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Rebecca Maddern puts perspective on McGuire comments, while Sam Newman unleashes.

"I truly believe if we want big things to change in the community then we need to start with the small things," says Rebecca Maddern.

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Last night The Footy Show‘s newest recruit Rebecca Maddern managed to put some perspective on the AFL‘s ongoing headline, following the comments of Eddie McGuire.

Maddern said language used by media professionals was an important tool in creating change from violence against women and bullying behaviour.

But it landed immediately after Sam Newman took aim at journalist Caroline Wilson.

Sam Newman described the fracas as “a personality clash between two radio stations.” Caroline Wilson, was in attendance when 3AW presenters joked about her being “pushed under” but had objected to TripleM presenters making similar jokes thereafter, Newman said (NB: Wilson has since said being present was a different context).

But he took aim at those who had lambasted the incident some time after the initial radio broadcast.

“If you search for a cause to fit a narrative you are pedalling, eventually you will convince yourself you stumbled onto something as most of the cowardly excrement have. Those excrement who have weighed into this I would like to mention their names. As no-one reads, watches or listens to them because they’re in second-tier media outlets, I won’t bother. But if you spray a piece of excrement with perfume or put after-shave on a piece of excrement at the end of the day it’s still a piece of excrement,” he said.

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He also said Wilson had herself been criticised for having penned “nasty barbs” directed at journalist Beverley O’Connor. But he finished with a particularly vehement dig at Wilson.

“The jig’s up Caro, honestly and truly. You are becoming an embarrassment. Even if you were under water you’d still be talking.”

James Brayshaw, distanced himself from Newman’s opinion and again acknowledged his misdemeanours and apology to Caroline Wilson.

Weighing in on the saga, Rebecca Maddern said the McGuire comments made her feel uncomfortable, but that those in the media had the power to change the conversation and shape public perception.

“I truly believe if we want big things to change in the community then we need to start with the small things. Whatever the issue is, whether it’s domestic violence, whether it’s violence against women, whether it’s coward punches, bullying. Attitudes need to be changed if we’re to get eventually to the big things. Wet want those things to thing. We want to rid society of those evils. I believe the first step towards that is actually about language, around such issues, because the spoken word and the people who hear it, the spoken word is very, very powerful,” she said.

Acknowledging that the men involved in saga “are all good men” they had made a mistake.

“They have acknowledged that they made a mistake. They have apologised for that mistake and that apology has been accepted. So we’re at a point now when all we can do is move forward. We need to move forward in a positive way. And we, I, you at home, as well, can all work a little harder on being better.”

Sam Newman previously mocked Caroline Wilson in 2008 resulting in him being stood down by Nine management.

24 Responses

  1. I stand by my comments in supporting Sam 100%.

    It’s not about me disliking someone whether they are female or male for that matter.

    It’s about standing up for your mates through thick n thin.

    1. Really? Unthinkingly, even if they’ve said/done something nasty, stupid, that you think is wrong, or even just ‘gone a bit too far, mate’? Is Sam a real “mate”, or someone you just think of as a ‘mate’ from watching him on the field & on TV/radio/print?

      Because, as a complete outsider, this whole thing smacks of plain nastyness. CW clearly loves the game & plays hard, but regularly gets called out as a “bloody disgrace” who pens “vitriol and vile, nasty comments” for occasionally calling people “stupid” while pointing out huge issues the AFL would rather keep hidden (drugs, crime, money, racism, sexism, and Eddie McGuire). While Sam frequently comes across as a complete ****head with frequent nasty streaks whenever he feels someone’s having a go at him or his beloved AFL.

      One uses maybe nasty language to make their point. For the other, the nasty language _is_ their point.

    2. You have made the same comment 3 times on this article I think we get your opinion.

      So if you mate jumped off a bridge would you jump off it to?

      I find your comments bewildering. You missed the whole point.

  2. i don’t even watch the Footy Show but when i do see bits & pieces of it, either promos or on the news (like its actually real news) all i mostly see is them discussing ‘controversies’. So i also wonder how much the show is actually about footy. Or is TV also turning the way of ‘click baiting’ like those internet sites that gain most of their traffic from such articles.

  3. Just out of curiosity, do they actually talk football on the footy show? Every article i see they are apologising for something or insulting someone.

  4. I think Nine have to stand Sam down over this. The last bit of this speech that he read was vile. In fact the whole speech was vile. What a relic he is. The point Sam missed was that Eddie started all this but Sam thinks its all Caro’s fault. Unbelievable.

      1. It was refreshing to see you lead with Rebecca’s positive points rather than take the negative Newman approach that other media outlets have done. Nine put Rebecca Maddern on the show for a reason. If they don’t act immediately on Newman, all that good intention will be ruined and will be seen as tokenism.

        1. Nine Standing Sam down, for what he said. Political Correctness gone mad.

          I wholeheartedly 100% support what Sam said last night.

          Caroline Wilson, should be sacked from her job. She’s a bloody disgrace.

          1. I think you will find you have read info relating to incident a few years ago. At the moment there is no ACMA (or Nine) investigation into Sam Newman comments. ACMA has inquiries relating to Eddie’s radio comments only (as of this arvo). I would also caution you on ensuring your comments comply with site policy please.

          2. If you think this issue is about political correctness than you’ve completely missed the point.

            I can’t believe someone would put in a comment “wholehearted 100% support” something Sam said.

            So you don’t like Caroline so she should lose her job?

    1. I listened to a bit of sen’s morning program and in the time there was man after man calling up and agreeing with Sam. That tells me as a society we have a long way to go in men showing respect for woman.

      Sam has said and done things that I don’t like. But I have not thought badly of him until now. He’s lost me.

      Rather than debate a persons work there are people out there willing to attack the person. I really thought the final line of drowning her and she would still be talking was just vile and uncalled for.

      1. Correction: I only heard sam’s rant once on sen this morning and I’ve since read another article that says the final line was “And even if you were underwater, you’d still be talking”. I guess I’ve heard the line drowning way too much this week sadly.

  8. When I turn on the radio I don’t want to hear a man talking about drowning a woman in any context. I can’t understand why some people don’t understand that. The subject of those remarks is irrelevant.

  9. Good piece.
    One thing – When you say, about half way down, “Weighing in on the saga, Rebecca Wilson….”, I believe this should in fact read Rebecca Maddern, yes?

  10. We dont watch the footy show,but if Sam’s comments are correct then we say. Amen, we still can’t see how 3AW are allright yet MMM etc are in the poo only. Thankfully CDs can be played at home and cars to avoid bickering radio stations

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