Comic Charlie cops a kicking for police killing slip-up on ABC’s NYE show
The ABC’s New Year’s Eve coverage is always a bit of a dumpster fire. News.com.au, January 1 last year:
As it got closer to midnight, the Hoodoo Gurus performed just minutes before the fireworks went off with a bang. But the hosts got distracted chatting to frontman Dave Faulkner, leaving the band’s drummer to remind them to start the countdown.
There were hopes comedian Charlie Pickering at least would remember the countdown to the new year. The Australian online, yesterday:
Pickering hosted the Countdown-themed New Year’s Eve celebrations with Triple J radio host Zan Rowe … the new duo seemed to cruise through evening with ease, joking that their 2018 resolution was to come back again to host next year’s event.
He caught the fireworks on time. Shame he didn’t bite his tongue beforehand. Pickering on the ABC’s New Year’s Eve program, Sunday night:
We’re getting ready to count it down to the magical moment … the only time it’s OK to kill a police officer … sorry, I meant kiss a police officer …
This week was not a good time to bring up violence targeted at police. Rebecca Urban in The Australian, yesterday:
Rocks and metal poles were thrown at police who attended an out-of control house party held in Werribee two weeks ago … Meanwhile, CCTV footage of a police officer allegedly being assaulted while attempting to arrest a shoplifter at the Highpoint Shopping Centre on Boxing Day sparked community outrage.
Is the ABC really up to this? Claire Harvey writing in The Daily Telegraph, January 1, 2015:
I’m a devoted ABC viewer and even I found the coverage patronising, amateurish, tedious and intermittently baffling …
Aussie audiences reckon Aunty stuffs up New Year’s Eve every time. News.com.au on January 1, 2016:
… viewers weren’t impressed by its (the ABC’s) performance, firing up the social media outrage machine to describe the ABC’s effort as “disgraceful”, “beyond abysmal”, “pathetic”, “cringe-worthy” and a “train crash”.
If they can hear the bloomin’ thing. News.com.au, January 1 last year:
Some viewers were also left unimpressed with what they said were audio problems affecting the coverage.
Poor Charlie couldn’t cope either. The Australian online, yesterday:
The quick correction put the evening back on track but people have since taken to Twitter demanding that the official New Year’s Eve coverage contract be taken from the ABC and handed over to the Nine Network this year.
Pickering must have found himself empathising with past NYE host Julia Zemiro. The ABC starlet at the end of the 2014-15 broadcast, not realising her microphone was still on:
Oh thank god.
But don’t worry, Charlie. The Ten Network also struggled to live up to Nine’s New Year’s Eve coverage. News.com.au, yesterday:
… when it came to Ten’s turn a grand error in judgment saw the network air a scene with Bert Newton’s famously controversial son, Matthew, simulating oral sex.
Happy new year from Cut & Paste. US President Donald Trump on Twitter, yesterday:
I want to wish all of my friends, supporters, enemies, haters, and even the very dishonest Fake News Media, a Happy and Healthy New Year.