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Racism, insults, scheduling…if it’s Sunday it must be outrage night…

Seven and TEN come under fire from viewers on social media and the TV year hasn't even begun.

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Memo to TV networks everywhere… we have one week to go and already viewers are not happy: Racism on My Kitchen Rules, scheduling complaints over Big Bash, and Anthony Mundine sitting down for the national anthem on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.

Last night MKR descended into insults across the table between Victorian friends Roula & Rachael and NSW sisters Jess & Emma.

What began as a blunt assessment of Roula & Rachael’s earlier instant restaurant led to a heated discussion and various insults including “cow / plastic / fat / fake / ugly / bitch” with some leaving the table and other contestants saying rivalry had gone too far.

But before Vietnamese mums Kim & Suong cooked in their Secret Lantern instant restaurant, contestant Jess said, “We’re definitely hoping there’s no domestic pets on the menu tonight”. It was a race to the bottom.

Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane tweeted, “Disappointing to see a racist joke on prime time TV – this stuff is not acceptable. Let’s not give racism any encouragement or licence.”

On social media viewers said the comment should never have made the final edit.

https://twitter.com/Money_Bennett/status/960065927554347008

https://twitter.com/jiehyunglo/status/960076922909700096

But MKR was not alone in copping viewer anger last night.

Everywhere other than Perth, TEN viewers were told to watch the Adelaide Strikers trophy presentation on ONE so that I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here could bring Danny Green into the jungle. That led to more social media complaints that a major sport event was being shafted for Reality TV nonsense.

Meanwhile some viewers were divided over Anthony Mundine sitting during Shannon Noll’s singing of the National Anthem in a mock boxing ring challenge with Danny Green. Mundine expressed concern over its history with Indigenous Australians, which drew some support from his castmates, whilst some viewers felt producers had set him up, knowing his views already.

As summer viewing begins its final week, Sport has proven to be the biggest drawcard but also a lightning rod for viewer backlash.

Australian Open viewers let rip at Seven for too many ads whilst they missed play, whilst Davis Cup viewers on Saturday were told to switch to a multichannel when the News began, only to discover another programme screening for some 15 minutes.

30 Responses

  2. Roula & Rachael are horrid. They call for cooking to be judged on merits but ignore the flawed cooking they did themselves…the judges gave them the same marks as their opposition which they conveniently ignore, and blame others for targeting them.
    And such joy at others failures! It’s “all about me” for Roula….shockingly self-interest and lack of awareness, no compassion, insight, humility, empathy, sympathy…. Deserves to crash and burn…

  3. Davis Cup viewers missed the entire first game of the third set because Channel 72 were showing ads. I understand the requirement for ads but tennis already has timed breaks for TV. A network who has been showing tennis for decades should be better.

    Also still dislike the use of the megawall to show interviews or press conferences while a match is running. Play the audio if you want but we don’t need to see the player talking because the tennis match window becomes so small and hard to watch it isn’t funny.

  4. I feel for the other MKR teams who are purely on there to have fun, learn new things, obviously hope to cook well and are nice decent people. Yes I know they need teams to add drama and to create controversy but the show is about cooking.

    I just tape it now and fast forward through the fights. I am one that enjoys the challenges more than the instant restaurants.

  6. Would this blog exist if MKR was PC and sanitised? People are blogging, tweeting, talking etc – mission accomplished.
    Here, try this piece of grilled Granddad’s thigh, he was a vegetarian you know. It’s nutritious and low fat.

    1. You forget it ran for years without MKR so Yes is your answer. Frankly it is News Corp and others that file multiple MKR stories not me. No apology for raising concerns over racial comments from reality TV.

    3. Half of this post is about IACGMOOH and the tennis and there are something like 30 other posts on the home page that are not about MKR. So I guess the answer is ‘Yes’.

  7. Funny that people watching the cricket were annoyed with I’m A Celebrity, when I’m A Celebrity fans were annoyed with cricket due to it taking I’m A Celebrity’s place on Thursday night which saw no airing of I’m A Celebrity at all.

    Strange thing the planning of all that as I don’t recall the cricket blocking I’m A Celebrity previously. Anyway to make everyone happy they should have put one of the other on one or 11 for the night. Although that is somewhat what happened on Sunday night at the end of the cricket telling people to switch on over to one at the end.

    1. I don’t watch MKR but acknowledge it is adored by many viewers. But I did catch 5 minutes last night and laughed my head off over the narrator’s voice.

      He sounds like a villain from Scooby Doo and certainly makes the whole show rather childish. Which is what 7 wants.

      2. Luckily the narrator is only really used to recap and “coming up” before ad breaks. I always mock the voice, it’s ridiculous and not needed to be so brash.

  9. I thought the ‘domestic pets’ comment was awful, but I don’t think it should have been cut from the show. It shows that woman’s character. Its not the producer’s fault she said something horrible in front of a camera and microphone.

  10. In the same vein, Sunrise this morning features the bullies from MKR and follows it with a segment about a real life victim of bullying killing herself

    1. Completely agree, middledog. The media are hypocrites. These shows are cast with the goal of conflict. They find these horrible people who say nasty things about/to other contestants (egged on by the producers to get their sound bite for the promo), and it’s all laughed off with a ‘game on’ comment. Then these horrible people get rewarded with extra interviews, or even feature spots on other shows (eg. The snarky Block couple from the recent series). All the while kids are mirroring the behaviour themselves, thinking it’s cool. Get these shows off the air and then we can say we’re starting to tackle the bulling situation.

  13. In this day n age why can’t just set a game to put channel. I mean they are all on the same level except HD channels. So Ten could have all BBL games on One which would not interfere with their normal programming schedule. Doubt anyone today has an SD receiver or desk top box. No one l know anyway….

    1. Forgive my ignorance but what is his problem with the anthem?

      From my understanding it was introduced in the 1980s. Shouldn’t there be a time where we can unite rather than promoting division.

    1. You make a valid point, but given bullying still occurs in the workplace, it seems people enjoy hurting others, hence why (some) viewers enjoy ‘mean’ people. I personally don’t like it but for some reason others do.

  17. Completely outrageous on all counts David. Thank you for the article and sharing the details with viewers. The poor form across many shows on 7 and 10 demonstrates why FTA is losing viewers. I didn’t watch most on what was mentioned (did watch the tennis) but I am outraged that viewers are not considered when it comes to editing, ads, changing stations (this last one just annoys me no end – especially when the tennis was on…hate having to switch mid tennis match).

  18. I have to say it was a bit hypocritical of the other celebrities to applaud Mundine when he sat down during the anthem when they all stood for it themselves. The whole thing was a bit cringeworthy and felt staged and unnecessary imo.

  19. Very odd decision by seven with Davis cup . Show on main channel Friday and Saturday but switch to 7two on Saturday at a crucial point and pre planned to leave on 7two for Sunday to show the weeks worth of my kitchen rules on seven . Why not just be consistent and put the lot on 7two

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