Eddie McGuire, the smuggest of Channel Nine’s Olympic talking heads, is in the media hot seat after making homophobic comments about figure skater Johnny Weir. This is kind of ironic because McGuire hosts a Channel Nine game show called Hot Seat. You probably weren’t aware of this fact because no one watches Hot Seat or cares about Eddie McGuire.
The offending comment came when McGuire and comedian co-host Mick Molly ridiculed Weir’s ambiguous sexuality:
Molloy – “They don’t leave anything in the locker room those blokes.” McGuire – “They don’t leave anything in the closet either, do they?”
McGuire went on to call a Western-style costume “a bit of broke back” with Molloy concurring: “A bit of Brokeback Mountain exercises, you can’t wear that.”
Oh Eddie, you probably thought that was hilarious – They don’t leave anything in the closet either, do they? Not even their tutus, jazz hands, silk shirts or flaming homosexuality – but seriously dude, kids are watching. Normalizing homophobia during prime time sporting events should be left to NRL players. In your defence though Figure Skating is the polar opposite (no pun intended) of AFL so just take this one on your sizable chin and enjoy the lava lazyboy you’re currently reclining in.
Remember, when it comes to ridiculing sport it’s all about context.
Main Image by: Robert Prezioso via Getty
