‘Feels terrible’: NZ author’s update on Carrie Bickmore radio show

An author who writes on motherhood has given an update after claiming her poem was mocked on the Carrie & Tommy show.

An author who complained about being subjected to “schoolyard bullying” by a segment on the Carrie & Tommy show says she believes she was met with “dismissive excuses” during a call with a producer.

New Zealand writer and poet Jessica Urlichs called out the titular hosts of the Hit Network program, Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little, for airing a bit that used one of her pieces as a “very weak punchline”.

It featured Bickmore reading out a poem titled I Love You, written from the perspective of a baby, while Little and another male in the background could be heard laughing.

Ms Urlichs wrote on Sunday the program had not asked permission to use her “heartfelt poem” dealing with postpartum depression and asked for a reel of the segment to be removed from social media.

New Zealand author Jessica Urlichs writes about motherhood.

She has a large social media following. Pictures: Instagram/@jessurlichs

“I don’t have any words left to truly articulate the schoolyard bullying you displayed in your recent segment across multiple radio stations,” she wrote.

On Monday, Ms Urlichs responded to a question from a follower on her Instagram page who asked if the program or hosts had apologised.

She has revealed a producer said Little and the off-screen producer were “just having a laugh” and that Carrie “felt terrible” about the reaction.

“I received a phone call from a producer from the radio station earlier,” she replied.

“I expressed my real concerns over the segment and I felt like I was met with dismissive excuses.

“I was told they felt bad, however I did mention the fact the reel was left up for two days, she (the producer) went on to say it was to allow people to express their concerns *get ratings more like*.”

Carrie Bickmore and Tommy Little drive show is broadcast across Australia. Picture: Southern Cross Austereo

Ms Urlichs said the producer mentioned Bickmore would like to call, an offer she declined because she was “wrangling sick kids” and “didn’t feel like a phone call”.

“I didn’t think it would be overly genuine considering Tommy blocked me and Carrie removed herself from my recent post,” she said.

“So if she wants to apologise I respect that and she can do so in writing.

“I haven’t received anything yet and today’s show by them went on as per usual.”

Southern Cross Austero, which owns the Hit Network, has been contacted for comment.

Ms Urlichs also thanked her community of almost 500,000 followers for rallying around her: “Imagine someone’s feelings being mocked and dismissed who didn't have that same support?”

“That’s what I worry about. That’s when things get dangerous and it must change, for mothers and our babies.”

She revealed that she could not bring herself to watch the full segment, saying “it was offensive to us all”.

The offending segment

During the segment in question, Bickmore read Ms Urlichs’ poem to Little on air.

“For some reason, they’re in my algorithm a lot. And they’re like, letters or notes from babies to their mums,” Bickmore explained.

“But they’re not?” Little replied. “I need to ask you one question. And you are an incredibly-”

“I don’t think the baby’s written it,” Bickmore interjected.

Carrie Bickmore read the poem on air. Picture: Instagram

“Because you’re an incredibly intelligent woman,” Little continued. “But the first time you brought us one of these, did you think the baby had written it?”

“Of course I didn’t think the baby had written it. It’s through the eyes of the baby,” she said.

“I think you did,” said Little.

“But you decided it’s a middle-aged man that wrote it, and it’s not,” said Bickmore. “It’s a woman that’s got real poetry. It starts with, ‘I love you.’”

“This is a man pretending to be a baby,” Little shot at her.

Tommy Little made a few jokes about the premise. Picture: Instagram

“No, stop saying that!” Bickmore told him, before identifying Ms Ulrichs as the author.

“Stop ruining it. I think for people out there who’ve had a sleepless night with their baby, this will hit you in your core. This is from the baby.”

That last part was met with mocking laughter from Little and an off-screen producer.

“It’s not though,” he said.

At the end of the poem, Bickmore responded to continued laughter by saying; “You don’t get it.”

Ms Urlichs commented under a clip of the segment on Instagram saying she would not have given permission for her work to be “mocked”.

“I really appreciate when people share my words because I hope it helps more mums. But my writing just felt like a punchline here,” she wrote.

The video has since been deleted.

Originally published as ‘Feels terrible’: NZ author’s update on Carrie Bickmore radio show