Dad complains about comedy
The father of comedian and Celebrity Treasure Island winner James Mustapic has laid an official complaint with TVNZ about his son’s latest show, which he claims includes hurtful comments about him that are “grossly untrue and unfair”.
Dan Mustapic, who works in the mental health sector in Wellington, alleges James-must-a-pic His Mum a Man is an invasion of his privacy. He has sought legal advice on whether to lodge a defamation complaint but was advised that the cost would be prohibitive.
Mustapic has not been in contact with James for the past couple of years but told the Weekend Herald he was aware his son had been using personal material about him in his stand-up routines, despite being “quite explicit” that he did not want to be involved in any shows or videos. He says he knew nothing about this project until ads were screened on TVNZ.
James-must-a-pic His Mum a Man follows James’ attempts to get his mum, Dunedin psychologist
Janet Millichamp, back on the dating scene “in hope of finding the father he’s always wanted”. The series went to air in early March and is streaming on TVNZ+.
While Dan Mustapic isn’t specifically named and his face is blurred in photos, it’s an unusual surname and there’s a reference to him being on the New Zealand curling team that came last at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Italy.
In the first episode, James says his father left when he was 3 and he grew up without a dad in his life. After reviewing an audition video by one prospective candidate he says, “If this guy was my dad, I would be quite happy to disown him, like my real dad did.”
Later, he brings in a comedian to role-play his father, who gets James’ name wrong and says he spent his child support on curling gear. “One thing Dad taught me,” says James, “is that wives and kids are disposable.”
However, Dan Mustapic rejects his depiction as a man who abandoned his son — citing photographs of them in Disneyland when James was 10 or 11 and in the wedding party when he married his now-wife. “So how did I abandon him when he was 3 years old?”
He also says the implication that he tried to avoid paying child support isn’t true. “How do I end up on TV and I don’t know anything about it?” he says. “How is it possible that if someone’s got a grievance, then it’s okay to air it on TV and there’s no checks and balances? Where’s my privacy — did anyone consider that?”
When asked by the Weekend Herald if any measures had been taken to fact-check the personal information James shares about his father and their relationship, a statement supplied by the network said TVNZ would respond to Mustapic’s concerns through its Formal Complaints process. The Broadcasting Standards Code covers balanced and accurate reporting, and rights to privacy and fair treatment. Factors determining whether disclosure of private information is “highly offensive” include whether the individual has consented to the broadcast and whether the content is particularly embarrassing or has the potential to impact negatively on reputation.
In its statement to the Herald,
TVNZ described the series as “a satirical comedy series, told from James’ point of view”. In one scene, he gets advice from The Bachelor’s
Art Green while they’re sitting in an ice bath, with his mum listening in from the shower cubicle. Later, he sets up celebrity dates for his mother with TV presenter Matt Gibb, Act’s David Seymour and the “Elvis of Papakura”, Wayne Anderson.
Dan Mustapic doesn’t see the funny side of the show and says he’s had texts and emails from people who feel angry about how he’s represented. In his view, similar behaviour in the workplace would be considered bullying and harassment. “At what point does a comedian stop getting a free pass to hide behind ‘not to be taken seriously’?”
When approached for comment, the comedian sent a quick oneliner via email. “Here is my response: Buy tickets to my upcoming stand-up comedy show You Mustapicked The Wrong Guy to Mess With.”