Sandilands: offensive, and more

Helen Pringle in On Line Opinion

Kyle Sandilands has received a trouncing over the last few days for being rude and offensive. But criticisms of his behaviour on the grounds of offensiveness miss the mark in regard to the latest incident involving him and his chef de claque. Sandilands certainly takes delight in trying to give offence, although when called out, he excuses himself by saying that he is just doin’ what comes naturally. But giving offence is not the same as practising discrimination, and that is what should be the focus in the current controversy.  

Various corporations have withdrawn their advertising from Sandilands’ program on 2Day FM. This is likely to have the same effect as the last time they withdrew their advertising in 2009. At that time, Sandilands was taken off air by the umbrella company Austereo, which announced that it was conducting ‘a review of the principals [sic] and protocols of our interaction with our audience’. Review concluded, Sandilands and Jackie O simply picked up where they had left off, and the advertisers returned.

Along with his old tricks, Sandilands resumed making his tired old excuses. In response to criticism of his recent intimidation of Alison Stephenson, for example, Sandilands fell back on the well-worn cliché with which many Australians defend or excuse racist and sexist behaviour.  Read more

Please sign the Change.org petition!

See also: ‘Why does this man still have a job?’

Promoting violence for White Ribbon day

This week radio host Karl Sandilands called a female journalist who had written a piece about his poorly rating TV show a ‘fat slag’, ‘piece of shit’, with ‘not enough titty’ who should ‘watch her mouth’ or he would ‘hunt her down’. The words are distressing enough to read. But hearing him speak his vilifications and threats live to air is even more chilling (Jackie O provides the laugh track):

Sandiland’s on-air attack, in which he spewed forth his intimidation and threats against the News Limited journalist, were perfectly timed for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against women and White Ribbon Day.  Sandilands probably hadn’t heard of either. Not that it would have made any difference to his behavior.

How is it that Austereo continues to employ a man who has made a direct threat to a woman (after a long history of disgusting behaviour, recall the 14-year-old rape survivor and the lie detector test).   What more does Sandilands have to do to lose his positions with 2DayFM and Fox, which provide him platforms of significant influence?

Here’s what I said on Melbourne’s 3AW yesterday afternoon. (click on image)

Yesterday Holden announced it would no longer sponsor the program. Vodaphone pulled some ads. Then the Good Guys recognised Sandilands wasn’t one and dropped its sponsorship. This morning Blackmores also decided threats against women weren’t consistent with its corporate values and pulled the plug on the show as well. Mazda and Telstra also pulled advertising today.

But other sponsors appear to be holding out. Fantastic Furniture appears to think Kyle is fantastic. Adrenaline gets a rush whenever it hears his voice. And has there ever been a greater mismatch in the history of corporate sponsorship than the Aeroplane Jelly and Kylie Sandilands love in?

Our fellow activists over at Change.org have launched a petition to pressure the remaining sponsors to think again. In the meantime we at Collective Shout will be boycotting them. Please sign and circulate the petition here.

See: How Kyle Sandilands was humbled by Twitter and Kyle Sandilands to journalist: Sorry if you took offence – maybe you’ll think again before criticising next time as posted on Mumbrella.

See also: Don’t blame Sandilands – blame those who fill his pockets as posted on The Age/National Times.