Really, it boggles the mind that this is a decision that has to be enforced upon a show in 2015. And yet, here we are.
The perennially baffling AFL Footy Show – a bawdy pianola of hypermasculinity that probably should’ve been included on the list of things outlawed under the Fringe Benefits Tax, along with boozy business lunches at strip clubs – is in the middle of its latest crisis; this time over something that didn’t even happen on the air, and this time actually resulting in real consequences for the program.
Cast member Billy Brownless has come under fire after an off-hand, off-colour quip at a football club function made its way into the media.
Brownless was on the mic at the function when a mother and her daughter walked past the Hawthorn Citizens Junior Football Club event at the Glenferrie Hotel, causing Brownless to joke “Here come the strippers!“
The mother involved has not taken too kindly to the comment whatsoever, and has mounted a campaign aimed at Brownless’ employers, and systemic sexism within football media as a whole.
Whilst Brownless has apologised for the remark, the consequences have begun rolling in.
The Daily Telegraph reports today that Nine Network Melbourne managing director Ian Paterson has placed a blanket ban on sexist jokes for The Footy Show, which extends across the whole production – including Brownless, and repeat offender Sam Newman.
But going even further beyond that, Paterson has stated a keenness to participate in a cross-network forum aimed at curbing sexism within sports media and sporting environments.
The Mother in question, whose identity has remained deliberately private, stated she participated in a meeting with Paterson this morning where he outlined both the ban, and his proposal.
“Ian Paterson said he would keen to support a forum, a coming together of all media and heads of sport to address, how women are treated in sport and in male-dominated sporting environments.”
“It’s a forum I would really like to organise. It’s a change of language and culture. It is exactly what I was trying to achieve when I went public with my Tweet, which was to change the way women are seen and regarded from a respect point of view, by people in sport.”
The Mother also stated that she felt Paterson’s remarks were not tokenistic, and felt like the start of a big push to correct the way that football media – particularly within the Melbourne bubble – treats women.
“It feels like a cultural revolution has started and Channel Nine have taken notice and will lead the way. He said he wants to initiate a forum and bring together media bosses, heads of sport — obviously he can’t speak on behalf of Gillon McLachlan but he said he would rally those troops together.”
“It was an incredibly good meeting because Mr Paterson sees there needs to be change within football and sporting codes in a male-dominated environment.”
“It’s a step in the right direction and it looks like we are starting to have change in language, culturally from it.”
It’s better late than never, sure. But The Footy Show has been pulling this neanderthalic crap for over two decades now.
If it results in meaningful change and discussion across media and sporting platforms, brilliant. Go for it. Long overdue.
But you can’t help but tense up just a little bit at the thought of how The Footy Show, given the fact it still has 2+ hours of live broadcasting space tonight, will react.
