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Moral Outrage Friday

Upated: Magda apologises for a gag on cyclists, while netballers are irate over Hungry Beast. But Liz Ellis laughs off any controversy.

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liz-ellisIf it’s Friday it must be Moral Outrage Day.

There are two stories in today’s press (ok, well one was yesterday) in which TV comedy moments offended somebody.

The first was Magda Szubanski’s appearance in Good News Week in which she had a go at cyclists who take up too much of the road.

“I don’t want to have to be in my car looking at your sweaty lycra bum raised in the air,” she said.

“Ride your stupid bike on the stupid bike path!”

(Magda from 1:20 secs)

But the gag caused offence to cyclists (apparently). There were probably other cyclists who weren’t offended too but unfortunately they make for lousy press.

Szubanski, who was herself the target of off humour from Kyle Sandilands, has apologised.

“We all make mistakes and the point is that hopefully we learn from them. Clearly my joke was stupid and insensitive but perhaps it has brought to light that there are frustrations amongst cyclists and motorists,” she said,

“Hopefully some good will come of this and it will help promote useful dialogue between the two groups.

“As a gesture of solidarity I have offered to participate in the National Ride to Work Day on October 14. Apologies again … and, yes, I will be wearing lycra.”

The second furore concerns a quick skit in Hungry Beast which parodied NRL scandals. A silhouetted man described how he had been ‘assaulted’ by netballers.

Netball Australia chief executive Kate Palmer said, “This skit, while attempting to be satire has missed the mark, is in poor taste and it has the potential to damage the reputations of Liz Ellis OAM, our former Australian Captain and netball great, and the members of the Australian Netball Team.”

Really?

No, really?

What about what Liz Ellis herself said on The 7PM Project on Tuesday this week? She showed a pretty good sense of humour then.

In a comment on AFL’s ‘Mad Monday’ antics, Ellis said during her early days of netball the girls got up to a few antics of their own.

“Finally we got to have Mad Mondays and we used to go to the pub and dress up as blokes,” she said.

“There has been allegations in the past that the Melbourne Vixens has No Undie Monday and -I don’t know if I can say this at this time- Titties-Out Tuesday.”

‘Nuff said.

Updated:  Ellis’ spokesperson Jessica Ball told ninemsn, “She knows it was a joke and can see the funny side of it — she doesn’t feel defamed at all,”

“She is out on the golf course playing a round right now, which shows how concerned she is about this.”

TV Tonight understands the Hungry Beast sketch was never part of any bigger story to air next week. It was a one-off end of show gag.

Source:  The Age, Daily Telegraph

44 Responses

  2. @Paull

    Cyclists have as much right to the roads as cars. God forbid you can only go 30 km/h! Get over it. Drive safely and patiently and no one gets hurt.

  4. What a load of BS. Get over it! What is Australia coming to? I agree with what Magda says about bike riders. They ride 2-3 across without letting cars overtake down my main road, whilst there is ample room for them to ride on the side of the road, letting cars overtake.

    If you are insulted by this, get a grip. People are dieing all over the road and all the media in Australia cares about is offending cyclists and netball players. Australian media died a little today

  5. What she said is true though. Cyclists are a nuisance on the road because:
    A: They can’t keep up with traffic- Which is annoying when you’re in a 60/70 zone and you’re going 30 behind a cyclist.

    B: Their size: A small ding in a car may have monetary implications, but a small ding in a cyclist could be deadly, and no one wants that risk. So either more bike paths are made, or rules are made to keep them off main roads.

  6. We have seen Kyle come a gutser over a bit of loose lip, the Chasers came a gutser over a bit black humour. Now it appears it is Magda’s turn to feel the fire.

    I said it earlier this morning, when did we become so sensitive. It’s got to the point where we will soon have to ban comedy all together just incase we say something that someone will take offence too…………………… !

  7. I can’t believe Magda…you would think she would have learned from others’ mistakes! Her show should be axed for that!
    That Liz Ellis skit looks really funny…but i knew it would cause offence. Damn ABC have done it again!
    Why the hell is Australia so easily offended these days..it makes me sick!

  8. The gag which caused offense to cyclists was the one where she implored people to run them off the road. Not particularly intelligent to advocate deliberately injuring or killing cyclists because they annoy you. So back off the sarcasm.

  10. Ok Good News Week those kind of jokes are made every single week, especially in that segment, i agree with her btw, and far more offensive things are said by Mikey Robbins. This is only brought up because she was the victim of the Kyle Sandilands “joke” so they want to bring her down with him. That’s all it is. Trying to teach her a lesson, that look you got offended by a joke, but you also offend people with your jokes.

    The Liz Ellis “joke”. Ooooh don’t know about that one. Rape + Comedy ??? Although funniest Summer Heights High quote “Thank God You’re Here, Grandma’s been raped”

  11. For crying out loud this is crazy! Magda’s bit on GNW had me in stitches and if it offended some cyclists too bad. Should people in the media apologize every dam time they offend some group? Sometimes it’s perhaps called for but not in this case.

    And I didn’t see HB but that skit sounds funny and not offensive at all. I’m sure all the netball girls probably got a laugh out of it.

  14. It is Julia Morris who says to run over the cyclists, then later she wants to stab phone company employees.

    Paul McDermott blasphemes, taking in vain the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is plainly going to Hell.

  15. Unfortunately Magda’s point of cyclists not using bike paths is legit. However it seems we need two sorts of bike paths…one for serious cyclists which has minimal risk of pedestrians due to the speeds the cyclists reach, and one for mums and dads with their kids.

  17. Are you kidding? I can’t stand Magda but come on, a furore over a joke about cyclists? What a crock! Seems like you can’t say anything to anyone anymore without it being a scandal.

  19. Journo’s go out of their way to find one person who is offended by something and it becomes a news story in this country.

    Never thought much of Magda’s comedy but love her apology, dripping in sarcasm.

    Let’s just hope she wasn’t serious about getting into the lycra.

  20. Surely these are over reactions. Not only were both jokes, but neither had very serious or pointed targets.
    Do we know if Ten actually put out Magda’s statement? Or was it a journo calling her up and trying to drum out something bigger?

  23. If cyclists (like me) weren’t regularly abused on the road (throwing staff and verbal abuse) then the joke by Magda ain’t that bad but what she said could make things worse. Cyclists are exposed enough without being picked on in a TV show as much as no one meant any harm.

    Contrast any suggestion for people to run truck or bus drivers off the road (it doesn’t happen) since you’re not in the position as a regular motorist to intimidate are you.

  24. Journalists in the newsrooms of our daily papers (and commercial TV networks for that matter) seem to have nothing better to do these days but to create news where there is none.
    Sad people.

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