Australian sports show sorry for ‘racist’ dog joke
SYDNEY: A popular Australian television sports show apologised Friday over a joke in which a presenter asked an Asian woman whether she was planning on eating one of her dogs.
The quip was part of a lighthearted segment on The Footy Show in which host and former rugby league player Beau Ryan chats with people in the street.
Walking up to an Asian woman taking a photograph of three small dogs behind a glass door, Ryan asks: “Picking out which one for dinner?”
Channel Nine then tweeted the brief exchange, prompting viewers to criticise it as racist, disgraceful and offensive.
“Appal l ing racism” wrote one Twitter user, while another questioned not just the comment itself, but that the show left it “edited in, broadcast & then tweeted” the remark. The reaction prompted the show’s executive producer to apologise.
“We apologise for any offence caused, the segment is a comedy one where we have fun with people, but not intentionally at their expense,” producer Glenn Pallister said in a statement.
“We clearly went too far on this occasion.”
It is the second time in a week in which Channel Nine has sparked controversy with its rugby league coverage, after veteran Queensland player Sam Thaiday said winning a match was like “losing your virginity”.
After Queensland won the first State of Origin match against New South Wales on Wednesday night, Thaiday was asked about the victory.
“It was a bit like losing your virginity,” he said.
“It wasn’t very nice but we got the job done.” — AFP