Media’s shameful night of hypocrisy

Today’s Sunday Age The Heckler column notes Brendan Fevola ‘is the bad boy of footy’ and amid his recent misdemeanours ‘the allegation that attracted the most mainstream attention was the report that Fevola had sexually assaulted a female journalist’ (at the Brownlow night at Crown Casino).

Lest we forget, for such a big story, the mainstream media wasn’t keen to initially give the assault allegation any coverage, only doing so 17 (seventeen!) days after Fev’s drunken ’night of shame’ at the Brownlows. It was then, on October 9th that 3AW’s Neil Mitchell admitted the incident “had been known around media circles for some time” (listen here) before being revealed by “a scurrilous website”.

Ignore Mitchell’s sanctimonious bluster about his reasons for airing the allegations on his show (he didn’t need to mention it and it was his show that gave the green light to the rest of the mainstream media to report what most of them already knew); the whole case stinks of media hypocrisy. The mainstream journalists present that night at Crown basically decided to take a communal vow of silence over Fevola’s disgraceful sexual harassment behaviour since it affected one of their own. It’s actually good to see some ethical behaviour from those present and those in the media that subsequently heard the rumours. But let’s not pretend the media always makes that decision. They should act so considerately more often. They won’t go anywhere near a story involving one of their own but are more than happy to harass and question the character of anyone else who has the misfortune to find themselves in a similar situation.

Finally, that “scurrilous website” VEXNEWS doesn’t come out of this whole sordid affair with any honour intact either. Shamefully they (or should that be he?) named the Herald Sun journalist involved and posted a photo from her Facebook profile alongside the original blog post and then had the audacity to write the next day that ‘We have decided not to name the victim of the attack, for privacy reasons’. Thankfully, the Herald Sun reporter’s personal information has now been removed (you can read the amended version here).

Battle of the radio hosts: Goose v Moron

The happy family at Fairfax Radio Network had a little disagreement on Thursday afternoon.

4BC Drive host Michael Smith’s ill-advised comments about Muslim women who wear an Islamic hijab in public grabbed headlines all over the country.

Enter 3AW Drive host Derryn Hinch who declared Smith was “moronic”. Smith reckoned Hinch was “a goose”. Suddenly it was on between Fairfax stations 3AW and 4BC.

Smith confronted Hinch on air in a 4BC/3AW cross-state simultaneous broadcast. You can listen to the argument on 4BC here or on 3AW here.

Mook’s verdict: a win for Brisbane with “moron” Smith outscoring “goose” Hinch on points.

Seven Pounds pounded

Adolescent psychologist/media tart Michael Carr-Gregg isn’t happy with Will Smith’s new movie Seven Pounds and its depiction of suicide. Listen here to Carr-Gregg arguing the film glamourises suicide.

As Carr-Gregg mentioned, this isn’t the first time he’s slammed a Hollywood movie for perceived irresponsibility about a mental health issue. Last year he claimed The Happening – starring Mark ‘Marky Mark’ Wahlberg – had created a firestorm of controversy…before the movie promptly sunk without trace, despite Carr-Gregg’s attempts to whip up a bit of publicity on its behalf.

Could a similar fate await Seven Pounds? Beware the box office poison curse of Carr-Gregg’s wrath.

Carr-Gregg was worried we will see a real increase in both suicide attempts and successful suicides, as a result of people viewing The Happening.

Perhaps he has a point. If this New York Times review of Seven Pounds ["among the most transcendently, eye-poppingly, call-your-friend-ranting-in-the-middle-of-the-night-just-to-go-over-it-one-more-time crazily awful motion pictures ever made"] is any guide, moviegoers may consider suicide during Will Smith’s latest blockbuster. If only to avoid the agony of watching the film until the end.

Media’s Christmas Jihad

‘Tis the season to be jolly. Unless you’re 2GB’s Ray Hadley. He’s waged a one-man jihad against those he deems not Christmassy enough throughout the month of December.

Aided by cells of listeners all over the country, he’s terrorised movie distributors and high street retailers. He reckoned Roadshow Films had changed the movie title Four Christmases to Four Holidays so “minorities” weren’t offended. More likely, they just wanted to hide the stink of a turkey due to the bad US reviews of Four Christmases.

Hadley’s views obviously appeal to his mean-spirited listeners as it prompted the likes of ‘Harley’ to rage that he has workmates who don’t celebrate Christmas due to their religion, yet “openly accept the Christmas company bonus, attend the Christmas party and I bet they accept the Christmas bonus from the Prime Minister too with open hands”. Other listeners judged and dobbed in shops for the heinous crime of not having enough Christmas decorations on display.

And that annual Australian Christmas tradition — false rumours that certain Christmas carols have been BANNED — also got a flogging. The City of Greater Geelong council were forced to issue a denial about that old urban myth, the banning of the song White Christmas, after Fairfax’s Melbourne radio station 3AW did their best to spread some festive fear in claiming otherwise.

Perhaps George Costanza’s father Frank was right. Let’s call it Festivus (for the rest of us) from next year onwards. It’ll be less stressful all round.

Happy Festivus!

3AW confusing principals

If you’re going to have a crack at declining school standards it’s probably best to at least use the correct word for principal.

It’s since been corrected on 3AW’s website. But there is still a rogue apostrophe.

Mook suggests some homework and dick-tation may be beneficial.

In bed with Russell Robertson and Derryn Hinch

Melbourne Demons AFL footballer Russell Robertson got a few phone calls from mates for being referred to as ‘Former Footballer Player’ on Channel 9’s 20 To 1 show a few weeks ago.

He may get a few more in the unlikely event any of his mates read this.

Robertson and other ‘celebs’ appeared in an ‘In Bed With’ feature in Fairfax’s Good Weekend magazine last month.

A question from the movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall should have been asked. “Are those sad tissues or happy tissues?“

Meanwhile, while 3AW’s Derryn Hinch got a big surprise when someone pointed out the National Gallery of Victoria’s latest exhibition featured a rather revealing photo of him, he shows footy players exactly how this kind of photo shoot should be done. Very Ron Burgundy.

A slurry state of affairs – Kerry Katona’s TV interview shocker

While Irish popster Brian McFadden suffers being called “Brian McWanker” by 3AW’s Ernie Sigley as he attempts to resurrect his singing career in Australia, his ex-wife and mother of his children Kerry Katona suffers an even greater indignity in the UK.

She was interviewed live on ITV’s This Morning show on Wednesday sounding rather the worse for wear. Drink? Drugs? Bi-polar medication? It’s car crash TV with host Philip Schofield since conceding it was irresponsible to allow Katona on air before assessing her condition.

Michael Carr-Gregg, adolescent psychologist

‘Australia’s Dr Phil‘, according to his own website, Michael Carr-Gregg appears ABC radio, 3AW, Channel 7’s Sunrise and regularly writes Herald Sun and Girlfriend magazine columns.

Advice generally from the ‘I blame the parents’ school of thought. Likes to invent phrases to describe adolescent and parental behaviour e.g. the Princess Bitchface Syndrome.

Works at a Melbourne health clinic but makes so many media appearances on a daily basis must be difficult to find enough hours in the day. Has commented on issues ranging from Heath Ledger’s death, Wayne Carey’s off-field indiscretions and the William Street shootings. Name the adolescent in that line up.

Busy schedule may explain example of creative quoting featured in a Herald Sun column wherein Carr-Gregg attempts to pass off the conclusions of a 1990 Australian Institute of Criminology report as his own views on boxing.

Carr-Gregg’s Herald Sun column: ‘The arguments commonly used to support boxing are that it is an art of self-defence, amateurs are not at risk and it provides a social and financial ladder for disadvantaged youth. All these arguments are seriously flawed. The final point is particularly poignant in that it allows for disadvantaged youth to be exposed to the risk of injury when, for most, the hope of some advancement is illusory.’

1990 AIC report: ‘The arguments commonly used to support boxing are that it is an art of self-defence, amateurs are not at risk, and that it provides a social and financial ladder for disadvantaged young. All these arguments are seriously flawed. The final one is sad in that it allows for disadvantaged youth to be exposed to the risk of further handicap in the, for most, illusory hope of advancement.’

Interesting given that a 2005 survey found one student in five routinely copied from the internet when doing homework. 1200 students were surveyed……by adolescent psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg.

MediaMook verdict: Bareface Hypocrite Syndrome

It’s time to go, Ernie Sigley?

Self proclaimed little Aussie battler Ernie Sigley finishes hosting his 3AW Afternoon show at the end of this month.

Say what you like about Sigley (and many have…), he’s a showbiz survivor who’s obviously got a loyal audience that’s kept him in the game for almost 60 years.

Mook notes the usually publicly affable boy from Footscray has become increasingly belligerent since announcing he was calling it a day from full-time work though. In a strange way he’s been more entertaining than ever.

Many claim Sigley is annoying, full of himself and a big noter. Insiders allege Sigley’s preparation before interviews is woeful, he hates views that contradict his own and is jealous of others’ success. Ex-Sigley showbiz ‘reporter’ John-Michael Howson reckons “The happy-go-lucky Ernie on radio is not the man that many people know from off radio or behind the scenes.”

Watch Sigley respond to his critics here on the day he called it quits.

Could Sigley’s public persona be slipping with this alleged behind the scenes attitude emerging in public? Today, he called singer Brian McFadden (that Irish bloke who’s shagging in love with our Delta Goodrem) “Brian McWanker“ for cancelling an interview at short notice due to illness. He also lamented “we’re the ones who have to listen to your music, Brian“. No doubt if McFadden had fronted today a suitably fawning, sycophantic interview would have aired.

Could it be time for Sigley to give it away earlier than originally planned before he tarnishes his ‘nice guy’ image?

‘Human headline’ facing jail again

Derryn Hinch has been advised by police he will be charged for naming convicted sex offenders as part of his Name Them and Shame Them campaign. You can watch Hinch break the news to 3AW listeners here.

He deliberately hasn’t named the guilty parties on his Drive show as the station would be in danger of losing its broadcast licence if he did so.

Hinch was previously jailed for 12 days and fined $15,000 in 1985 for identifying pedophile priest Michael Charles Glennon.

Has Hinch got it right this time?

Who’s the ass? The law? Or Derryn Hinch?