This was published 6 years ago
The Stefanovic rant: Details of Karl and Pete's conversation emerge
By Robert Moran
In the end, the overheard Uber conversation that had Nine's foes salivating was more bark than bite.
On Monday, tabloid magazine New Idea published its interview with an Uber driver who had been spruiking a backseat convo between Karl Stefanovic and brother Pete, in which the two took turns spraying their Today co-hosts and Nine bosses.
A "shocking rant" the rag calls it, but the details are more embarrassing for those involved than career-threatening.
The unnamed driver told the magazine the 45-minute conversation kicked off after he picked up a seemingly "intoxicated" Pete and his wife Sylvia Jeffreys, presenters on Weekend Today and Today respectively.
The driver said Karl, who was on speakerphone, first took aim at Today co-host Georgie Gardner – who took over from Lisa Wilkinson in January – criticising her for being "too neutral" on the show.
“[Karl] said she didn’t have enough opinions and he wanted her to step up. He actually sounded angry and said he was going to start pushing hard and that she needed to do that if she wanted to stay on the show,” the driver told New Idea.
Peter and Karl Stefanovic in happier times at the 2011 TV Week Logie Awards.Credit: Penny Stephens
He also said Karl complained about Today presenter Richard Wilkins for keeping him from big entertainment stories.
“Karl moaned that Dickie kept all the entertainment contacts close to his chest and doesn’t share anything,” the driver said.
Pete, meanwhile, was more concerned with Nine News colleague Mark Burrows, the driver said, accusing the news veteran of “looking down on him”. He also said “he hated his job so much that he often takes it out on wife Sylvia”.
“Karl suggested Pete pitch ideas and say he needs $60k and not to take no for an answer, but Pete said his ideas were always knocked back and it was sucking the life out of him,” the driver told New Idea.
The brothers also targeted Nine’s bosses, complaining they were “out of touch” and ratings on other well-known programs like 60 Minutes were down.
“[Karl] said they didn’t know anything... Both the brothers clearly think they are better than what they do and spent a lot of time complaining,” the Uber driver said.
In perhaps his oddest tidbit, and a stark reminder the conversation was a private affair, the driver also said Pete urged Karl to watch the Oasis doco Supersonic, because of a “similar estranged relationship they had with their father”.
All smiles: Karl and Georgie on Monday morning's Today.
Reports of tapes being shopped to media first sprung up about a week ago, with Nine describing recordings of the private conversation as "pretty low".
But the Uber driver denied a recording of the rant existed. (It is illegal to record a conversation in NSW without the consent or knowledge of all participants.)
“I don’t have a dash-cam... I don’t even know how to record something on my phone,” the driver told New Idea.
He said he hadn’t called the media over the story, but a friend had been “keen to spread the word” after he relayed the fare to her.
“I had no idea any of it was that interesting,” the driver told New Idea, who reportedly paid up to $50,000 for the story.
Both Karl and Pete issued a public apology on Sunday ahead of New Idea’s story.
“Pete and I were guilty of having a spray after a Sunday barbecue,” Karl told News Corp.
“We talk a hundred times a day and hardly ever about work. Mainly about his terrible golf. But we did... And we are sorry."
He also countered his negative statements against Gardner, calling her “the best thing to happen to the show in years.”
“She’s hungry, she’s working hard and making the show better every day. I love working with her. Anyone says differently, they don’t know,” said Stefanovic.
Pete issued a similar statement, calling the saga “silly” and “embarrassing”.
“There’s nothing quite like having all your insecurities out there for people to see and read. I am now investing in a hands-free ear piece, and I gave the driver one star – but only because you can’t give a zero,” he joked.
Awkwardly, all parties were on air during Monday’s episode of Today, but kept focus largely on NSW and Victoria's bushfire crisis.