Dwarf entertainer set on fire during St Kilda's Mad Monday party criticised for not entertaining players

UPDATE: THE dwarf entertainer set on fire during St Kilda's Mad Monday celebrations was criticised for not doing his job to entertain players.

THE dwarf entertainer set on fire during St Kilda's Mad Monday celebrations was criticised for not doing his job to entertain players.

Blake Johnston, 31, was set alight by Saints midfielder Clinton Jones in a prank during the club’s end-of-season party at a South Melbourne pub on Monday.

In an interview on tonight’s A Current Affair, Mr Johnson said he sent Saints veteran Leigh Montagna an email asking for his burnt clothes to be replaced.

According to Channel 9, Montagna replied: ''If you actually followed your job description and said you would entertain us, I’d be happy to. But to sit on a seat and drink water for two hours and still want your money does not constitute work in my book.

''I am sorry if you felt your clothes were affected, but I also feel ripped off that I paid you money to entertain and you did not make any effort to try and entertain.

''If you felt we were disrespectful, you should have told me when I asked. But you said everything was OK so I believed you.''

Clinton Jones

Mr Johnston and a colleague from the entertainment firm Dwarf My Party had been hired by Montagna to act as mock security guards. 

But the pair left the venue after Mr Johnston’s clothes were set on fire at the height of the celebrations.

"There was just smoke coming off me," Mr Johnston said. "I was on fire."

In the interview on A Current Affair, Mr Johnston said he was sorry he took the job. 

"I’m sorry I put myself in that position,” he said.

"I’m sorry that my family at the moment are really worried about me. I’m sorry for the fact that my girlfriend who I went home to went outside and had a cry and thought, ‘What is it worth?'

"It’s not worth it."

EARLIER: St Kilda names player who set dwarf alight

A spokesman for the Nine Network would not reveal if Mr Johnston was paid to take part in the story.

"It is Nine Network policy not to disclose whether or not any guest on any of its programs has or has not been paid for their appearance,” he said.

Clinton Jones

Mr Johnston, meanwhile, has cancelled a gig on Thursday night as a gorilla chasing a strip-teasing banana in a Fitzroy burlesque show.

A weekend gig for Professional Championship Wrestling, where he performs as Mr Big, is also up in the air.

His workmate Josh Damann said Johnston was still humiliated by the Mad Monday incident.

Mr Damann said: ''He is down in the dumps and has lost confidence in what he does.

''This has hit him hard, emotionally.''

Jones, 29, admitted his decision to light the clothes of the entertainer was a childish error of judgment.

"I sincerely apologise to Mr Johnston and have done so personally today," Jones said yesterday.

"As a playing group, we were engaged in end-of-season activities, which, in hindsight, were quite childish. I made an error of judgment in including Mr Johnston in the activity.

"I am embarrassed if this has caused angst and certainly had no intention to cause any harm to anyone, including the St Kilda Football Club and its members."

The club also confirmed Jones would make a donation to the Kids with Cancer Foundation. 

Mr Big Blake Johnston

Police are still investigating the circumstances of the bizarre stunt and will examine CCTV footage as part of the probe.

Fallout from the incident - which was revealed on heraldsun.com.au on Monday night - was compounded after AFL chief Andrew Demetriou laughed about it on live TV.

Mr Demetriou was also quick to issue an apology for his initial reaction on Channel 7's Talking Footy.

The AFL chief said he was first told about the story by a producer in an ad break and did not believe it.

"I thought they were having me on. I thought it was a joke," he said.

Andrew Demetriou

Speaking on radio yesterday, Mr Demetriou said he was shocked at the Saints players' behaviour especially after AFL officials had recently warned them about end-of-season celebrations.

"I've been very public on my views about Mad Monday, I don't like Mad Mondays," Mr Demetriou said.

"I think they are a thing of a bygone era. So when I was told that, for some reason that I could never possibly fathom, that there were people walking around with lighters lighting the back of each others' shirts, I just couldn't believe that.

"I just couldn't believe that could be in this day and age. We spend our whole lives teaching children not to play with matches."

Mad Monday also bad Monday

Mr Johnston and his colleague, Arthur Serevetas, had been hired by a high-profile player to act as mock security guards at the Saints' event.

Mr Serevetas described his shock after he saw his mate engulfed in flames.

"I saw his shirt go up. I was taken aback ... I think I was shocked," Mr Serevetas said.

"We were there for their entertainment ... not to be treated that way."

It's understood that Mr Johnston's jumper and pants were significantly burnt.

Another close friend of the pair said it was completely unacceptable. "This wasn't just somebody burning a hole in his jumper with a cigarette," he said.

Mr Johnston said he had accepted apologies and was prepared to move on.

"The St Kilda Football Club and the player involved have contacted me to apologise, which I have accepted," he said.

"The player has also offered to make a donation to a charity of my choosing, which is the Kids with Cancer Foundation Australia.

"I appreciate that Andrew made the effort to contact me and I have accepted his apology."

Mr Johnston said he had sought legal advice on the matter, but had decided against taking action.

Police investigators have watched CCTV footage and are believed to be speaking with management of the club.

Brisbane Lions forward Jonathan Brown was spotted in a karaoke bar belting out a unique version of Knockin' on Heaven's Door, stubby in hand, during his club's end-of-season event.