… or why people vote Labor.
Author: bobmcgee
Let the inquisition commence …
A while ago, an anaesthetist that I worked with for many years made some very erudite comments regarding the adversarial justice system. It seemed to him that there were better ways one could get at the truth.
When I arrived at the operating theatre this morning I was amused to see a notice that said …
Trial operating table arriving soon.
Don’t mention the darkies …
Rugby is a game I don’t watch, Gone with the Wind is a film that I have never sat through. And then there is the ABC.
Not long ago I heard a piece about bullying, I was on the move between places of work. I recall the ABC presenter, shocked she was, by the awful news that some phenomenally high percentage of people had been sworn at work in the last six months. She didn’t mention that 100% of the diligent listeners or watchers of ABC will have heard all of the same language on air in the past six months.
Which brings us to Warren Ryan, a rugby commentator, who managed to penetrate my consciousness in the course of his last call for the ABC …
The premiership-winning coach, who made a successful transition to the media, was alleged to have used the term “old darky” during the call of the recent Sydney Roosters-Canterbury match.
The 73-year-old made no apologies for the remark, which has effectively cut short a career spanning more than two decades at the station.
Well, frankly my dear …
It seems that the reason for this lapse of judgement was that the argument occurring on field between umpire and player bore a strong resemblance, in Mr Ryan’s mind at least, to a scene in Gone With the Wind, from which he was quoting. He and his fellow commentator were immediately suspended.
It’s quittin time for Mr Ryan who started out with St George in 1964 as a player, went on to be a two-time premiership-winning coach and subsequently a much loved man on the microphone …
“The ABC has suspended me pending an investigation, so I have resigned to save them the trouble of conducting it,” Ryan said.
So listen up you dogfuckers “We will not tolerate any racism here on the ABC”.
Which says what exactly?
Is it the case that Mr Joe Average is sufficiently robust to withstand language that would have been punishable by law in 1939 when Gone With the Wind was made, but people of colour are so feeble that hearing the word darky will trigger their PTSD?
Things aren’t always what they seem …
Where’s the dog catcher …
There’s never one around when you need one.
Hours before the ABC broadcast an on-air apology last night to Kenny, the Chaser presenter named in the defamation suit, Andrew Hansen, appeared to defy the terms of the settlement in a tweet: “ABC’s apologising to Chris Kenny, again. The Chaser isn’t, again. But we’ve agreed not to make more pictures of ABC execs shagging hamsters.”
The Chaser’s Chris Taylor posted on Facebook: “Just to be clear. The Chaser team is not apologising, and will never apologise to Chris Kenny. Tonight’s on-air apology is from the ABC, not us.”
Both statements appeared to breach the terms of the ABC’s settlement with Kenny that specified members of the Chaser team would not make public statements that “detract” from the apology.
This clause in the settlement, which also included the ABC paying Kenny’s legal fees and some damages, was intended to prevent a repeat of the way The Chaser’s Julian Morrow undermined Mr Scott’s personal apology to Kenny in April. Mr Scott refused to respond to questions yesterday about whether statements made by the Chaser presenters breached the terms of the settlement. A source close to the ABC said, “If management is not able to insist that its instructions be followed then what you have is anarchy.”
Mr Turnbull welcomed the apology but said the entire affair had been mishandled by the ABC. “My only regret is that immediately following the tasteless skit the ABC did not apologise to Mr Kenny,’’ he said. “I have no doubt that would have settled the matter. As it is, the only winner out of this mishandled episode has been the legal profession.”
Back to court for Mr Kenny?
Time to resign, Mr Scott.
The ABC is the dog …
This is the way that the ABC thought it appropriate to depict its right wing critics.
After the event the ABC investigated itself and found …
A controversial Chaser sketch depicting a News Corp columnist having sex with a dog didn’t breach the ABC’s editorial policies, the ABC’s complaints department has found.
The ABC will today notify almost 200 complainants that the photo-shopped image of Australian columnist Chris Kenny having sex with a dog would have offended many viewers but was legitimate satire.
The ABC, champions of free speech … when it suits them.
Mr Kenny was not amused and sued. Eventually Mark Scott, ABC managing director, found it expedient to issue an apology, immediately devalued by the producers of the skit who said that they did not apologise. And to make sure that Mr Kenny didn’t revel in any sense of victory the ABC issued an ultimatum – drop the case or face the consequences of a legal battle against a corporation backed by any amount of taxpayer’s money.
Mr Kenny would not be bullied and tonight the ABC will apologise on air.
Thermodynamics for dummies …
Drive through …
Peppa spray …
One of the unintended consequences of Mr Abbott’s budget is the threat to Peppa Pig.
Pigs are raised for food, not for decoration, not for their perfume. How insensitive is the ABC to broadcast Peppa Pig without so much as a trigger warning. Kids confronted with their bacon and eggs at breakfast are in grave danger of PTSD.
And does the ABC not realise that pigs are not halal. How culturally insensitive.
How long before the pig police … hang on, is that a tautology? … catch up with them?
I call on you now, Mark Scott, slaughter this nefarious pig this very instant, make it your highest priority, set aside any concerns you may have about bias or balance, cease worrying about any offence the Chasers may have given to dog fuckers everywhere. Do it now … humanely, of course.
It will make an old man happy, of all the drivel that it has been my grandfatherly duty to endure Peppa Pig is without doubt the worst.
bobmcgee 