Susie O’Brien: Sam Newman must get the boot after his latest shameful episode

SAM Newman must hang up the microphone and slink off into obscurity where he belongs — we have put up with his bullying for too long, writes Susie O’Brien.

SAM Newman must finally go. We’ve had to put up with his pathetic, pitiful bullying for too long.

CHANNEL NINE SAM NEWMAN UNDER FIRE FOR DISGRACEFUL GAG

It’s time for him to hang up the microphone and slink off into obscurity where he belongs.

His latest shameful episode occurred this week when panellist Billy Brownless asked him for his opinion on a fake St Kilda banner that read: “Saints are on a roll. Believe the hype. Last week wasn’t pretty, like this Kardashian lookalike”.

Newman’s face was superimposed on Caitlin Jenner, whose transition from US Olympian Bruce Jenner has been well publicised.

You would think a mature (in age terms, anyway) gent like Sam Newman would learn to stop offending people. Picture: Sam Rosewarne

“I know who he ... it is,” said Newman, as the audience laughed. “Oh well what is she? Is it a he or a she? Still got the …? Is it transgender, or what is it?”

Shame on Newman for making such comments about transgender people being “it”. Shame on him for fuelling the nasty bullying that transgender people face every day.

Comments from someone of Newman’s profile give credence to the offensive view that it’s okay to dismiss transgender people as “it” rather than take the time to find out what gender they would like to be known as.

Newman would well know that Caitlin Jenner is now a woman and wants to be respected as such.

So much for Rebecca Maddern, who seems unable or unwilling to step up at these times. She clarified that “he’s a she now” but did nothing to stop the situation unfolding, and did nothing to shut Newman down.

Sam Newman, Rebecca Maddern and Billy Brownless from ‘The Footy Show’. Picture: Channel 9

Shame, too, on The Footy Show’s producers for mocking up a fake St Kilda banner that invited the comments in the first place. They would have known full well what Newman would say.

Newman has since followed that well-worn path of issuing an apology after the fact. But you’d think a mature (in age terms, anyway) gent like him would learn to stop offending people in the first place.

Such comments put the AFL’s inclusion agenda back a decade or more, and make a joke of the Pride Round, which is supposed to promote acceptance of the LGBTIQ community.

St. Kilda Football Club also said comedy at the expense of transgender people was “no joke”.

They’re right.

So when’s Newman going to run out of chances and finally get the boot?

With The Footy Show’s ratings at an all-time low, you’d have to hope it would pretty soon.