Sam Newman’s Feminist Credentials Skyrocket

As if we didn’t already have a bucketload of reasons to love Sam Newman, he continues to impress with his neanderthal Footy Show antics (and for those who think the use of “neanderthal” and “footy show” is tautological, it ain’t necessarily so; On The Couch and Before The Game both manage to be free of gender bias and idiocy – well, apart from Peter Helliar in the latter category).

The Nine switchboard has been lighting up with complaints, and rightly so, since Newman carried out another of his “hilarious” gags, feeling up a mannequin dressed to look like AFL journo Caroline Wilson.

Comedy platinum, Sam.

Using a staple gun, Newman fastened a picture of Age journalist Caroline Wilson to the mannequin’s head.

The dummy was clothed in a satin bra and underpants.

“I tell you what, she’s a fair piece, Caro,” he said over the chosen soundtrack, She’s a Lady by Tom Jones.

Referring to a newspaper clip about Wilson’s wardrobe selection, he proceeded to dress the dummy in various outfits, fumbling around its chest and crotch.

To wild applause, Tigers star Matthew Richardson said: “It’s been a while since you put clothes on a girl, I reckon.”

Co-hosts James Brayshaw and Garry Lyon looked on.

Wilson later described the stunt as degrading, humiliating and insulting.

A Nine Network spokeswoman confirmed chief executive David Gyngell had received the letter.

“He has replied to the letter dealing with the matters raised,” she said.

Newman last night said the stunt had attracted a number of complaints, but Nine’s ratings had not been affected.

He said he had not been contacted by the network over the issue, and was not sorry.

“What would I be apologising for?” Newman asked. “This was not a gender thing, it was not meant to degrade anyone or anything.

“I’m yet to understand what’s insulting about putting clothes on a mannequin.”

Which is of course the sort of line he would try to pull in defense of himself, since that’s just what those passive aggressive boof-head types do – rag on women until it reaches a crescendo, and then say she’s “up herself” or “a bitch” or “on her period” if she complains.

Hey, it’s on-air sexual harassment sparkling repartee like this that makes Austereo’s fine syndicated programming so successful!