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Bindi jokes under the spotlight

Bindi Irwin was the subject of jokes on Spicks and Specks this week, which has broken out as a debate into the wider media.

Not for the first time, Bindi Irwin was the butt of jokes in the media this week, this time by comedienne Fiona O’Loughlin on Wednesday’s Spicks and Specks.

The Herald Sun notes O’Loughlin described Irwin as “a ‘bit creepy’ before doing an over-the-top impersonation of the child star’s voice. She then made a gesture indicating Bindi was crazy, before miming a slap across the child star’s face.”

But Irwin was defended by Chris Durling, of Bindi’s Crocmen, who was also a guest, describing her as gorgeous and down to earth.

“What you see is what you get,” Durling said.

Irwin has also been an ABC brand with her children’s series Bindi the Jungle Girl previously aired by the broadcaster.

Some comments on the ABC’s messageboard hit back at O’Loughlin saying:

-“What a shame you have to have a guest on your show making such degrading comments about a little girl who brings so much joy to children everywhere.”

– “Alan told her though-what was it he called her again? A mean-spirited, bitter old hag or words to that effect? Of course he was only joking but it was a very fitting description…..”

-“No. 11 year old children are not “fair game”. Ever heard of the anti bullying movement in recent years?”

– “The bagging of Bindi Irwin went on and on, to the obvious discomfort of Chris.”

But others disagreed:

-“Absolutely correct about the exploitation, they are all strange and thank god for people like Fiona who are not affraid to say it.”

-“I am not concerned about comments referring to Bindi Irwin as a freak show. In fact I tend the think it is the best description of how she is being used by some people to be this “all entertaining, extremely optimistic, plastic, perpetually smiling, always-money making” child star.”

Irwin is not alone in child stars being the subject of humour as Nikki Webster and Matthew Krok can surely attest.

Source: Herald Sun, ABC

NB: As the subject of this story involves a minor, TV Tonight will publish comments that are written respectfully of the issues at hand.

33 Responses

  1. I like Bindi – think she’s a fantastic kid. But totally got a laugh out of what O’Loughlin said coz I can totally see what could irk some people about her.

    Slow news day, much?

  2. Agree with Matt
    It should never have made it to air.
    This is the show that also highlighted the Kookaburra/Down Under fiasco which has made Colin Hay’s life hell for the last few months.
    How about the producers think about things a little longer and harder in the edit process before they put stuff to air.
    I get that it’s comedy… i get that it’s free speech… but to ignore possible moral and tasteful implications is questionable at best.
    Spicks is a great show… they just need to make sure they have people with lenient yet sensible filter looking after it.

  3. A lot of posters here are repeating the line “she said what a lot of people were thinking” Like half witted brain washed clones. Its clear by the copying of what some posters are saying that you don;t even know what you’re thinking. Let alone what others think. o’loughlin is what passes as a comedian in Australia. And that’s why Australia has no sitcoms. I think that a lot of spite that o’loughlin showed towards bindi, was just jealousy. She is jealous bindi is far well known and famous than she could ever be,

  4. some people find it funny, some people don’t. That’s comedy isn’t it? This isn’t a new style of humor for her so personally, I don’t see what it is people are complaining about. She’s satirized her own children before is it that shocking she would satirize other children? This is just media hype because they saw the success of the over-exaggeration of that “infamous” chaser skit.

  5. Well finally someone has the guts to say what a lot of people have thought for long time,and now Fiona is getting bad press coverage because of it.The way Bindi was pushed into more media work by her mother when her father died wa totally wrong

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