Comedian Catherine Deveny launches Anzac Day attack

Anzac Day is “disgusting” according to writer and comedian Catherine Deveny and “should have gone in the bin decades ago”.

Catherine Deveny. Picture: Scott McNaughton.

Anzac Day is “f. king disgusting” according to the writer and comedian Catherine Deveny and “should have gone in the bin decades ago”.

Deveny, who runs writing workshops, took to social media today to attack the commemorative day on both Facebook and Twitter.

“As it gets closer my head feels tighter and tighter and I feel more and more nauseous,” Deveny wrote on Facebook.

“I blame the collective cognitive dissonance seeping in. I abhor Anzac Day and can’t wait til it’s over. I am so delighted to hear the chorus increasing every year saying ‘Anzac Day is bulls. t. It’s a Trojan Horse for racism, sexism, toxic masculinity, violence, homophobia and discrimination,’ “ she wrote.

She also insulted troops on Twitter by claiming their role was “no more dangerous or prone to upheaval than many other jobs” while advocating that the term “service” be thrown in the bin.

“It’s part of the fetishisation of war and violence.”

Why do people in the armed forces use the word 'serve' to describe their work despite it being no more dangerous or prone to upheaval than many other jobs? It's just a job and work. Throw the term 'serve' in the bin. It's part of the fetishisation of war and violence.

— Catherine Deveny (@CatherineDeveny) April 23, 2018

Condemnation was swift online.

“On behalf of the 102,825 Australians that lost their lives while “serving”, I respectfully ask for your apology for making such a selfish, uninformed statement,” wrote Twitter user @BubbaFett33.

Catherine Deveny. Yawn. Don't give her the attention she craves

— Tom Steinfort (@tomsteinfort) April 24, 2018

“Yawn. Don’t give her the attention she craves.” Wrote Nine journalist and foreign correspondent Tom Steinfort, who covered Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey when he was Europe Correspondent for Nine.

Deveny told one US army vet, who contacted her from Kentucky: “You didn’t ‘serve your country’ you chose a job in the violence industry.”

I “served” in the Australian Army. It wasn’t just a job. I was sent to Afghanistan amongst other sunny holiday spots. At the time I thought we were doing the right thing. Now not so much. The job was dirty and dangerous and I hope to Christ my children find safer jobs as adult. https://t.co/WEigFvVJkP

— Nick 🇦🇺🏳️‍🌈 (@Buckets74) April 23, 2018

@Buckets 74 commented: “I “served” in the Australian Army. It wasn’t just a job. I was sent to Afghanistan among other sunny holiday spots. At the time I thought we were doing the right thing. Now not so much. The job was dirty and dangerous and I hope to Christ my children find safer jobs as adult.”

Deveny’s offensive Anzac insult continued to draw the ire of social media commenters as the day wore on, who slammed her for the insensitive tweet that some regarded as a stunt for attention.

Twitter user Rich Wisken delivered what could only be described as a savage smackdown and was blocked by Deveny but his tweet earned the attention of Australian Senator Derryn Hinch.

So true, @CatherineDeveny. My granddad's right leg was torn apart by a Japanese bayonet whilst 'serving' on the Kokoda Trail. It reminds me of the epic struggle I had with a Microsoft Word document yesterday whilst 'serving' as a copywriter #LestWeForget pic.twitter.com/zOr3LpVdGj

— Rich Wisken (@RichWisken) April 24, 2018

You work. They serve and many died while serving. Deveny, what a disgusting Anzac week tweet.

— Derryn Hinch (@HumanHeadline) April 24, 2018

And then the hits on Deveny’s brand of troop insult simply kept on coming.

“When the Russians invade, I’m sure they’re going to say “No, comrades. That’s Catherine Deveny’s house - she’s against the fetishisation of war and violence! Turn left, we’ll invade Tim Blair instead,” wrote Billy Swagspeare

I had to change the toner in the office printer last week, WITHOUT the instruction note. I still have flashbacks. Pray for me.

— Red Baby (@G_Certaminis) April 24, 2018

Those Word documents can be formidable.

— The Irreverent Lizard-Man (@Irreverent_Tegu) April 24, 2018

Deveny then went on to further disrespect the tradition of Anzac Day, by calling it “Bogan Halloween.”

Those Word documents can be formidable.

— The Irreverent Lizard-Man (@Irreverent_Tegu) April 24, 2018

On Facebook Deveny went into detail about her sacking from The Age newspaper in 2010, when she was dismissed after making crude comments about TV star Rove McManus and his partner Tasma Walton.

“Rove and Tasma look so cute! I hope she doesn’t die too,” she tweeted about talk star Rove McManus, whose wife Belinda Emmett died of cancer in 2006.

She was also sacked for a crude slur about Bindi Irwin, daughter of the late TV Crocodile Hunter star Steve Irwin, who was 11 at the time.

Catherine Deveny was sacked for a crude slur regarding Bindi Irwin in 2010.

“I so do hope Bindi Irwin gets laid,” Deveny tweeted.

“I was liberated from my highly successful column at The Age in 2010. Many people think it was because of Logies comments and my gender. It wasn’t. It was far more complicated than that. It had a lot to do with Pale Male Stales having a tantrum with reality about the diversity of voices that were suddenly taking focus away from them. This was due to the democratisation of information and the rise, acceptance and visibility of diversity. It had more to do with my class than anything.”

The Australian phoned Deveny for a comment. She immediately hung up and refused to pick up on subsequent occasions.