It’s comic schtick, not sexism: Why it’s OK for Julia Morris to drool over Dr Chris

DR CHRIS Brown thinks the sexual innuendo he’s subjected to on live television is schtick, not sexism.Here’s why he thinks it’s comedy, not controversy.

DR CHRIS Brown is not a victim.

That’s the message from the Bondi Vet who has spoken out about the barrage of sexual innuendo he’s subjected to on live television, branding it schtick, not sexism.

On the eve of his departure to Africa for the second Australian season of I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here, Dr Brown defended his co-host, comedian Julia Morris, against accusations of sexism, and said he was no victim of disrespect.

“This is comedy, this is performance, and I’m in on the joke,” Brown said.

Morris’s hammed-up crush on Brown came into focus in the wake of the Chris Gayle scandal, with many questioning why the blatant innuendo Morris sprays at Brown is any different to West Indian cricketer Chris Gayle’s treatment of Channel Ten sports journalist Mel McLaughlin in a recent sideline interview.

Gayle was fined $10,000 and copped a barrage of criticism in the wake of the exchange, during a Big Bash cricket broadcast, in which he told McLaughlin he had been keen to be interviewed by her ‘just to see your eyes for the first time’, said hopefully ‘we can have a drink after’ and added: “don’t blush baby”.

An uncomfortable McLaughlin replied: “I’m not blushing.”

Gayle was widely pilloried for the exchange, which was branded sexist, demeaning and showing disrespect to McLaughlin as a professional trying to do her job.

But some punters wondered how the situation was any different to Morris’s on-air antics with Brown — which have seen her drool over him in a loincloth, flirt suggestively and continually allude to his physical charms.

@channelten political correctness gone mad. Perhaps 10 should also apologise for all of Julia Morris comments made to Dr Chris Brown #BBL05

— Elkinator1 (@Elkinator1) January 4, 2016

Glad the same Ch10 Code of Behaviour apply for Julia Morris with Dr Chris Brown #I'mMeatGetMeOutOfHere @tensporttv https://t.co/6NC58Vyoxv

— SJWillow (@MakeBirdiePutt) January 4, 2016

Chris Gayle was out of line but it's double standards to then advertise Julia Morris' continued flirting with Chris Brown #dontblushbaby

— Alex Carter (@abbacarter) January 4, 2016

@channelten political correctness gone mad. Perhaps 10 should also apologise for all of Julia Morris comments made to Dr Chris Brown #BBL05

— Elkinator1 (@Elkinator1) January 4, 2016

Cringing at those I'm a Celebrity ads where Julia Morris is all over Dr Chris Brown like a West Indies Cricket player on a female journo-yuk

— MelloFromBello (@MelloFromBello) January 8, 2016

Channel Ten was asked how Morris could get away with the comments without censure on an almost nightly basis.

Brown says the Gayle scenario is a far cry from what unfolds on-screen between himself and Morris.

“There is such a clear delineation between that incident and what we have,” Brown said on the eve of flying out to Africa to prepare for the start of I’m A Celebrity, which starts in two weeks.

“What we have is deliberately played-out comedy. Julia and I have such a collaboratively working relationship and the big difference is that I am in on the joke and clearly OK with it, and at times I even encourage it.

“There is a very clear respect for each other in this is well, which is probably the most important thing.

“I think the clear thing with the Chris Gayle situation was the moment he started that, Mel looked uncomfortable and moved on, but he persisted.

“Mel was doing her job as a journalist, and in that moment his job was to talk about his job as a professional cricketer.

“Whereas with Julia our job is to entertain and it’s clearly comedy, and a lot of it is pre-planned.

Brown admits he was surprised at the backlash against I’m A Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here in the wake of the Gayle debate.

“I’ve honestly been surprised that everyone has drawn the link, but that is interesting in itself,” he said.

“I just don’t want it to get to the stage where we can’t use our schtick, that’s all.

Brown admits there ‘is a certain fun in reversing the gender roles’.

“For so long it has been one way. We are happy to reverse it with our tongues firmly planted in cheek and take it a little bit the other way.

“It’s comedy. It’s entertainment. It isn’t real life. I play a large part in cultivating it.

“It’s deliberately positioned that way and so I think that’s a really important line to draw.”

Brown and Morris fly to Africa tomorrow to start work in the jungle.

“Julia and I sit next to each other on the plane on the way over. We should know better, because all we’ll do is giggle and wind each other up, but it’s our way to ease into the new season,” he said.

One thing Brown won’t be packing is the loincloth he has worn in current promos for the show, another move that has seen him dismissed as eye-candy.

“I won’t be wearing for the live shows. I think microphone placement is an issue,” he joked.

“I love the Big Bash cricket and me watching it all season has meant I have seen a fair bit of loincloth action when they screen the promos, which is weird.

“In the jungle, I’ll be wearing clothes. Let’s be very clear on that.

“To be honest if I never see that freakin’ loincloth again I’ll be happy.”