Gold Logie winner Tom Gleeson went too far with his schtick

Gold Logie winner Tom Gleeson went too far with his schtick and in the end came off bitter, arrogant, elitist and just plain nasty, says Chief Entertainment Writer Jonathon Moran.

• Annette Sharp: Tom Gleeson didn’t ‘break’ the Gold Logie

Is the charade over?

That is the question Tom Gleeson asked media as he wrapped his odd post Gold Logie win press conference late Sunday night.

Aussies love a rebel, someone to take the piss who says what many of us are thinking but for whatever reason don’t. Cynicism too is healthy.

But … and a massive but that is … Gleeson went too far with his schtick and in the end came off bitter, arrogant, elitist and just plain nasty.

Tom Gleeson went too far with his schtick.

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As I see it, any win Gleeson claimed for the ABC is negated by the fact he totally dumped on the industry as a whole in his campaign to glory and subsequent acceptance speech.

Gleeson is employed by a $1 billion a year taxpayer funded broadcaster, a giant if you like.

Commercial networks meanwhile are struggling to survive in an increasingly competitive market where their top line is measured purely on ratings and eyeballs. Those stresses don’t fall as heavily on the ABC, despite the fact Gleeson’s show, Hard Quiz, is a hit whatever way you look at it in the current climate.

Any win Gleeson claimed for the ABC is negated by the fact he totally dumped on the industry.

Gleeson also claimed victory for comedy, saying it was the real winner from his Gold win.

Comedy would have been the winner had Gleeson showed some humility to the industry, his fellow nominees and comedy itself.

His arrogance on that podium was palpable.

Gleeson did get one thing right though — we need to lighten up.

What a wasted opportunity to truly show that in a way that doesn’t hurt others and take the piss out of the very industry you’re trying so hard to castigate.