In the wake of immense backlash, radio host and Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has this morning said his comments about drowning Fairfax football journalist Caroline Wilson were all just “banter”, that he was just “cracking gags” at her expense.
But Wilson isn’t having a bar of it.
She told 3AW this morning that she thinks McGuire crossed a line, that the language he used was nothing short of “vicious”.
“I think he gets away with a lot because people are scared of him,” she told the station. “And because I occasionally take him to task and stand up to him, he doesn’t like it.”
The controversial comments were made by McGuire, North Melbourne president James Brayshaw and former St Kilda captain Danny Frawleyon radio last Monday, while discussing the “Big Freeze at the G”, an event in which celebrities slide into icy water to raise money for motor neurone disease.
“In fact I reckon we should start the campaign for a one-person slide next year,” McGuire said. “Caroline Wilson. And I’ll put in 10 grand straight away — make it 20. And, if she stays under, 50.”
“What do you reckon guys? Who else is up there? I know you’re in JB,” he said to James Brayshaw.
Brayshaw replied: “No, yep, straight in.”
Frawley then said, “I’ll be in amongst it Ed.”
“I’ll actually jump in and make sure she doesn’t — I’ll hold her under, Ed.”
Wilson suggested McGuire’s comments were in part a backlash against a recent opinion piece, in which she suggested that he should consider a succession plan for the presidency of the Collingwood Football Club.
“He was clearly very unhappy with the column. I think he feels that I burnt him,” she told 3AW. “I would hope that any journo, male or female, can write without fear or favour and not get that sort of stuff in return.”
Wilson also expressed concern that it took a week for anyone to express their outrage over the comments.
“I’ve got to say, it doesn’t really say much for the Triple M audience that this only came out over the weekend,” she said. “The people listening at the time thought it was okay.”
“I wonder how many times we have to draw this line in the sand… between what is a joke and what is obviously unacceptable.”
McGuire went on television this morning to respond to the controversy, telling The Today Show that the comments weren’t meant to be sexist or to promote violence against women.
“I’m sorry that’s how it was perceived… Anything that can be perceived to promulgate domestic violence is abhorrent, full stop,” he said.
McGuire said violence against women should be talked about the same way the road toll is.
“There’s still one woman every week being murdered, as I said before. I mean, we should have that as a ticker, like the road toll, to jolt us into understanding of what the situation is with domestic violence.”
Frawley has also apologised.
“Last Monday, on radio I made a couple of insensitive, inappropriate remarks about Caroline Wilson. Clearly it was a poor attempt at humour, for which I sincerely apologise,” he told Fox Footy.
The former St Kilda player has also reached out to personally apologise to Wilson. It’s not believed McGuire has done the same.
Top Comments
Why is it that the other radio team, of which Caro was sitting with, haven't been racked over the coals for this. ANti Eddie sentiments running rife. Of course, the statements are completely wrong, but they should be wrong for all, not just Eddie (but I guess Ed brings the most publicity)
What should they be "racked over the coals" for? As far as I'm aware, they didn't suggest anyone should be killed like Eddie did.
Well, reading the above transcript, McGuire suggested she not surface, it was Frawley who offered to hold her down.
Oh, I was under the impression the others had only laughed along with him. I thought Eddie had said all the comments, according to the radio broadcast about it I listened to yesterday.
Of course, the type of equality we are aiming for is one in which you cant say things to women because it is offensive yet you can say the exact same to a man and nobody will bat an eyelid. That is the equality we all want. Eye roll.
You seem to be conveniently ignoring Caroline Wilson's response, which to repeat again was “I would hope that any journo, male or female, can write without fear or favour and not get that sort of stuff in return.”
No one here is endorsing this behaviour toward anyone of any gender.
And you really think there would have been even a ripple were Caro a man and those exact comments made. Pffft. I have heard much worse against Tony Abbott on this very site. Over and over.
And the female victim machine rolls on.
I seem to remember a fair number of ripples being made here when Eddie made comments about Adam Goodes a couple of years ago, and then when Goodes was being booed during matches last year.
And as far as I know, Adam Goodes is a man.
The problem with that is, men don't joke about drowning a man they disagree with. That's equality for you.