John Elliott offends with Can of Worms clanger
Outspoken John Elliott shocked the Can of Worms audience on Monday night when a slip of the tongue revealed his conservative views.
- Published by David Knox
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Last night on TEN’s new Can of Worms, businessman John Elliott dropped a big social no-no.
Answering the question: “Should we acknowledge traditional owners at official events?”
Elliott said acknowledgment was “sheer bloody nonsense.”
“I was in St. Paul’s Cathedral the other day and there’s the Dean of the Church and all he did for the first five minutes was talk about the A**s.”
The audience immediately reacted with horror.
“Indigenous people, sorry. Not allowed to use that word.”
Guest Maude Garrett responded: “But you did.”
Elliott responded, “That’s how we were grown up and talked about them. But I know it’s changed, and I’m sorry for that.”
But the damage had been done.
Video: offending moment from 6:40 mins.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su77I3geny8[/youtube]
Dicko’s new Can of Worms, which last week had Don Burke frequently dropping the F-word, has laid claim to its uncompromising, potentially controversial television, and last night it delivered.
Elliott attempted to justify his answer to the controversial question: “I was there to attend a funeral for a friend and I just thought it was totally inappropriate.”
But the bigger question for the show produced by Zapruder’s Other Films is whether it was right to include the term in the final edit, given it had been pre-recorded.
Was it right to offend sections of the audience simply to demonstrate Elliott’s views, or to attract attention for a new programme?
Last night on Twitter the moment attracted due comment:
geeeorgiwouldz: He really said ‘A**s’ on national TV. Disgusted #canofworms
NatGrasso: Did he really said ‘A**s’ on national TV?? He’ll regret saying that in the morning #canofworms
Marsh_Paul: Oh dear John Elliott – that sort of talk should have gone out in the 80s … like you #canofwormstv
glengyron: So, the man who just called Aboriginal people ‘A**s’ was the President of the Liberal Party for 3 years…. #canofworms
emwatsford: Oh goodness me. John Elliott you ignorant old man. He probably still thinks “a**’s” (his words) should be classified as fauna and flora.
fraggle73: Ah oh John Elliott, you just tripped over the line #canofworms
dizzyizzy11: oh my god..what John Elliott is saying is making me sick
DannyADalton: @canofwormstv John Elliott likes to cloak his racism as “our generation”. If this show isn’t live then shame on ch 10 for airing his comment
Mikey_Nicholson: What is this “A**” John Elliott speaks of? I hope for his sake he was talking about Tony Abbott… #auspol
EnsignR: Yes, he’s if a different generation, but I quite like John Elliott. At the very least he’s entertaining. #canofworms #donthateme
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52 Responses
Moments like this should Not be censored. He was sharing a genuine opinion which is what this show is about. Not everyone will agree with everything said on this show and sometimes these opinions will not be held by the majority of Australians as politically correct; but in my opinion, if you start censoring the show of moments like this, it defeats the purpose.
It wasn’t like some goon got on the show and just said the word for the sake of it; he didn’t do it to be controversial or to gain viewer ship. It was a Genuine opinion.
Good on TEN I say, but I can’t say I agree with him.
John Elliot blurted out “Abos” – so bloody what?! He apologised instantly. End of story! We Aussies have become such whingers that we forget the important issues around us. I can’t believe that people are missing the fact that Elliot’s a straight-shooter who says what he believes – just as people of his generation did and still do. Give me a call-a-spade-a-spade Elliot anyday over some try-hard-to-be- politically-correct Maude Garrett! …and Guys, this is a fun show. Treat is as that!
I suspect if he hasn’t apologised it might have been one for ACMA’s broadcasting laws.
Interesting comments by people who prob never met an aboriginal person let alone conversed with an aboriginal person yet have strong opinions of the term it is laughable its offensive no matter what you have experienced shame elllot shame ch 10
Nothing wrong with it, it is simply a shortening of the word Aboriginals, just as Aussie’s is short for Australians. Honest opinion is what this show is supposed to be about.
This show is becoming must see TV
I don’t think it should have been edited out. If it was, we would have heard from ‘leaked sources’ about it anyway and we would then be accusing the show of not being genuine. He said what he said, he apologized, that should be that.
He said it. He apologised. I don’t like racial slurs of any kind but in this case it is a generational thing and I commend him for correcting himself. Some people of his vintage would not see the comment as offensive and would not think to apologise. Everyone has a different view as to what is offensive depending on their own life experience. I personally have more of a problem with comedians who make hurtful comments for the sake of a cheap laugh. I am amazed that Chris Lilley got away with his rapper character on Angry Boys. On the other hand I don’t like censorship and champion free speech.
I have no real problem with this. John is certainly not a racist monster. He did apologise and that shows he is sensitive to the issue. Good on him for speaking his true mind and not following political correctness. Lets face it.
There are Australians, black and white, that don’t do anything to help their cause.
It’s a show about opinions. That’s his opinion, why should they censor it?
Unless Elliott requested that it be removed, they were right to show it.
What happened to free speech? This show isn’t about political correctness, but peoples opinions. I’m sure we all know plenty of people who refer to the indigenous with that term.
Really? is everyone blowing up because he used the word “abo’s”. In my thinking the word is just short for aboriginal, isnt it? If its considered to be a racist comment here in 2011 then i dont want to live in this time.
If an aborigional had said “white fella’s” no one would of been offended.
Just goes to show, its ok to be proud of your race unless your a white person
As much as i despise the term that was used, so too with pooftah or any other derogatory expression, as long as it is part of a debate, the cache will either be taken out of the word or given more – but it is the discourse that is imnportant – and this show promised to be about that, and pulling no punches. For every antiquated opinion there is another from the opposite polarity to counter it. No eggshells – and thankfully the eloquence of both Fiona and Meshel perfectly handled that ugly moment, along with an apt cutaway shot of Elliott’s face – a picture tells a thousand words.
This was excellent and while many people will seek to condemn this bloke or score petty political points, we should lay off and allow people to speak freely. The challenge can come in follow up questions ie Is it appropriate to give racial groups a shortened name tag such as Wog, Pom or Abo? and why?. I think just being berated for using the term abo, they should have delved deeper. Still the show is starting to get interesting
What disgusted me most of all was that the discussion was nipped in the bud within minutes. This show has the potential to open some really meaningful lines of discussion – but last night showed that, as soon as something remotely borderline presented itself, it had to be shut down so as not to offend anyone.
For a show that claims to push the boundaries of social do’s and don’ts, they sure bollocksed up the first real chance they had to do just that. A bit of courage from the producers/directors/editors/presenters and guests and this show could actually get people thinking. Instead, they’ve proven that, much as they profess otherwise, they are just as concerned with being PC as any other show.
Shame.
Well Done John.
It was indeed how his generation spoke, and he said sorry.
What’s the point of the show if you’re only allowed to say what people want to hear?
Freedom of speech, respect should be earnt, why thank people who don’t care for us?
I work with Traditional Owners all the time and you should hear what they say about white people! The difference is that we just laugh about it. Aboriginal people aren’t as sensitive about it as you would think. I don’t use the word now but when I was younger it was just part of the everyday vernacular but none of us ran around with burning crosses. I have often heard city people calling Lebanese, Lebs and we all shorten peoples names, such as Dicko for example. We now refer to Traditional Owners as TO’s, is that bad too? If we can be accused of anything in Australia, it’s that we are lazy when it comes to names.
what’s wrong with the word ‘Aborigines’, i think people should still be free to use this word, if not, then take it out of the dictionary altogether.
Truly, aren’t we over allowing the media to make news over “offensive” names? I’ve been called a white c&^t by blackfellas so many times it’s laughable. Growing up in the NT we were blackfellas, whitefellas or yellowfellas. No offense meant and none was ever taken – it was a term of respectful identification of your heritage. Go the NT now and they don’t use that type of semi respectful language anymore. Its about time Aboriginal people (and all Australians) just held their heads high and said we are above reacting to these names. Has any Aboriginal or part-Aboriginal person come out and said “Yeah! I’m an Abo and I’m bloody proud of it”? If not then that is really sad.
Elliott was put on the show for a reason. He delivered.
Just as reliable as when newsrooms sought comment from the likes of Bruce Ruxton and Dr Hugh Wirth on the nightly news bulletins. You always got something controversial without fail.
Nothing too wrong there. His generation still speak like that.and he did apologise. Would there be the same outcry if he said Pom?.
what a jerk!
Who cares about the word; it’s the intention behind it and his intentions weren’t good.
Caught last night’s show and really enjoyed it, definitely light years ahead of episode one, which was dreadful. They should never invite Jason Akermanis back on the show. As for Elliott’s clanger, well, a man of his vintage is going to have those sorts of views and use that kind of vernacular. He is 70 and has always been known as someone who talks bluntly. At least he was honest and expressed what he thought of the issue (acknowledgement of orginal owners of land) and did not pussyfoot around the issue.
It was great tv. Absolutely 100% real. May not be “politically correct” but I know a lot of people who think similarly. And they’re in their 30’s. Keep it coming.
finally felt some realism with last night show, good on him for saying it to be honest.
this should of been a worm instead of talking about would you let your 17year old drink at alcohol..
I don’t think a function of the pre-recording should be to take out something likely to offend. If you ask a man of that vintage to answer that question honestly, rightly or wrongly, you’re likely to get an answer somewhere along those lines. My father’s probably a good 15 years younger than Elliott but he’s made similar comments, including similarly offensive words, in the privacy of his own home. It’s not good, but it is honest, which is what the series is striving to be: a representation of the views of its cross-generational panel.
My husband’s given up on the show but I think it’s been getting stronger each week. Glad Channel Ten’s giving this one time to breathe, although it’ll be interesting to see how it fares in the later timeslot next week.