Katie Noonan’s agent leaps to her defence in face of growing Opening Ceremony criticism
KATIE Noonan’s manager has come out in defence of the embattled singer, as the feud over her role in the polarising opening ceremony continues to escalate, with an MP adding some strong words to the arguments.
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KATIE Noonan’s manager has come out in defence of the embattled singer, saying she is a “cog in a very large machine” at the Commonwealth Games, as the feud over the controversial opening ceremony deepened.
“Katie was contracted to do a job as an MD and a performer, which she nailed,” Noonan’s manager Jesse Flavell said in a statement.
“In this context, she is a cog in a very large machine.”
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‘NASTY’ Scathing attack aimed at Noonan
The statement came after a bitter feud erupted publicly, with some sources from within the production claiming Noonan, musical director of the opening and closing ceremonies, made the opening event about her.
On Monday, ARIA Award winning band Sheppard hit out at Noonan and claimed they were offered to perform for “volunteer rates” by organisers, while leading promoter Michael Chugg claimed artists were offered just $2000 a song.
“The role of the Musical Director is to provide creative suggestions and options to the Artistic Director and the senior creative team (and multiple additional stakeholders) and to work with them to deliver their vision for the ceremony,” Flavell responded.
“To suggest that the MD has unilateral control and the final say on any creative decisions for events of this magnitude is incorrect. To suggest that the MD is involved in setting the commercial terms offered to any performers is incorrect. To suggest that the MD controls the camera work and editing choices of the broadcast partner is incorrect.”
GOLDOC yesterday insisted the budgeting for artists was undertaken by a third party and alluded to a clash of personalities behind the scenes.
“What we did is just normally what happens at Commonwealth Games, we have seen the stories. We’re not getting into any of that,” chairman Peter Beattie said.
“We are really happy with the opening ceremony we are working hard on the closing ceremony, we are going to focus on the positives.”
“There is nothing different here to anywhere else, we stick to a budget, and a budget on time - there is nothing untoward here,” he said.
Mr Beattie also stood by Noonan.
“Katie Noonan is fantastic, but we don’t want to get into that argument, that is not a matter for us,” Mr Beattie said.
Meanwhile, Queensland LNP frontbencher Jarrod Bleijie also joined the backlash against the ceremony and Noonan - labelling the spectacle “boring”
Save the tears Noonan. The opening ceremony was boring and lacklustre. Aliens in the first 5 mins turned me off and why the organisers didn't have an Australian icon singing our National Anthem is a disgrace. #qldpol
— Jarrod Bleijie (@JarrodBleijieMP) April 9, 2018
New attacks aimed at ‘nasty’ Noonan https://t.co/oIlVRYRMMr
“Save the tears Noonan,’’ he wrote on Twitter.
“The opening ceremony was boring and lacklustre. Aliens in the five 5 mins turned me off and why they organisers didn’t have an Australian icon singing our National Anthem is a disgrace.”
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Originally published as Katie Noonan’s agent leaps to her defence in face of growing Opening Ceremony criticism
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