The Project should dump Anthony Mundine
CHANNEL Ten should never have cast Anthony Mundine on I’m a Celeb, and after his latest vile outburst The Project should cancel his appearance tonight, writes Susie O’Brien.
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ANTHONY Mundine’s latest vile rant against gay people is more confirmation Channel Ten should never have cast him on I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
And The Project shouldn’t double down on that error by having him on the show tonight to give more oxygen to his outdated views.
In an interview after his exit from the show Mundine suggested the death penalty was appropriate for gay people.
“If we were to live in a society, just like in Aboriginal culture, that homosexuality is forbidden and you do it and the consequences are capital punishment or death, you think you are going to do it? Or think twice about doing it?,” he said in an inteview with Jonathon Moran.
Are these the kinds of thoughts that The Project should bring to a mainstream audience?
Mundine, the self-styled tough guy, couldn’t hack it in the African jungle and walked out after just two weeks.
So much for all of his tough talk and silly hashtag #itsallgravy.
Mundine wasn’t as strong as he thought he was. His dummy spit means he’s got the dubious title of being only the second celebrity to walk out on three seasons of the Australian show (after fellow sportsman Bernard Tomic last week).
Mundine said he accomplished everything he set out to do and missed his family.
But there are reports he had a blue with rival Danny Green, who beat him the last time the two squared off in the boxing ring. Green spent a lot of time goading Mundine to have a rematch on the show, but Mundine said he wanted to get paid for it.
There are also reports Mundine couldn’t handle the Viper Room. I understand why, but don’t have much sympathy given the way he’s always bragging about his strength and toughness.
Not only does he often play with race card when it’s not warranted, but he’s a sexist creep.
Mundine is the kind of bottom-feeding scum who deserves to be ignored, not put on national TV.
Mundine showed his true colours by declaring women should should not wear skirts above the knee.
“She can wear a dress … not a short skirt, not above the knees. That is just the way I am, it is the way I feel, the way I think,” he said to Real Housewife Jackie Gillies.
When asked by Gillies if it was right to tell “somebody what to do” he replied it was “for their own good”.
Mundine said it was protection to stop “other men lusting over your women”.
“You want to protect your women,” Mundine said.
“You don’t want other men having prerogative thoughts about your girl or your daughter.”
Such an attitude is not only offensive but dangerous. It positions men as unable to control their deviant impulses unless a woman is covered up. In Mundine’s mind, the mere sight of flesh is enough to get a man all worked up. Yet again, it’s a woman’s job to curb a man’s behaviour, not a man’s job to control himself. The woman is blamed, not the man, if any abuse takes place. It’s classic victim-blaming and is hardly helpful in this post-Weinstein #metoo era.
The show works when celebrities drop their guard and open up about their lives.
Kerry Armstrong talking about her former partner Brad Robinson and even Mundine talking about an out-of-control fan is great TV.
However, I’m a Celebrity also gave Mundine a platform to spread his offensive views. He’s already on the record for being anti homosexuality, abortion and contraception. He has also attracted criticism for expecting the women in the camp to do the domestic chores.
“I just kick back and relax while women cook and clean,” he said.
“That is my attitude.”
His views illustrate the retrograde and dangerous social views of more extreme adherents of the Muslim faith. Mundine is allowed to go topless in the ring, but his faith demands women cover themselves up from head to toe.
But what else can we expect from Mundine, whose job in real life is to beat other people up in the boxing ring?
Originally published as The Project should dump Anthony Mundine