ABC: Good Gamer “made life difficult”
ABC TV denies Jeremy Ray's claims that he was replaced because of gender, citing behind the scenes issues impacting on the running of the show.
- Published by David Knox
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ABC TV has issued a further statement in the light of the online feud that has spilled out from behind ABC2’s Good Game.
It denies statements made by Jeremy ‘Junglist’ Ray (pictured, left) that he was replaced because of gender and blames his behind the scenes performance allegedly making life “difficult for the rest of the team.”
Ray made comment on the Good Game message board following a joint statement issued by the members of the team that he has been replaced was because “they wanted a girl on the show.”
A spokesperson from ABC has today issued the following statement to TV Tonight:
The ABC categorically dismisses Jeremy Ray’s assertion that he was replaced because of his gender.
The reason for replacing Jeremy Ray was ongoing behind the scenes performance based issues. Jeremy Ray’s performance issues were severely impacting the quality and smooth-running of the show, as well as making life difficult for the rest of the team.
Replacing Jeremy Ray has nothing to do with “mass appeal” and a desire to get a female host on the show. The Good Game team is sad and disappointed he has taken this attitude. The program already enjoys mass appeal to its target audience. His replacement was nothing to do with getting a female, it was a matter of getting the best possible person for the job.
Stephanie Bendixsen is a modern young gamer with a passion for video games and for the culture that surrounds them, Hex will present pertinent, intelligent and engaging video game information in an interesting and accessible way.
At its heart Good Game will be exactly the same it has always been – the show for gamers by gamers – with a new energy and fresh perspectives on gaming. In addition to the existing program, in 2010 Good Game’s on air presence will expand to include Good Game: SP on ABC3 – a show catering to the needs of younger gamers (8-15).
Earlier this week the network added a new co-host claiming it wanted to refresh the format.
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52 Responses
What is it with that jacket that Bajo was wearing on tonight’s news episode?
Clearly they did not get “the best person for the job”.
Games are only rated to 15 so that already covers the 8-15 demographic by default, and the Australian Bureau Of Statistics states the average gamer is mid-30s.
Hex is nice, but no pedigree.
Leave Jeremy, swap “Hex” for Rei & you might be onto something.
Btw, google “Junglist” & “Hex”. 8P
I’m not sure if they go to this site (the good game team) as i wish them well in whatever format they have. However I have one wish for hex and bajo which is to slow down when speaking. When you have two fast speakers talking about a game the review lost my attention rather quickly as to what was being said.
Bajo’s reaction to it all is of most interest. So there was obviously some pressure to play and review games in one day. Which was no doubt managerial and which Bajo (not being as hardcore as Jung) probably agreed with. But that’s just nonsense.
You cannot play and review a game in one day.
That’d be like getting David and Margaret to review 30 movies a week.
They get to review 5 and spend time thinking and discussing it. Movies cost $12 and go for 1-2hours.
Modern Games cost $100 and can be anywhere from 8hrs to certain categories that technically require weeks.
And if the sacking was all about work ethic, why didn’t they just tell him that in the Interview or constructively work a solution. Perhaps it just came down to them wanting 1 day reviews and Jung not going along with it….. It’s strange that theyve taken 5years to come to that position though. No?
Somethings a miss at the ABC!
Poor effort ABC. Really poor, Jung was awesome. Bad idea to replace with a n00b.
So… Mr … er.. “Junglist” we have noticed your repeated inability to turn up to work on time has begun to impact upon the production flow of our show. This matter has now forced us to take an action which, as much as we know we will regret, has become entirely necessary. But before I go through with this may I just ask why the repeated lateness and why have you been unable to concentrate on the job?
“well… I stay up late playing video games”
Seriously though- I like this guy because he doesn’t come across like a plastic TV host. He is presents the way I feel a gamer should present. I don’t know if he acts like a pre-madonna all day or if all he did was pwn his boss at COD4- The ABC will no doubt defend this decision to their dying breath, and with decisions like this, lets hope that breath comes soon.
But in the mean time we can at least sit back and enjoy the show the ABC has made of themselves with all theses constant excuse changes.
RIP, good game guys.
ZOMGWTFBBQ! Seriousy? Because he made it difficult? Wow. You should be bloody grateful ABC! He’s no Naomi Campbell at least!
Grow some Balls ABC.
And if you wanted a show to capture a younger audience, why not have TWO shows?
This is stupid and ridiculous and utterly bewildering. I’m so angry at how the ABC have handled this. Especially the mistreatment of Jeremy ‘Junglist’ Ray.
What pathetic excuses. Worse than the reasons that OJ Simpson had put forward when he tried to steal some trophies. 😐
Sounds like B.S. to me from “our” ABC.
I have to be honest and say the new host and dynamic of the duo dousnt work. I would rather see the other guy go because now its just a guy and a chick. No offense, i may seam that way too but its bad chemestry. A car game lacked a rev-head to review it. Its unballanced and bad producing. Not funny either. Bring back j
@ Andrew – Attack of the Show and Good Game are nothing like each other with the exception of a now M/F host setup.
Do you actually watch either show?
I give the handling of Junglist’s sacking by the ABC, One and a Half out of Ten Rubber Chickens….
I don’t know what to believe now. If he made life difficult for the staff, then maybe it was the right decision to fire him. But if they’re saying this just to try and quell the raging fans, then I’d prefer to have him back please. Stephanie is a cool chick but to be absolutely honest, you can tell she’s only a casual gamer who has never competed in any tournaments, and who wants to be an actor more than anything else.
Andrew, it’s actually in primetime on a Monday night if you realise there are more than just 5 channels in Australia. It’s also the most downloaded show on the ABC site as well.
If this was true then they would not have stated that they were moving him to a role behind the scenes.
Junglist was told otherwise in That meeting abd there is no reason not to believe him.
A TV show presenter being difficult!!?!?! No Way!
>_>
boo hoo – he apparently made life difficult. Small question . . . what were you ratings like?
give it a month . . . what are your ratings like now?
boo effing hoo.
I don’t see this fiasco ending anytime soon. And the next episode of good game is going to be judged even more by the fans.
I will give it a shot, but so far the first half of the ‘new format’ has bothered me. I really despised GG once Kapowski left, feeling Bajo could never fill his shoes. I was right, and now they have two bad co-hosts wrestling for control over a train wreck. I loved the original, but shortly after Bajo came in, I stopped watching it though started again earlier this year. I am unsure if I will continue watching this past maybe the next few episodes ‘just in case’, but my hopes are very, very low.
I’m really disappointed in the turn of event for the show. Shows like GG and At the movies are great because of the chemistry between the hosts, you can’t simply replace one and expect the show to be just as good. I know you will try to make the content and direction the same as before, but if I wanted just good content I would go to any number of great gaming review sites like IGN. People watch the show for that chemistry and now that it has been taken away, the show will always be a former shadow of itself.
Oh dear, it is going to be lobotomised with a rule 16 xbox blonde. IMHEIUO (In My High Exalted Informed Unassailable Opinion) the ABC ‘management’ s&p cretins that orchestrated this stupidity think they are dealing with kiddies ‘games’ when it is Ineractive Entertainment. What are their names/credentials? If the standard drops..well..
Fired for making life difficult? Do you have any idea how many managers and presidents and CEOs we’d have on Earth if everyone who made life difficult behind the scenes was sacked? I’ll tell you how many: 9.
Frankly, his in-front-of the scenes performance was what made the show great. His reviews told me everything I needed to know and nothing I didn’t. I was on the fence about buying Aion and Junglist’s opinion was what I was going to go with. And that’s *exactly* what the show is supposed to do: inform about games.
Who cares! Who the hell watches this show anyway? It’s like on the middle of the night on a Friday isn’t it?
”Stephanie Bendixsen is a modern young gamer with a passion for video games”
She’s also hot too from pics I’ve seen, so hey maybe I’ll even tune in now! good work ABC! lol
They are obviously trying to make it more like Attack Of The Show or something.. too bad the male host has no wit or charisma like the guy on that show.
I gotta say if it was Bajo the one to go I wouldn’t have cared but Junglist was the best thing about the show.
I’ve signed the petition to bring him back even though I know its unlikely to do anything but frankly I just want the ABC to know they can’t just make an executive decision and F over the guy who made the show what it was, as well as the loyal followers of GG and not get the backlash they deserve.
As a female myself I’ve got nothing against Hex but the last show left me cold, if only the ABC would have just added her as a 3rd host and especially not done that piece of sh*t intro.
I won’t be watching again : (
Public not falling for the spin,begin the hatchet job on the man.
I don’t even care if he was hard to work with, the show was a success, they should of realized they would ruin it. Half of the professional actors are hard to work with but they are still used because they make good productions.