Kamahl Gives Up On Wondering Why Hey Hey Is So Unkind

One stalwart of the Hey Hey salad days who was noticeably absent from the pair of reunion shows was Malaysian-born Aussie crooner Kamahl, whose “Why are people so unkind?” cry became something of a punchline for the variety show. While he always appeared to take the show’s comedy-at-his-expense on the chin, he has now decided – after an endurance-testing 25+ years of their hazing ribbing – to speak out.

You will have noticed watching “The Jackson Jive” that one of Andrew Fyfe’s cartoons flashed up on screen, asking “Where’s Kamahl?” Not surprisingly, it was the final straw for the normally laidback singer. He told The Daily Telegraph:

“I used to laugh along when I was a guest but deep down I was thinking why are people so unkind? It’s just the same old rubbish. They are just trying to push the envelope. Like The Chaser. The Chaser may take it to another level but at least it’s witty. Hey, Hey is devoid of any real wit.

“It’s desperate. It’s toilet humour and it should be flushed.”

Kamahl said he did not expect to get an apology from Somers or Channel 9. “If Harry Connick Jr had not been there it would have just slipped through to the keeper,” Kamahl said.

“It’s not an advantage to be born black in this current society, neither is it to be a woman. Both have to work twice as hard,” the singer added.

Some media outlets are even reporting that the crooner is investigating legal action over being unwittingly embroiled in the skit backlash. What’s surprising, really, is that he was able to wait this long to speak out. After all:

All in all, in other words, it’s a pretty depressing week for Australian television.