Sam Newman on the offense. Again.

Update: “In my mind, Mr Newman made a stupid and inappropriate comment, and perhaps in the future he will be more careful about what he chooses to say,” said Paula Wriedt. She acknowledged Newman had phoned with an apology which she accepted.

Sam Newman has again triggered a debate about an aside comment he made last night on the AFL Footy Show.

During a story about the development of Tasmanian football, the state’s politician for economic development Paula Wriedt appeared in a pre-recorded clip.

That prompted Newman to make a joke about inviting her onto the show, but it was an aside that has since caused another media storm.

Newman: Gary, We couldn’t get her on could we? She’d come over and…?
Lyon: It’s a big enough story I think we probably could, Samuel.
Newman: (aside) It would be worthy of coming on her.
(Audience reacts)
Brayshaw: Sam you cannot say that.
Hutchison: That’s disgraceful.
Newman: I said she’s worthy of coming on. Her.
Brayshaw: It’s a disgraceful thing to say Sam, and don’t do it again.
Newman: Shutup… Now I’m serious here. I did not mean that, that way. I said, she is worthy of coming on. Her. She is worthy. Now don’t you take that any other way. I’m serious about that. (To Hutchison) Don’t you sit there with those cow eyes and say ‘that’s disgraceful.’
Hutchison: No we’ll take you on face value for that.
Newman: I did not mean it that way. And if anyone thinks that. I wouldn’t be that silly.
Lyon: I must admit I didn’t take it that way.
Newman: Oh well. How about these two clowns?
Lyon: No well, we take your word for it.

The incident follows Newman’s stunt earlier this year with a “Caroline Wilson mannequin. Nine was forced to take him off air for counselling.

Today on 3AW, AFL chief Andrew Demetriou also said he accepted there was no pun intended.

“I can understand if people misunderstood what Sam said. I took what Sam said as what he said. I think Gary Lyon did,” he said.

“I think it was a slip. I understood what he said. I didn’t take the double meaning in it. I understand why people might. I know James Brayshaw didn’t he took it up with Sam.

“I’m starting to really in some ways sort of question if everything Sam says is going to be scrutinised, and analysed I think we’re going to start to become terribly unfair.

“I didn’t read into what Sam said yesterday as anything other than what he said. And he went out of his way to say that he didn’t say that. And I think you’ve got to take him on face value. He may say silly things from time to time but I don’t think he lies and I don’t think he’d be silly to go down that track again.”

In a statement from Nine, Tim Cleary, Executive Producer of Entertainment GTV9, said today: “There was never any intention to insult Paula Wriedt, and any suggestion to the contrary is grossly unfair. Sam Newman was simply suggesting Ms Wriedt should be a guest on the program given the news of Tasmania’s backing. Sam qualified this moments later when he realised he’d been taken out of context. Sam is horrified at suggestions he made a lewd remark about Ms Wriedt, and phoned her to clarify his comment.”

Nine adds there will be “no further comment from the Nine Network.”

As James Brayshaw noted: “You’ve got to be careful with your words in future, that’s what you’ve got to be. Careful. Choose them carefully.”