Channel Nine, Sam Newman under fire for ‘disgraceful’ gag

PATRICK Dangerfield has taken aim the Footy Show and Channel Nine, imploring people not to watch the program.

GEELONG star Patrick Dangerfield has taken an angry swipe at Sam Newman and Channel Nine after the AFL Footy Show panellist’s “disgraceful” gag on this week’s episode.

Newman was forced to apologise for making “unacceptable” comments at the transgender community’s expense when fellow panellist Billy Brownless asked if he knew who Caitlyn Jenner was when a banner appeared on screen with her face on it.

“I know who he ... it is,” Newman said. “Oh well, what is she? Is it a he or a she?”

Co-host Rebecca Maddern tried to steer Newman down the right path, saying: “He is a she now.” But Newman continued to stumble.

“Is it transgender, is it? Or what is it?” he said before co-host Craig Hutchison moved quickly off the topic.

Absolutely seething @AFLFootyShow @Channel9 Get these vile bullies off our screen! They are never held accountable. I will NOT let this sit pic.twitter.com/gOtCvcPMTD

— Angie Greene (@Ange_Greene) June 21, 2017

Dangerfield says Newman is “irrelevant” and took a dig at Nine, suggesting the show’s future may be in doubt if scandals like this affect its ratings.

“From my point of view I just think he’s irrelevant,” Dangerfield told KIIS101.1’s Matt & Meshel. “The show itself, apart from (co-host) Bec (Maddern), who’s wonderful — I haven’t watched it for a while and I thought Sam was well off the mark, well out of line.

“But it’s been a history, it’s been something that’s been happening for such a long period of time and obviously Nine continues to run with it because it continues to rate. But it hasn’t rated as well so I think it will be interesting come the end of the season.”

The Brownlow Medal favourite says “crap” like that seen this week puts players who have joined the show’s panel in an uncomfortable position.

“You certainly don’t want to be part of an episode that has that sort of commentary because it puts you in a really uncomfortable position as a player sitting on the panel when — seriously — crap is spoken like that,” Dangerfield said.

“But it’s really difficult to stand up and say, ‘I don’t agree with this’ at that exact moment.

“The program infrastructure doesn’t allow it to happen and especially this time, the players on the panel at the time (Max Gawn and Josh Bruce) were of the younger variety.”

When asked if it’s time for Channel Nine to part ways with Newman, Dangerfield offered up this sledge: “I think anyone can do it. You use your remote.”

Newman issued an apology on Thursday, saying he regretted his comments.

Patrick Dangerfield is sick of Sam Newman’s “crap”.

Karen Field is the chief executive of Drummond Street Services, which works with the LGBTIQ community, and was furious with how frivolously Newman’s comments were thrown out without any concern for the impact they would have.

She also took aim at Brownless for setting Newman up when he likely knew what the outcome would be.

“It’s another example of the Footy Show using a marginalised community to set up a gag at their expense,” Field told news.com.au.

“It’s disgraceful that those comments are sent out there without any sense of ownership for how they might impact a vulnerable community.

“It’s no accident that Brownless stitched that up in order for Sam. Sam is so predictable in terms of the rubbish that comes out of his mouth it almost doesn’t bear to make a comment about his ...behaviour. But it was obvious to all who watched that program last night that Sam was set up to say what he did.”

Newman has previously made headlines for controversial reasons. He accidentally exposed his genitalia on national TV during a Footy Show broadcast in 2014, donned blackface in 1999 and he has on separate occasions mocked female football journalist Caroline Wilson, the most recent instance coming when he accused her of “becoming an embarrassment” for taking offence to comments made about her by Collingwood president Eddie McGuire last year.

Co-convener of the Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby Dale Park says Newman’s latest scandal isn’t surprising, and also laid the boot into the Nine network for allowing the “cheap set-up” to go ahead.

Sam Newman came under fire, but Billy Brownless didn’t escape the blame.

“Unfortunately I wasn’t surprised by the comments from Sam Newman. He has a history of commenting on women and gay men, and he has a history of blackface,” Park told news.com.au.

“It felt like a cheap set-up to get a laugh at the expense of people not there to defend themselves.

“You feel angry when ... people in positions of power and authority think they can use them (vulnerable communities) as a cheap stunt or cheap set-up.

“It also needs to be looked at why it was created in the first place and why Channel Nine chose to show it. Nothing was by accident. They knew the reaction it was going to get — it seems like it was purposeful and designed to create hurt and laughter which is unacceptable.”

Executive director of Transgender Victoria Sally Goldner joined the chorus of condemnation, saying “enough is enough” when it comes to such “inappropriate” perspectives.

“They are inexcusable, it’s in total contempt of 101 of respecting someone’s identity and it’s totally inappropriate in 2017. There comes a point on that sort of language where enough is enough,” Goldner said.

“How come no one from the network spoke up?

“Standing up and saying, ‘That’s not on’ is not really that hard if you really believe it.”

Goldner called for “pretty severe consequences” and demanded stronger leadership when it comes to protecting the trans community.

“We have a right to draw a very firm line in the sand on this sort of thing,” she said. “It needs leadership from across the community more than wishy washy comments to condemn this attitude. Enough, enough, enough.”

Social media wasn’t kind to Newman in the wake of his comments.

@stkildafc @AFLFootyShow Misgendering, mocking and bullying a transgender person is NOT comedy. Sam Newman, your words were hurtful & cruel.

— Georgie Stone (@georgiestone16) June 21, 2017

#9AFLFootyShow @AFLFootyShow Sam Newman, we want you to apologise. This is not acceptable. NO ONE deserves to be discriminated against!

— Georgie Stone (@georgiestone16) June 22, 2017

I haven't watched the @AFLFootyShow in yrs. I watched 10mins tonight. Sam Newman referred to Caitlyn as "IT". I've switched off permanently.

— @OO_17 (@OO_17) June 21, 2017

Sam Newman is a relic of the past and his jokes are ugly, mean-spirited and out of step with the majority of Aussies https://t.co/IqLpM9O1FZ

— Jason Ball (@jasonballau) June 22, 2017

Sam Newman's comments are hideous but not surprising. Rebecca Maddern's laughter and complicity are v disappointinghttps://t.co/T3f6iRucjy

— Jill Stark (@jillastark) June 22, 2017

Newman issued a statement on Thursday, saying: “I regret the comments I made about Caitlyn Jenner. What I said was not appropriate and I’m sorry to anyone offended.”