David Meddows: Intern Pete’s ‘heinous’ crime worth only an eye-roll
IN a week of large over-reactions, one of the most eye-catching was that reserved for an unfunny quip from a radio producer. For some (such as actor Lachy Hulme), it was all “too soon”.
Opinion
Don't miss out on the headlines from Opinion. Followed categories will be added to My News.
JUST before 6pm on Thursday night Australian actor Lachy Hulme, who once played Kerry Packer in a miniseries about the birth of World Series Cricket, responded to an innocuous tweet from ABC presenter Leigh Sales.
The 7.30 host shared a photo of a beach where she was enjoying the Easter break. Hulme retweeted Sales, adding the question “Is that Harold Holt, way out on the right?” It was a pretty harmless joke and not that funny.
But it was a reminder that we have a unique sense of humour in Australia that says it’s fine to poke fun at a former serving prime minister who mysteriously disappeared in the surf.
It says we can have a laugh at almost anything. Almost anything.
Just over two hours later, Hulme was back on Twitter and was furious. Like millions around the world he had been watching former Australian cricket captain Steve Smith’s emotional apology for his part in the cheating scandal that has consumed us over the past week.
At that press conference, Intern Pete, a producer from KIIS FM’s Kyle and Jackie O Show, stood up and delivered Smith a message: “Mate, I’ve got to tell you ... hold your head high for what you have done because what’s actually been worse is what Davina and Dean did on Married At First Sight.”
Hulme was outraged, as was almost all of Australia if you believe the echo chamber that is Twitter.
“You guys should be ashamed of yourselves. @kyleandjackieo I will never appear on your show again. Fact. Disgraceful,” he fumed in a post that was liked thousands of times.
All the outrage that had previously been aimed at the cricketers was redirected to the dopey producer who said something stupid and ill-timed.
It was incredible to see the level of hatred grow as the comments became more spiteful. You’d be forgiven for thinking Intern Pete had just played a prank on the grieving mother of a dead child.
Hulme’s two tweets show we really have our wires crossed when it comes to what we revere. It’s OK to find humour in the death of a leader but try, albeit unsuccessfully, to say something funny to a wounded cricketer and beware.
There was nothing wrong with Hulme’s Harold Holt joke, but Intern Pete’s 15 seconds of fame should have been received with nothing more than a roll of the eyes before everyone moved on.