Named: TV star who made DV ‘joke’
The TV and radio guest who made wife-beating remarks has a history of vulgar statements. Let's make a stand against domestic violence and clean up the airwaves.
8.15am, Thursday, April 10, update: The Daily Mail has named the guest who made the offensive remark as Nicholas Small, better known as “Ranger Nick”. The writers of the excellent article (here, behind a paywall) say they have attempted to contact Small but neither he nor Step Outside host Paul Burt returned their calls. The Mail also says that “Ranger Nick” is no longer welcome as a guest on Nine Radio, owner of 4BC, 2GB, 3AW and 6PR. Would it be asking too much for Burt to make a full statement, explaining exactly why he did not challenge the cook over his remarks on this, or previous occasions, and exactly how the program went to air? Moreover, when will media bosses finally tackle the broader issue of misogyny on the airwaves?
Disturbing new audio has emerged of the man at the centre of a complaint over a “joke” about domestic violence aired on the Step Outside with Paul Burt program on 7Mate and 7Plus.
The show guest, who I have chosen not to name at this point, has made questionable comments during other media appearances, including on Burt’s Step Outside radio show on Nine Radio’s 4BC.
Since first writing about this (here and here), I have received information from many sources, pointing out examples of the regular Step Out guest stepping over the lines of decency.
These include misogynistic comments and even a joke to Burt during a 4BC segment that he should have his finger on the “dump” button, which is designed to prevent unsuitable material from going to air.
In one instance — not on Burt’s program, but on an internet-only radio station — the person made an explicitly crude remark conflating human sexual organs with popular sandwich spreads.
Details have also emerged about the television segment which was swiftly deleted, along with the entire Step Outside catalogue, from the 7Plus streaming service.
I’m told by the person who made the complaint to Free TV that she was motivated not just because she was horrified by the “joke” about wife beating but by Burt’s reaction to it.
“In the show he laughed nervously after the comments were made and I was half waiting for him to say something, but that never happened…”
Top-rating Sydney 2GB Breakfast host Ben Fordham covered the original television incident in an editorial where he had some words of advice for Burt:
“Well, Paul, you've got to wonder who your guest is and what they stand for if they're saying things like that during a recording session. And I don’t know what your reaction was to the so-called joke. But I would be suggesting that whoever your guest was, you should have been saying to them straight away, ‘Mate, are you okay? What are you talking about?’ And we’re not going to have someone like that as a guest on this show….”
The challenge now for bosses at Seven and Nine, and any other outlet where this person has been a guest, is not just to distance themselves from him but to make clear what is and what is not acceptable on the airwaves.
That means ensuring anybody who sits or stands in front of a microphone understands what is required of them. It is not good practice to allow somebody to swear or make offensive remarks and expect that an editor will remove it before it goes to air.
The big question for Paul Burt is: why has he continued to give a platform to an individual whose views and vocabulary are clearly not fit for the airwaves?
1800RESPECT: the National Sexual Assault, Family and Domestic Violence Counselling Service (1800 737 732 / www.1800RESPECT.org.au) is a free and confidential telephone and online counselling service staffed by professional counsellors to assist any person who has experienced, or is at risk of sexual assault and/or family and domestic violence.
Disclosure: Brett Debritz was the producer of Weekend Breakfast on 4BC a few years ago.
… perhaps not.
Why are you protecting the persons name who said the remarks?