NSW pulls consent ad after actor’s ‘inappropriate’ TikTok videos emerge

The NSW government has pulled an ad for its new consent laws after concerns were raised about TikTok videos posted by the male actor.

The NSW government has pulled an ad for its new consent laws after concerns were raised about TikTok videos posted by the male actor.

Paul Sterrantino appears in one of the TV commercials for the new affirmative consent laws which came into effect on June 1.

“Hey – want to do this another night?” he says to the woman in the ad. “Yeah, I’d like that,” she replies.

“That’s how you do it,” the voiceover says. “Check consent, every time.”

But the ad has been pulled after it emerged Sterrantino’s TikTok account, where he has more than 8500 followers, is filled with videos of himself approaching young women in public and asking them inappropriate questions.

“What’s something you don’t want your mum knowing?” he asks.

The question prompts graphic responses about sex from several of the women.

“Worst place you’ve had sex?” he asks another woman. “I’m a virgin,” she replies.

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Paul Sterrantino has 8500 TikTok followers.

He films himself approaching people in public.

In a number of the videos he asks young women sexual questions.

2GB host Ben Fordham said some of the women appeared intoxicated.

‘It’s real gutter stuff.’

The young creator went viral last month with a video in which a woman at Bondi revealed her biggest regret was her “d**k magnet” tattoo.

In one video, an unidentified male, who sounds intoxicated, can be heard threatening Sterrantino outside some sort of venue.

“You ask anything f**king inappropriate and you’re gonna have some problems on your hand,” the man says.

“Some what? Are you like their dad or something?” Sterrantino replies.

“Bro, weird bro. I’m allowed to ask what I’m allowed to ask, bro – it’s freedom of speech in Australia.”

2GB host Ben Fordham first drew attention to the content after being contacted by a concerned father.

“Ben, the state government needs to have a long hard look at itself,” the man wrote in an email read by Fordham on air on Friday.

“The recent ad campaign regarding consent features an actor called Paul Sterrantino. Take one look at his social media – this bloke is promoting some extremely questionable content that flies in the face of respect for women.”

The father said the ads should be pulled off the air “and all material featuring this hypocrite should never see the light of day again”.

Fordham said while the girls knew they were being filmed, “it’s pretty clear some of them are affected by alcohol”.

Paul Sterrantino in the NSW government consent ad.

2GB host Ben Fordham. Picture: Gaye Gerard/Daily Telegraph

“The dad was only made aware of the situation when his daughter saw the TV commercial and she was triggered by it because of an interaction she had had with this guy Paul Sterrantino,” Fordham said.

“When you look at his presence on social media you quickly realise there’s no way in the world he should be appearing in these ads. His TikTok account is revolting. It’s full of videos of Paul approaching people in public, mainly young women, some of them have had too much to drink, and he talks to them about all sorts of graphic topics. It’s real gutter stuff. One of the aspects of the new consent laws relates to people not being intoxicated.”

NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman confirmed to 2GB the video featuring Sterrantino had been removed after the Department of Communities and Justice was made aware of the content.

He claimed the videos were filmed after the TV commercial.

“Think about that for a moment,” Fordham said. “This bloke films an ad campaign about respecting women and consent, and after that he goes out and films these videos.”

Mr Speakman said in a statement to news.com.au, “After being alerted by Ben Fordham to the offensive TikTok posts last night, made after filming of our Make No doubt campaign, I immediately requested that the Department of Communities and Justice remove the video and related images from its digital and social media platforms, as the TikTok account was in the same name and appears to belong to someone physically resembling the actor.”

He added, “I appreciated Mr Fordham’s positive feedback about the campaign and his swift action to help ensure the integrity of this important community education campaign. I can confirm that police and social media checks were completed by the Department prior to filming.”

Sterrantino has been contacted for comment via his social media.

Fordham earlier this week described the new consent laws as a “legal minefield”, prompting some criticism.

“Ben once again telling on himself to the extreme,” rape survivor Saxon Mullins wrote on Twitter.

“I’m happy to chat to you about this Ben! I can walk you through how to have a conversation! My schedule is wide open to teach you the basics of human decency! Call me!”

Originally published as NSW pulls consent ad after actor’s ‘inappropriate’ TikTok videos emerge