copulate. He is a lecturer on the mores of the 1940s, a great supporter of the Aboriginal cause, a Jesuit trained Catholic who only got the job as health minister-during the reign of Dr Death Howard, because another Jesuit trained Catholic, Senator Brian Harradine, insisted on it if four eyes wanted the Telstra bill to be passed. Or the great white hope for the Socialist cause and his munificence to lady breeding machines.
No wonder he shoots from the lip.
Comparisons have been made with Abbott and Russian PM Putin, mainly tongue in cheek. Not at all sure Putin would welcome the comparison, as the Russian is not given to making the wild, non thinking, stupid, policy on the run decisions the ‘Mad Monk’ comes up with. Probably a fairer comparison would be with Rasputtin. The eyes have it.
Y’ know, there’re some pollies and journos, and apparently also many who have posted comments here already, who feel seriously threatened by a person who tries to remain honest. Obviously they can’t take it; it’s too disarming.
CRIPES: Tony Abbott honest? Give over.
VENISE ALSTERGREN:
What… you think he doesn’t really “feel a bit threatened”? Must we therefore infer that you believe our Tony is a bit of a covert dunny poof? Eeek!
If the Libs can’t see they’ve got a bigger problem with Speedo Man than with the Merchant of Vaucluse, they’re stuffed and so are we. If we have to suffer a 2 party preferred democracy, the opposition have an obligation to do better than foisting a 2nd rate, bigotted political slut on us. Give the clown a hair shirt and piss him off to the vatican where he can involve himself in some papal bull.
DEZ HOY:
Sounding a teeny-weeny bit bigoted yourself there. Now, what part of “slut” (your words) don’t you like. We all like to have fun, y’know. Don’t you? You sound angry. So, do sluts make you angry? Many bigoted folk despise sluts. Well, if that’s you, it may be you’d prefer, perhaps subconsciously, some papal bull yourself… know what I mean? Wink, wink, say no more.
@DEZ HOY …..thats got the rightious religious nutters awake and kicking this morning, they were having trouble stringing a few words of support together for the Mad Monk after his hypocritical clap trap this week…but mention the ole Vatican and away they go…bigoted political slut hehehe love it.
DAVID:
Really, so predictable. But wait… is that a gun in your pocket? Oh no, it’s just a poor little budgie!
Oh dear, so many nasty things said to each other…so many angry men…Left and Right!
Ah MPM, presumably Penny Wong in Speedos would be something else.
HOLDEN BACK: Just wandering of the post a bit. I used to do a lot of swimming and found Speedos made my body look fabulous. Far more so than conventional bathers.
Especially the ones with a high back strap.
@cripes …you took the bait so fast it must have hurt
cant stand the ole vatican being got at eh what? don’t wear a long frock do you?
DEZ HOY: Tony Abbott doesn’t need to wear a hair shirt. He’s got his own built-in one.
DAVID:
Don’t look now, but your budgie’s showing.
VENISE ALSTERGREN:
Like Penny Wong, you like your meat well waxed?
Gee, with Tony Abbott so much the emotional topic of all the gossip gals here, let’s start a fan club!
CRIPES: I wouldn’t dream of it-waxing-I think it’s a desecration of the female body. Mind you I’m lucky having not a lot of body hair. I don’t even have to shave under my arms. Also I loathe hairy men. Yuk, yuk.
I can’t look at Tony Abbott’s torso without wanting to throw some weed killer over it. Then I’d rotary hoe the patch, before planting some spuds there! Yuk, yuk.
VENISE ALSTERGREN:
OK. Sorry to presume otherwise. Now you’ve put me off spuds.
CRIPES:
Put him in something very extreme
Mens swimwear
then we can see which way he swings!
GREENMACHINE:
I visited the swimwear website you suggested, but I must say that gstring bangware appears only for those male persons of a persuasion that our Tony is not. There’s no room to judge which way a wearer could swing!
Of course Abbot is uneasy talking about gays - he is as queer as Queenslander in a jumper. Keeps himself fit and in shape, shows kindness to women (recently), keeps his hair tidy, spends a lot of time with people in the media and has a chubby mate Joe. He In fact the whole opposition front bench are theatrical and its nothing to be scared of.