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Weekend Sunrise, Prue MacSween apologise.

Prue MacSween apologises over using the word "Retard" but stops short of withdrawing comments about the education of children with special needs.

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Weekend Sunrise and regular commentator Prue MacSween have apologised over comments made two weeks ago during a debate about education for children with special needs.

MacSween’s comment that such children should first be educated separately to “normal” kids triggered a backlash on Facebook. Last week she also debated the issue in a heated exchange on radio.

Sunrise addressed the issue with a segment on the weekend with an informative discussion on Saturday hosted by Larry Emdur, which included the woman who began the Facebook campaign, Livian Jones. MacSween was not present.

On Sunday MacSween made a statement: “From time to time here we do go a little bit too far, and certainly I feel I did last week when I mentioned the word ‘Retard’ which did upset a lot of people, and I understand that. It was done without malice and I do want to sincerely apologise and I certainly have learnt a lot from it this week, and I do hope that I haven’t upset too many people with it. I know I have, but apologise most sincerely.”

But she did not withdraw her stance on the educational approach for children with special needs. Her Twitter feed asks if the “needs of the many outweigh the special demands of the few?”

Co-host Samantha Armytage then read a short statement on behalf of Weekend Sunrise.

“While it’s understood the views of our regulars don’t necessarily reflect those of the show, we do want to say sorry for the use of the word last week. We do believe it belongs to a different era,” she said.

Facebook users were largely satisfied with the outcome, and also noted Seven’s Director of Morning Television Adam Boland had been instrumental in the apology as well as participating in a discussion of the issues on the site.

TV Tonight was the first media to report the campaign by Facebook as well as an apology from Adam Boland here.

20 Responses

  1. Prue MacSween has common sense between her ears instead of plactitudes of what may or may not happen. She is totally correct Climate change is not causing the weather. The weather has been the same for hundreds of years. The only difference is the world is more populated and it affects more people. You build your home in the bush, and you are likely to be affected by a bushfire. This is not rocket science.
    The truth is that Gillard is grandstanding and paying of people to push her nose further in the air. That is why she is drowing. She should put her head down and look where she is going.
    I really Like Prue MacSween.

  2. So Richard W thinks that Prue MacSween should be put out to pasture due to her age and because of her views. Are you an ageist, Richard? Can’t have that can we, a person with a differing opinion. I don’t think Prue means anything bad toward disabled children or people but does that mean we must forget the majority of non-disabled people? Think not. I do not agree with everything Prue says but I will always be on the side of anyone wishing to voice their opinion and not be part of the politically correct brigade. So easy to go with the flow, harder to voice your opinion. As the saying goes, it is better to stand for something than agree with anything.
    Jenny

  3. Prue McSween is ridiculous! Every time I see her she is making some ill informed attention seeking remark which is either offensive to a disadvantaged group or just plain stupid. This week it was her remark about Amy Winehouse’s family and management. And yet, Weekend Sunrise continues to have her on the show.
    Suggestion:
    I have a good project for Weekend Sunrise – why don’t you send Prue to some addiction clinic to get some insight into what happens and the powerlessness of parents and friends to impact on the addiction?

    In fact, every time Prue makes another dumb remark, Weekend Sunrise could do a little re-education (or is it education?) of Prue. In time, she might evolve as a reasonable human being who is not just out for attention and does develop some insight. There is a whole series in that! That would keep both Prue occupied and give Weekend Sunrise another little feature because there must be some reason she is a guest on there.

  4. at least Prue has a common sense practical point of view that is at least some sort of alternative against the misinformed academic urban yuppies that are running riot in this country with their “dogooder” ways. and she has the spunk to earn my complete respect.

  5. @ bobby. Sunrise only aired half of Prue’s comments in the above video. If you look at the video on the Weekend Sunrise for ‘All Stars 11 July’, you will see the entire footage which contains all of her nasty comments. au.tv.yahoo.com/sunrise/weekend-sunrise/-/page/2/#

  6. Why on earth does Sunrise even think that Prue McSween’s opinions are actually worthy, irrespective of whether the terminology she used in this instance was politically correct or not. I’d rather hear the butcher down the street provide an opinion that is far more valid.

    It just shows how out of touch morning television is with the rest of the country, it’s actually better to watch a blank screen.

  7. i’ve suffered from a genetic disorder my whole life and I do not care who uses ‘Retard’ in such a manner. I even use it, my friends use it, we Do have a sense of humour you know!

    It’s replacing ‘That’s s**t’ with ‘that’s retarded’ or even, ‘that’s gay’ is what hurts. It’s not s**t to be disabled nor gay.

    It’s s**t to have a bunch of overly PC people spray their “values” all over me tho.

    Also, she says special kids should be segrated… if I was segregated from the rest of the kids perhaps I would not have been picked on or punched in the head so much for ‘walking funny’. But being integrated means I’ve eased in life as an adult … on a social level, easier.

    It’s a touchy subject and …yeah… but when did she say retard? I watched it 3 times but couldn’t hear it!

  8. Bogan Pride, David is just reporting the facts. This has upset many people. Maybe if you had a child with a disabilty you might understand why!

  10. well done to David for reporting this. The more people know what a tool Prue is, the better. Fingers crossed her contract doesn’t get renewed

  11. @bogan pride Yes shame on David for reporting some News. You know there could be some people who don’t watch Sunrise and wouldn’t know if she apologised or not. If you haven’t noticed David does a lot of work trying to encompass all aspects of Australian Television, this is part of it.

  12. PR, Beauty & the Beast (one of Stan Zemanek’s favourites) and Sydney radio – she is a shock jock or jackie or jill? Anyway, she is boorish, opinionated and often without backing or reason. That is what you see, that is what u get. Too right, we are feeding the beast. The only thing i ever liked about her was her ability to shut Zemanek up!

  14. Shame on this website and shame on c7 for giving it attention. Because that’s all she craves. She realises, she has become irrelevant now. (was she ever relevant?) So the only way she can get attention is by saying things she knows will offend.

  15. JohnTV – Prue is I think in PR. She originally got her start on Beauty and the Beast with Stan Zemanak. She was ignorant and rude then, and it’s continued ever since…

  16. Im still struggling to work out what Prue MacSween claim to fame actually is or why we should think her opinion is worth anything… was she on Big Brother in 1950 or something like that.

    She is more suited to Fox News rather to mainstream news programs.

  17. Prue Macsween is an advocate for discrimination of children. Does it make it OK if they are disabled? I guess she thinks so. What a disgrace!!!!!

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