‘Absolute tosser’: Karl Stefanovic comment enraging America
Karl Stefanovic has sparked an “international stoush” with a comment that has got America hot under the collar.
Karl Stefanovic has poked the bear.
The outspoken breakfast TV host on Monday poured fuel on the burning drama between the Australian and American swimming teams ahead of the Paris Olympics with comments that have not gone down well in the United States.
Aussie Olympic great Cate Campbell infuriated American swimming icon Michael Phelps in the same TV segment, but it is Stefanovic’s comments that have now got people talking.
Stefanovic labelled Phelps an “absolute tosser” in a segment on the Today Show, but his inflammatory remarks weren’t enough to bait Campbell into sending another verbal missile into the American camp.
America’s fired up response to Stefanovic is the latest twist in the swimming war of words that has escalated this month.
Phelps was shown footage of Campbell’s comments from last year where the Aussie described the Americans as sore losers and teed off at their routine of ringing a cowbell when each of their swimmers come out to race.
Australia topped the medal tally at last year’s world championships, but American broadcaster NBC caused a stir when they changed their own medal tally graphic to prioritise overall medal total, which put the USA on top. Australia won 13 golds to the USA’s seven.
Phelps responded to the vision of Campbell’s comments by saying he would want to make the Australian team “eat every word” if he were a current member of the US team.
Stefanovic has now given America more motivational fuel by taking a personal shot at the athlete considered by many to be the greatest swimmer of all time.
Stefanovic described the drama as “an international stoush”.
“He used to have a personality,” Stefanovic said after watching the footage of Phelps’ response.
Today Show co-host Sarah Abo then said: “Whoa. He is angry, isn’t he.”
Stefanovic didn’t hold back and appeared to reference the scandal that surrounded a photo of Phelps inhaling from a marijuana pipe in 2009.
“Well he’s angry he doesn’t have a proper haircut,” he said.
“Also, I just feel like he’s lost his personality. And they say that excessive bucket bombing does that to you.”
He also urged Campbell to take another shot at the American team.
“Phelpsy’s just lost his personality hasn’t he? He’s just gone soft or something,” he said.
“He’s boring and he’s retired. I want to say this to you, you have our full backing. The country is behind you to not back down. We want you to go forward.
“I mean Phelpsy’s probably not going to watch the swimming. He’ll probably be watching SpongeBob SquarePants at three in the morning. You know what I mean, rather than be participating in all this.”
He finished up by asking Campbell a prickly question.
“So Cate, (what is) you’re absolute final message to that absolute tosser Michael Phelps?”
Campbell didn’t oblige him.
American swimming commentator Kyle Sockwell summed up how America feels about Stefanovic when he shared the footage on X, formerly known as Twitter.
How to make Team USA swim faster:
— Kyle Sockwell (@kylesockwell) June 24, 2024
1) talk shit about the GOAT ðŸ
*end list*
Phelps is the most decorated Olympian in history with 23 medals including 18 golds, looked like he was ready to come out of retirement when he saw Campbell’s comments for the first time.
“I appreciate your comments Cate,” Phelps said in an NBC promo ahead of the USA’s Olympic swimming trials.
“(If) somebody said that to me, I would lose it. I would literally make them eat every word they just said about me.
“Cause people have done it. Chad Le Clos? Thorpe? You guys have all talked sh*t about me and I had the last laugh.
“So for the Americans, if you see what I just saw … I would watch that thing every single day to give me that little extra bit of oomph.
“I mean, that’s awesome. Well, the good news is the Olympics will be here shortly and we’ll be able to see what the results are.”
Campbell’s sledge about team USA’s use of the “cowbell” has particularly got under the skin of the Americans, who have urged their team to bang the cowbell even louder in Paris.
“I hope we bang that cowbell louder than we ever have this summer,” Phelps said with a grin on NBC’s coverage at the US trials.
“Their (Australia’s) depth is unbelievable. Honestly, watching the trials here — we’re ready. I’m excited to see Paris. I watched that video again today. I want to get back in the pool and start going, it fires me up.”
Speaking on Nine’s Today on Monday, Campbell walked back her comments and said she regretted her criticism of the American national anthem.
“Who knew a couple of comments said in jest (could) have stirred up all this trouble. But ultimately, that’s kind of what we love about sport,” she said.
“It’s the rivalries that get everyone going that gets the fire in the belly.
“Australia has had such a long rivalry with the US and a little bit of trash talk never hurt anyone.
“We’re up against a country of 350 million people – there’s 27 million people here in Australia.
“It’s so satisfying when we can get one up over the big dogs … and Australia loves being the underdog. We thrive on that.
“Maybe the Americans thrive on the fire in their belly and getting really patriotic.”
“I know I brought in the Star Spangled Banner, and that was a big mistake, but if you want to have a go at Advance Australia Fair, I kind of don’t mind,” she said with a laugh.
“We have one of the least sexy words in the English language in it - girt. That probably only comes behind words like moist and secrete. Go for your life.
“But you know what? I’m still a very proud Australian and I will sing that anthem so proudly for the rest of my life.”
In response to Campbell’s cowbell comment, American breaststroker and world record holder Lilly King said: “It’s just funny to me that it gets on their nerves that much. That’s amusing.”
“Is it going to be worse if they beat us than somebody else? Yeah. I’m glad everyone is jealous of the pride that we have for our country.
“We like each other, but we want to kill each other when we’re in the pool.”
Bobby Finke, who won gold in the 800m and 1500m in Tokyo, also weighed in.
“That’s just worlds. This is the Olympics. This is the big game show,” he said.
Backstroker and team captain Ryan Murphy said: “Last summer’s over. It happened. So I love the idea of having an underdog mentality.”
Australia has beaten the USA twice at world championships, in Fukuoka in 2001 and 2023, but hasn’t topped the Americans on the medal tally at the Olympics since Melbourne 1956.
The Aussies won nine gold medals to the USA’s 11 in Tokyo.
Australia’s female swimmers will need to do the bulk of the heavy lifting once again in Paris if they are to end American’s dominance in the pool.
Ariarne Titmus (200m, 400m, 800m freestyle), Kaylee McKeown (100m and 200m backstroke, 200m medley), Mollie O’Callaghan (100m and 200m freestyle) and Shayna Jack (50m and 100m freestyle) are gold medal contenders.
On the men’s side, Kyle Chalmers (100m freestyle), Cam McEvoy (50m freestyle), Zac Stubblety-Cook (200m breaststroke), Elijah Winnington (400m, 800m freestyle) and Sam Short (400m, 800m, 1500m freestyle) are medal contenders.
Both countries have now completed their Olympic trials. The Americans looked in imperious form last week, with Gretchen Walsh and Regan Smith breaking world records in the 100m butterfly and 100m backstroke, respectively.
Katie Ledecky, Caeleb Dressel, Murphy and Finke will all defend their Olympic titles in Paris.
Campbell missed out on qualifying for a record fifth Olympics in emotional scenes at the trials in Brisbane.
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