Karl Stefanovic’s same-suit sexism experiment on Today goes global

KARL Stefanovic wore the same blue suit for a year on national TV and nobody noticed, but he couldn’t have anticipated his campaign against sexism to become worldwide news.

KARL Stefanovic wore the exact same blue suit for a whole year on national television and nobody noticed.

But when the Today show co-host revealed his year-long experiment to make a point about sexism, he couldn’t have anticipated the campaign to become worldwide news.

Stefanovic revealed over the weekend he secretly started the protest in support of co-host Lisa Wilkinson after viewers criticised her outfits. Reflecting on the constant judgment and double standards his female counterparts face daily, the prankster said he set out to “to make a point”.

“I’ve worn the same suit on air for a year — except for a couple of times because of circumstance — to make a point,” Stefanovic told Fairfax Media. “Women are judged much more harshly and keenly for what they do, what they say and what they wear.”

Just 24 hours after the news broke, social media lit up with hundreds of comments in support of his experiment and news groups around the world from the BBC to the New York Daily News even covered the story.

BBC Newsbeat - Australian TV host wears same suit for a year and nobody notices http://t.co/Cu5PdbnzFP

— Sally MacDonald (@SallyMacFox26) November 16, 2014

Male TV host wears the same suit every day for a year to make a point about sexism http://t.co/mNvQ3LWivY pic.twitter.com/9wvpNQju8N

— i100 (@thei100) November 16, 2014

Sexism is often fueled by women, too. We must empower one another. See the positive instead of small and/or superficial flaws @TheTodayShow

— Giselle Ugarte (@GiselleUgarte) November 16, 2014

@Ladyjmo @karlstefanovic Good job Karl. Sometimes the loudest messages don't need a speech.

— Amy Rorke (@honeyandabee) November 15, 2014

Funny seeing reports of @karlstefanovic suit experiment in Middle East! They don't quite get the irony of it ,more about how unclean must be

— Peter Ford (@mrpford) November 16, 2014

Speaking about the response on Today this morning, Stefanovic said: “Some people have called it sexism and reverse sexism and what not ... I don’t know whether it’s that because — can sexism be mainly women judging other women?

“I think in this situation for women on TV, it’s mainly women judging women on what they wear. So is that sexism is my question?”

Karl Stefanovic’s navy suit has been a constant feature on Today for the past year.

Wilkinson said most of the emails she’s received over the past year have been from women, adding: “I don’t know how we’ve got into that space where it leans towards a lack of support ... when I get criticism, more often than not it’s from women.”

Stefanovic told Fairfax he didn’t receive a single complaint or comment regarding the suit over the course of the year. “I’m judged on my interviews, my appalling sense of humour — on how I do my job, basically. Whereas women are quite often judged on what they’re wearing or how their hair is.”

"Talking about these things is how you change and challenge the culture" - @SarrahLeM on Karl's sexism experiment. #Today9

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) November 16, 2014

Just 2clarify on the whole Karl-not-changing-his-suit-4-a-whole-year thing: he HAS been changing his tie, socks & presumably his undies tho.

— Lisa Wilkinson (@Lisa_Wilkinson) November 16, 2014

Karl’s suited-up campaign has now become worldwide news.