Even if you haven’t been paying attention to it, this year’s series of The Block is still demanding attention, but probably not for the reasons producers were hoping.
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Thanks to a series of insane real estate purchases, the past couple of years has seen the long-running series amp up drama by making contestants tackle truly insane amounts of space on budgets of about $12, this year’s series has had a somewhat more sinister, unpleasant vein to it that, last night, finally began to erupt.
Mid-50s Sydney couple Mitch Edwards and Mark McKie, occupying house #1 on this year’s Block site in St Kilda, have been subjected to commentary from both the show’s judging panel and host Scott Cam that, at the absolute best, leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.
Repeatedly, Mitch & Mark have been subjected to criticism on the show that’s portrayed their renovation efforts as ideal only for “people like you,” with a very heavy emphasis on the “you” in that sentence.
Those rather back-handed jabs increased tenfold when they deviated from the show’s floorplans, turning their third-level master bedroom into a dedicated living space instead. That decision lead judging and hosting personnel to repeatedly refer to the duo’s house as a “party” house; comments which Mitch and Mark repeatedly took exception to.
During last night’s room reveal episode, they finally reached their breaking point.
When Scott Cam pointed out that another couple’s second master suite was a masterstroke “to get away from the noisy people” in Mitch & Mark’s house, McKie clearly had had enough, delivering a searing rebuttal to both Cam and the judges that very heavily implied they were only receiving that commentary because of their sexuality.
“People need to realise there are multiple living spaces in all metropolitan homes and they need to step away from it.”
“It is a living space as any house in any part of suburbia has. And if they’re making a judgment about us — because they’ve often said, ‘People like us’ — I need to understand what does that mean? Are you judging us?”
Cam, ever the deft operator, fired back gruffly “I don’t need to step away from nothing, mate. I’m the one reading the feedback.”
The entire scene fired up viewers of social media, very few – if any – of whom sat on the side of the production.
https://twitter.com/mattnewman_au/status/1170641813549408256
The blatant homophobia on The Block is getting a little too much and a little too frequent. Quite disappointing. #theblock #theblockAU pic.twitter.com/evxrcYZhL0
— TL (@TroyLester) September 8, 2019
Go Mitch and Mark. Stand up to that nonsense. It has connotations. It isn’t funny. Complicit. It implies a lot #TheBlock
— Miss Diaspora (@Rudoxxx) September 8, 2019
Good on Mitch & Mark calling out the homophobia on #TheBlock & @ScottyCam9
— Sasha Cunningham (@sashac) September 8, 2019
#TheBlock The thing people don’t understand is that when someone says people like you to an LGBTQ+ person we take it with negative connotations; whether it is meant that way or not. M+M are allowed to feel the way they do because that is what society has taught us.
— JD – Hellfire Gala Correspondent (@JD_ComicNerd89) September 8, 2019
Scotty went from ‘I added that in, just winding you blokes up’ to ‘don’t have a go at me, I’m just reading the feedback’ pretty quick #TheBlock
— AndyNeths (@Andyneths) September 8, 2019
https://twitter.com/GoldenClancy/status/1170647337938472960
https://twitter.com/leapinloren/status/1170641314980884481
Following that tense confrontation, Mitch & Mark appeared in talking heads mentioning that they would “rather just leave it there.” Worryingly though, the series appears to be anchoring the coming week’s programming around the issue, even going so far as to heavily promote tonight’s episode as the one where “Scotty walks out.”
TV’s biggest week of drama starts tonight 7.30pm! 😱 #TheBlock pic.twitter.com/suiqNbV19r
— The Block (@TheBlock) September 8, 2019
Nothing to do with the fact that this perfectly competent couple has been subjected to weeks of snippy commentary, coupled with a show edit practically obsessed with playing Disco Inferno as often as it bloody well can when they’re on screen.
No, it’s the host – Scott Fucking Cam – who is “offended” over all of this. Good gear.
Unfortunately, this one looks to be getting much, much worse before it tries to get any better.
