Matt Okine Scores Props From Aussie Women In Comedy After ARIAs Speech

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November 27, 2015

Matt Okine, newfound owner of an ARIA award for Best Comedy Release/dropper of uncomfortable truths, has been backed up by a stack of female Aussie comedians for his stance on the award show’s very notable lack of female talent.

The Triple J presenter rightly called out the show for the total lack of female nominees in his category – a trend that’s run five years straight.

ICYMI, in his impromptu acceptance speech, he said he’d “just feel stupid not saying anything,” and he “didn’t feel great reading that list of people.”

His speech wasn’t given any airtime on the television broadcast, for reasons we’ll expand on later.

Winner: Best Comedy: @mattokine – Live At The Enmore Theatre #ARIAs https://t.co/Z0aIWS83d7

— ARIA (@ARIA_Official) November 26, 2015

Female comedians and women in the broader media – who do actually exist, u guiz – gave props to the Mattier half of Triple J’s Matt & Alex and had a spray at the award show’s oversight.

Thank you @mattokine #ARIAs so often I think to myself… How is no one saying anything? Do they even notice? How can you NOT notice?

— Lauren Bok (@bokla) November 26, 2015

Thanks @mattokine for your spontaneous #ARIAs shoutout to women. I know it woulda felt weird, but it is nice to know someone else notices…

— kate langbroek (@katelangbroek) November 26, 2015

@ARIA_Official @mattokine thanks Matt for speaking up. Sucks to see @courtneymelba confined to ‘best female’ when she is indeed Best Rock

— M R H (@ransomhughes) November 26, 2015

I had no idea a comedy aria was a thing comedians aspire to or that Matt Okine was a feministette. I have my period. #ARIAs

— Hannah Gadsby (@Hannahgadsby) November 26, 2015

Getting where you want to go in comedy is a struggle. Triple that struggle if you’re a woman #ARIAs #genderequality

Hats off to #MattOkine

— Kirsty Mac (@MacKirstys) November 26, 2015

Well done to @mattokine for using his #ARIAs speech to call out gender inequality & what it takes to get equality https://t.co/98KR9z28KE

— Lauren King (@Lauren_MSFOz) November 26, 2015

Interesting that @channelten chose not to televise Matt Okine’s speech noting the absence of women in the comedy category/in general #ARIAs

— Rachel Cassar (@rachcassar) November 26, 2015

So we all knew @mattokine was a great comedian, but it turns out he’s also a ridiculously classy dude. Props all around. 🙂

— Isabelle Oderberg (@yodaberg) November 26, 2015