Andy Lee has found himself in a Twitter scrap with Sam Newman, as the former Footy Show star continues his tirade against lockdown restrictions in Victoria.
Last month, Newman staged a one-man protest outside Parliament House in Melbourne, furious at the state government’s decision to keep golf courses closed.
He claimed it was hypocritical to allow certain services to remain open in Victoria while closing golf courses, which are still operating in some states.
Daniel Andrews dismissed his arguments but Newman wouldn’t let go, refusing to accept even the tiniest bit of inconvenience in the fight against COVID-19.
Taking to Twitter, he declared:
“Daniel Andrews has NO legal right to ban people from playing GOLF. As long as you ‘self distance’, you can do what you want – LOOK AROUND. It’s a fraud, and a mockery of the quarantine ‘laws’. This IS pathetic virtue signalling.”
While many of Newman’s followers got behind his push to reopen golf courses, others took issue with his tweet, including journo Mike Carlton and comedian Andy Lee.
Does Sam Newman want to play golf or not? I can’t quite tell. He needs to be clearer.
— Andy Lee (@andytomlee) May 2, 2020
“Does Sam Newman want to play golf or not?” the cheeky Lee asked. “I can’t quite tell. He needs to be clearer.”
Newman bit back, saying: “Wouldn’t you like to play golf if so inclined? What manifestly dangerous risk is associated with this ‘self distancing’ recreation. It’s absurd, Andy.”
“So you are keen on playing?” asked Lee.
“Not really,” Newman responded. “Can’t play, anyhow – tendonitis. The ‘principle’, Andy, the principle. Isn’t life lived by that?”
The comedian responded, saying:
“Yeah, I hear ya. My principle is I’ll do what they say in a crisis as there may be higher priorities for the well being of everyone that the government is working through rather than whether or not I can have a round of golf.”
While he got into it with Andy Lee, Newman also clashed with Mike Carlton, after the journalist labelled him “arguably Australia’s biggest fuckwit.”
Shitferbrains is at it again. Arguably Australia’s biggest fuckwit. https://t.co/eAncYOVruy
— Mike Carlton (@MikeCarlton01) May 2, 2020
Newman called him a “creeper” and a “parasite” in response, telling him to get his head out of his arse, and things progressed as expected from there.
Sicophant ! https://t.co/HqgHfQvDCX
— Mike Carlton (@MikeCarlton01) May 2, 2020
Even Eddie McGuire has pinged Sam Newman for his comments, telling his former colleague to think of the “bigger picture” as Victoria fights to keep COVID-19 under control.
“Why don’t we just stick between the lines for a couple more weeks?” he said on his Triple M Melbourne Hot Breakfast show. “It’s better than having to go to war or anything. Why don’t we just stick there and we’ll all get through it?”
