Herald Sun journalist Fiona Byrne responds to Adrian Portelli’s incitement of vile cyber battering

Billionaire Adrian Portelli threw a tantrum over being labelled “Lambo Guy” but that’s nothing compared to the vile things he incited his cult-like followers to call me.

With his nose out of joint over being referred to by his media nickname of “Lambo Guy” in the headline of a story I wrote, Melbourne businessman Adrian Portelli on Saturday directed his more than 460,000 Instagram followers to bully me.

He incentivised the swarm of abuse by offering his cult-like followers by offering $5000 for “the best comment” posted on my social media.

What followed was more than 24 hours where my Instagram was bombarded by thousands of vile, demeaning, offensive, misleading, insulting, factually incorrect and just plain stupid and ridiculous comments.

Today Show sports presenter Alex Cullen has been stood down while Channel 9 investigates the matter. Picture: Facebook

The toxic flood saw me called – among many things – a slut, a c--t, a bitch, a dog, a ‘presstitute’, an ogre, a pig, a fat bulldog and a “f--ken (sic) muppet”.

Negative comments were made about my weight, my body parts and my appearance.

I was told to go and jump off a bridge (kill myself), described as a bitch that needed “a good left-right” (punch), threatened with a turkey slap (hit in the face with a penis), and other personal threats.

I would liken my experience to that of a cyber battering.

It was disgusting, ugly, horrible and unwarranted.

It made me feel unsafe, both online and in real life.

Just to make the point very clear, this torrent of harassment was a result of a billionaire having a tantrum over a nickname.

As a proportional response, what Portelli triggered by being upset about a nickname was extreme.

Adrian Portelli took issue with a headline which referred to him by his media nickname “Lambo Guy”. Picture: NewsWire

For what it is worth, I did not write or have anything to do with the entirely legitimate headline that angered him and I told him that on Saturday in a DM before he unleashed his troll army.

I am disgusted with Adrian Portelli for causing this disgraceful, hurtful and dangerous pile-on via two posts on his Instagram stories on Saturday.

The first with a screengrab of the online story with the “Lambo Guy” headline read “Come on Fiona. You can do better than that. Be respectful and use my real name or I’ll come up with a nickname for you and blast it all over my socials.”

He then called on his followers to suggest nicknames for me.

On his next story he urged his fans to bully me online to win $5000 – claiming I had bullied him by using the name Lambo Guy.

Herald Sun journalist Fiona Byrne became the target of Adrian Portelli’s cult-like followers after he urged them to bully her online. Picture: Josie Hayden

“If journos wanna bully, let’s bully back,” he wrote.

“$5,000 best comment on (here he included my Instagram details).”

How this behaviour is acceptable on social media is absolutely beyond me.

How it is legal has me stumped.

Irresponsible behaviour on social media needs to be called out and stamped out.

It is time Meta did more to police and enforce real consequences for harmful online behaviour.

In a video posted late Saturday, Portelli said I had “copped it” and that he had made an example of me to show what he could do to others if they continued to use a nickname he did not like.

I thought the video was awful.

“I feel like they (media) are subconsciously trying to degrade me by giving me this nickname, (Lambo Guy), and I’m over it,” he said.

Adrian Portelli shares an Instagram story addressing journalist Fiona Byrne after a headline on a story she wrote referred to him as “Lambo Guy.”

Adrian Portelli offers to pay a follower for leaving the “best comment” bullying the Herald Sun journalist. Picture: Instagram

“Unfortunately, Fiona copped the brunt of it. I’ve told her many, many times to stop. (Note: I cannot recall he and I having a conversation on this matter in person or in writing until late Saturday afternoon – January, 18, 2025.) She didn’t. She copped it.

“So I just wanted to show the media that I do have a platform as well. I can drive a large amount of traffic and I’m not afraid to use it. So maybe just be a bit more respectful, and I’ll respect you guys.”

This issue began after Portelli, tired of being called Lambo Guy, last week offered $50,000 to the first journalist to use his preferred new nickname McLaren Guy on a TV broadcast.

Lambo Guy was a nickname given to Portelli following his arrival in the media space in a bright yellow Lamborghini Murciélago on the 2022 season of The Block. The name stuck and has become a shorthand way to introduce him in a story. It was a nickname created with affection.

Channel 9’s Today sports reporter Alex Cullen managed to crowbar the Portelli mention into a cross on the show on Friday.

Portelli declared him a winner and on Saturday posted a screen grab showing a $50,000 bank transfer to an account in Cullen’s name. I reported the situation and went to Nine for comment.

Today Show presenter Alex Cullen was paid $50,000 by Portelli after being the first journalist on TV to refer to him as "McLaren Man”. Picture: Supplied/Instagram

They confirmed Cullen had been stood down, that the money was being refunded and that the network was investigating what had taken place.

At no point did Portelli take issue with me reporting the story. His issue was with the Lambo Guy headline.

Like many journalists I have written loads of stories about Portelli and spoken to him and met him on several occasions. I like him, he is unique, personable and totally original. He spends money like no one I can remember, he is a Melbourne success story and people are intrigued by him.

But I don’t like what happened on Saturday.

Portelli told me to “do better” in one of his Instagram comments.

Well, my message to him is to be better.

Adrian Portelli told social media he is “not afraid” to use his large following. Picture: NewsWire

Directing your swarm of followers to bombard and abuse someone online for money is appalling.

This sort of targeted, deliberate online behaviour can have very serious real world consequences – we have seen tragic examples of this in the past.

It causes psychological harm and hurt.

It can also set in motion a dangerous ripple effect where fringe members of a group who blindly follow a directive to target someone can continue to harass long after the initial incident has past.

I would like an apology from Portelli.

And here’s an idea, how about donating the $50,000 that was going to be gifted to Cullen to an anti-bullying and anti-cyberbullying charity like Dolly’s Dream or the Alannah & Madeline Foundation.

At least then something good can come out of this horrible situation.