KYLE? A MISOGYNIST? TOO EASY
Sydney 2DAY FM shock jock Kyle Sandilands has been branded a misogynist by some senior media female commentators for his nasty on-air attack on a woman journalist.
For me, that description of him misses the mark, by a long shot.
Certainly some of the derogatory terms he used in response to criticism of his dismal television foray by the journo (a rant I won’t give any dignity to by repeating it here) were aimed at her appearance.
However, to brand Kyle as a “woman-hater” overlooks the fact that he is an equal-opportunity bully.
To say he singles out women for his scorn gives him a convenient “out clause” and he found that loophole yesterday on his show with this rejoinder: “I treat everyone equally, doesn’t matter your gender, your race, your sexual preference; you’re equal as far as I’m concerned.”
His co-host Jackie O agreed, saying that she couldn’t work with a woman hater. (I have to back up her claim, because one of my feisty female friends is a producer on the show and she’s no pushover.)
Jackie O then went on to say (kicking an own goal): “…but it’s certainly not reserved to women because… we’ve had Rove, we’ve had Wil Anderson… we’ve had a long line of people.”
Indeed we have.
You can include in that list his appalling treatment of 2DAY newsreader Geoff Field (a bloke I knew from my own brekkie shift days and respected enormously).
Geoff is gay and was the butt of on-air jokes and stunts about his sexuality for years.
It was reported that complaints from Field to the station’s human resources department and mediation did nothing to alleviate the situation. Field finally walked from the show in 2010 when Sandilands accused him of being drunk at a station function.
Sandilands’ on-air response?
“Once they leave they’re dead to me.”
Later in a podcast for Media Week, Kyle had this to say :
“He was running off down to HR . . . bitching and carrying on . . . I told him you can argue back . . . but you are never going to win . . . Geoff’s an older gay man, easily offended.”
Bully, bully, bully!
| Page 1 of 2 | next >> |
59 Responses to this article
-
Sam November 25, 2011
Fair column – but I still think he’s a misogynist – you’ve just alerted me to the fact he’s also homophobic, a bigot and general asshole on top of his misogynistic ways! He’s even worse in my eyes now! Ps it wasn’t only senior female commentators who labelled him a misogynist – in fact the first to use that word was the male editor of the punch with his now widely circulated column ending in ‘the man is a piece of shit’
-
Dannielle Miller November 25, 2011
Wendy one can be both a misogynist AND a homophobe / racist etc. I think you may have missed the mark in assuming it is an either / or question.
He is absolutely a misogynist, it would be very difficult to argue otherwise. He repeatedly attacks women in the most vitriolic way, talks dismissively about the many young models he claims to have bedded – why he even comments on women’s genitals with unbridled disgust ( I heard him tell Jackie O on air she must now look hideous “down there” as she has had a child and of course he targeted the female journalist who dared to critique him on the basis of her “titties” amongst other things).
But you are right – his hatred is not isolated just to women.
Yes, he is a first class bully indeed – with a first class enabler in Jackie O who giggles all the way to the bank.
Doesn’t mean commentators like me who have identified this outburst as misogynist are wrong. Rather it is important to unpack the layers within the bullying behaviour. For my money, just labelling him as a “bully” is not enough. It is a term used far too often to describe behaviour ranging from kids pushing in front of others in the canteen line, right through to physical intimidation. Using the correct terminology to label the layers within the bullying behaviours is far more powerful and in this instance – he proved himself a world class misogynist and needed to be exposed as such.
-
Susie November 25, 2011
How on earth Kyle Sandilands managed to get away with his disgusting treatment of Geoff Field for all that time is beyond me. Austereo executives have a lot to answer for.
-
Annie from Faulco November 26, 2011
Agree. Management culture has ignored public responsibility for the bottom line, which has new resonance as the lowest common denominator.
-
-
Tracey November 25, 2011
I thought the same.
It’s not just women.
People have been called mental, retards, not too mention Geoff’s disgraceful treatment.
Good on him for walking out
When will 2 DAYFM get rid of him?
It looks close with the amount of advertisers bailing out. -
Michelle November 25, 2011
His treatment of Geoff Fields is by far the worst of the things he has done. He made a nation witness the more sustained period of nastiness, bullying and demeaning treatment I can remember, on a daily basis.
Yesterday I contacted Geoff Fields and, once more, congratulated him on walking out of that scenario. The disappointing fact remains that Austereo management considered Kyle worth saving, after such horrible attacks on someone else. Anyone else in the country would have been fired. The fact that Kyle is still there, denigrating so many is pathetic on behalf of the management and board of Austereo.
I am glad you brought Geoff up Wendy, because it clearly shows that Kyle is just a nasty human being – and his sidekick a shallow fool.
-
Susie November 25, 2011
Kyle and Jackie O were happy to get ratings mileage out of Geoff and his marriage to his partner live on air during their show, ostensibly supporting gay marriage and equal rights. Then later Kyle revealed his true colours with comments like “He’s an older gay man, he’s easily offended and I just think he forgot what we do every day in here” and “Actually I do know of another gay newsreader he lives up in Queensland — he is fat and he wears glasses and he is gay and he is a newsreader, so we’ll just get rid of one and replace him with another”. He has no place on the airwaves. He is offensive.
-
-
Valerie Parv November 25, 2011
I just don’t understand what keeps the man on air or on camera. Is it because it’s better to be hated but known, than respected and not making headlines? What a world we live in.
-
Jackie November 25, 2011
Wendy is 100# correct
1. Austereo is at fault for keeping him on air and offering such a weak apology (while still ranking in the $$$)
2. The Sponsors..many of whom have at this stage withdrawn their support (Fantastic Furniture is currently very upset because their ad was aired today against their wishes)
3. Those who listen..everyt ime you switch the dial you are supporting him. The number of listeners is what attracts the sponsors…they want you to hear their ads. The amount of $$ generated is what keeps him employed by Austereo
I believe that he (Kyle) has achieved what he wanted. Outrage and controversy. But there must come a time when we the public say enough is enough and I am not going to take it anymore (kinda like Peter Finch in Network) Bugger barking out the window like Max Markson. Change the program, put on a cd do what you have to do to remove the 3 factors that keep him and his enabler there.
So people it’s as simple as that…CHANGE the station and STOP listening to him. His sponsors will go elsewhere and his management will realise he’s a liability costing them $$ It’s up to ALL of us! STOP listening simple right?
-
Chris November 25, 2011
They’re hardly going to fire him from his radio show when it consistently rates No. 1, although if advertisers are walking that may speak louder than his ratings. Says a lot about his audience who I guess think he’s funny. A scary insight into today’s society if he’s No. 1.
-
John November 25, 2011
Chris.
They are not and never have been number one.
They are number 3.
Latest radio ratings.
1. Alan Jones 2GB
2. Adam Spencer ABC
3. Kyle and Jackiio TODAYFM -
Chris November 25, 2011
OK John, I should have written No. 1 FM or No. 1 music station. Certainly vastly different audiences than Alan and Adam. I just find it a bit scary that he rates at all.
-
Alice Shaw November 25, 2011
You’re right of course Wendy, he is a bully. But he’s also a misogynist… Kyle’s disgusting rant had a violent undercurrent and he was particularly hateful about the femaleness of the reporter he was attacking. I’m so glad to see so many sponsers pulling out of his show but the proper response should be for him to be sacked. This will send the strongest message of all. But I doubt it will happen. I was talking to a young woman at work who seemed resigned at his behaviour. She said “he’ll get a payrise and a pat on the back for generating such publicity. What’s the point of going on about it?” For a young woman to feel that she couldn’t possibly make a difference, that bullying and threats of violence against a woman would actually be rewarded, just goes to show the culture in which young women are growing up today. I hope Austereo will do the right thing. I won’t be quiet about it. We all, women and men, need to stand up and say – enough!
-
Kate November 25, 2011
What would it take for ACMA to take action?
-
wilmawalrus November 25, 2011
I have been involved in a facebook discussion overnight with an acquaintance who said that it was “not alright for someone to threaten someone, but so long as it is not directed at me, then I don’t care”. I am gobsmacked! She also thinks he is funny (as I guess other members of his audience do). I find it absolutely mindblowing that threatening, belitting, vilifying and degrading people (male or female) is regarded as amusing. Great piece, Wendy – you’ve hit the nail on the head extremely well.
-
Diana November 25, 2011
Misogynist and bully – homophobe too. We could add misanthropic and round it out. Have you noticed how obsessed he is with “fat” – it’s his first choice of pejorative and it reveals his own self hatred. He’s a tub of lard calling the kettle porky.
-
Vanessa November 25, 2011
Scary how popular the programme is with 10-17 year olds. No one should wonder why the incidence of school bullying has soared. Children who listen to the show learn that it’s quite ok to bully, it makes you popular. And everyone is fair game in Kyle-world – it can be ok in your world too.
-
shelley November 25, 2011
I think this point is very relevant because yesterday a school boy was killed in an on-going bullying incident. When people of this impressionable age-group see the results of the behaviour of someone like Kyle you can bet they want to emulate it. Where is the Federation of Australia Broadcasters in all of this, where do they stand? Why is it okay to broadcast hate? To me there is no justification for his behaviour. What is happening to the values of this country?
-
-
Jan ohalloran November 25, 2011
Im perplexed totally as to why anyone in their right mind would listen to his puerile drivel – i havent heard him on radio but the frequent news reports on his antics are enough to realise he is an arrogant non event – sad that anyone wastes time listening to him at all.
-
Melita November 25, 2011
Thank you Wendy for emphasising that a lot of people/organisations have contributed to the creation of this monster. If cruelty, crudeness and hatred get ratings, what does this say about Australia? This is the most important and frightening question this has raised for me. Is this what we find funny? Is Kyle saying what a lot of people are thinking, therefore they love to listen? I’d love some of his fans to explain exactly what it is that makes them listen/watch. Although the spectacular plunge in ratings within the first few minutes of the Kyle and Jackie TV show demonstrates that he has finally gone too far and people are switching off, which is encouraging. I just wish it had happened sooner.
-
Please November 25, 2011
He’s hardly going to wake up one day and say “gees, I’m a knob” and decide to change. Austereo please do us a favour and take him and his vacuous sidekick off the airwaves.
-
Rosie November 25, 2011
Vanessa – you’ve hit the nail on the head. School kids listening to that on the way to school then entering the school grounds with his notions in their heads – does not make for a happy day. And in my opinion Jackie is equally guilty for the support she gives this man.
-
Vanessa November 25, 2011
Rosie – Jackie is indeed equally as guilty as Kyle – she may not have said the words, but she has publicly announced that she stands by what he says and his right to say it. She has not been the opposing view at all in this debacle, which I see as making her possibly more accountable than he is
-
-
samantha power November 25, 2011
as a breakfast announcer of 25 years,one who knows the ins and outs of the hideous slog of 4 am starts, to a certain extent it (on air, the creature) is you, and it is your real personality, but you magnify it, make it bigger and louder, otherwise accountants would be on air. I know what its like to get on air at 6 and rant, and think you are just talking and your fans are behind you, and maybe say stuff you dont mean. The kyle I knew was a lovely kind gentleman. I hope this is an act, but the huge money and fame and perks may have got the better of him, I dont know. I hope he really doesnt mean what he said , because now he is in a world of shit. Does he care, I hope so….all the world is a stage and we are but players, but I hope after the show, you can remember your true real self. Sometimes the act overtakes the person. And when the play is over, what are you left with?
-
Susie November 25, 2011
Hey Sammy! We miss you on Sydney radio!
-
-
Beejay November 25, 2011
Couldn’t agree more Wendy, he’s simply bullying anyone who dare have an opinion about him – something he does to others daily on his show. It must be very easy to hide behind the radio microphone, i wonder if he’d be so audacious in person. What also disappoints is Jackie O’s support for him. She is now a mother. What is she teaching her child by standing by someone who behaves so badly? Unfortunately though, this is just all publicity for him..and he’d be loving every second.
-
Yann November 25, 2011
Looking at Kyle Vile, we couldn’t say he’s a tall, handsome and intelligent man. We could safely say that he’s a short, round (Fat?) and angry guy.
Should/could we assume that Kyle Vile was bullied when he was a kid? And could it be a text book case of the Bullied now doing the bullying?
And so let’s see Kyle Vile for what he is: Still a short fat kid wanting a revenge against the big bad world and vomiting his Vile Bile Kyle on everyone who seems against him. -
Linda November 25, 2011
I have never listened to him and wouldn’t bother. He clearly has some deep seated issues that require professional assistance and will no doubt self destruct at some point. It must be a sad, lonely world that he inhabits to think that the only power he has to influence is to be so full of ugliness. Clealry he wasn’t loved enough as a child?
-
tjwebby November 25, 2011
Thanks for your timely analysis, Wendy. I don’t listen to the program but as you point out, it’s not the first time Sandilands and the radio station has crossed the line. Maybe we CAN prevent it happening again, with or without the current ‘loudmouth’. Wouldn’t it be great if all the women and gay people of Australia got together and took part in a Class Action against Sandilands and TodayFM on the grounds of gender discrimination? After all, we have a law to protect us from bullying misonynists like Sandilands and TodayFM and we should use it. Any lawyers out there willing to take this on? I’d contribute to a fund to get this up and running.
I’m also sending an email to TodayFM and the ACMA to let them know that I believe Sandilands broke codes 1.1 & 1.3 and guidelines 2 and 5 of the Australian ‘Codes of Practice & Guidelines for Commercial Radio’. Anyone can make a complaint by visiting TodayFM’s website http://www.2dayfm.com.au/contact. At the bottom of the home page there is a link to send a complaint. If we all did this all maybe concerned would clean their act.
ps. So glad you are speaking at The Walkley Media Conference. We need you to be there! -
Never Asked in the Ratings November 25, 2011
If as Sammy says it his “act” it makes it all the more hideous as he only bullies, belittles and smashes for MONEY. What a fantastic trait to add to his personality repertoire. I’ve heard it said about a lot of these idiots: that it is just an “act” ( John Laws and Stan Zemanek come to mind and a few others on air now) and in fact they are great,kind and lovely people in reality… Bullshit! To be awful for money makes you awful, full stop. If you are naturally awful/ you can’t help it/ don’t know any better, well at least you are not doing it for personal reward. By the sounds of it Kyle and Jackie O are still perfecting their act so we can expect them to become even more lowlife-like.
-
lisa forrest November 25, 2011
I had to laugh during the week when I read one ‘senior female commentator’s’ opinion that Kyle was the product of the feminist/politically-correct agenda that had kept men’s real attitudes toward women bottled up for too long; according to this woman, feminists had no-one to blame but themselves for the likes of Kyle Sandilands.
Conveniently ignoring the fact that just like many of her male counterparts (and Kyle) she gets huge amounts of money to make outrageous, often incorrect, statements that get people buying the newspaper she writes for.
Kyle, and the rest of them, is a product of a mass media that will keep serving up sludge if we continue to read/watch/listen to it. Until we understand that, and stop watching/listening/reading then there will always be someone willing to pay these people and some advertiser willing to step in and make up the short-fall when another walks away. -
Richard November 25, 2011
No, No, No, No, No! I will not accept responsibility for this poor excuse for a man, Wendy. The very idea that he is somehow of my making because I *sometimes* listen to radio is both absurd and abhorrent. (I’m in Melbourne by the way so don’t even listen to 2Day FM.)
To lay the blame on this amorphous “listening public” is to swamp us all in unending conflict (how many disagreeable things are there in life? Can we each tackle every one of them, every time we’re offended?)
In this sad individual’s case, I’ll let those with the regulatory responsibility – ACMA – police what is socially acceptable. If ACMA amounts to no more than window dressing that’s for the pollies to put right.
While regrettable, I am consumed by more pressing issues than *how* Kyle Sandilands came to be a complete pratt.
-
C Parcol November 25, 2011
I do not listen or look at this person, never have, never will (and his like) … he is “dead” to me.
However I don’t seem to be able to escape catching info about him/it!!
So, the little I can do further amounts to this – please publish a list of his associates, supporters, sponsors and I will boycott same … -
sheenagh Dabbagh November 25, 2011
Such a unique and enpowering perspective Wendy, love the examination of the bad taste food chain and who is in charge of allowing such a grub air time and cheap navel gazing .
Kyle Sandilands is a Stan Zemanek who has been allowed to reach lofty heights by greedy radio producers who will permit the pushing of the envelope whilst Kyle is dumb enough to enjoy the character assasination( any attention is good attention ). We should not forget however that his attempt at pitching himself and Jackie O as celebrity talk-hosts was a dismal affair , I turned off immediatly after X Factor simply because I heard that Kyle was attempting yet another TV job . Why does he believe that his silly radio persona is tranferrable to TV, he needs some close buddies to tell him the real truth not someone like Delta Goodrums ex whose drunken behaviour he played down and was one of his few triumphant performances
Kyle, You’ll never get the real truth from Brian, he owes you big time.
Some advice ? carve yourself out some ethics , decide on shocking vs cleverly entertaining , then watch the masters who accomplished a balance of all that was memorable without the soul selling, Merrick and Rosso.
No wonder you were incompatible with such a class act -
jock November 25, 2011
AND they won an ACRA?
What does that say about Commercial Radio Australia?!? -
julie November 25, 2011
This twitter comapaign to get sponsors to act was powerful. If the women of Australia were prepared to stand up to ALL the shockjocks and demand their sponsors withdraw sponsorship – imagine how our society would change. COme on Hoopla girls- get active against them.
-
KellieMaraee November 25, 2011
Kyle Sadilands just doesn’t deserve the attention. Whenever I see something about him, I turn it off. To put it bluntly, I wouldn’t pee on him if he was on fire. He is a non-entity as far as I’m concerned. He’s absolutely NOTHING and if everyone just stopped talking about his latest exploit, surely he’d have to go away? Stop giving the bully the attention he obviously needs to build himself up and feel good about himself – what a sad, sad little man
-
Belinda November 25, 2011
So Sammy, he was nice to you so that give him the right to treat others like subhumans?
That’s not entertainment, it borders of criminality and goes knows what message he and his enabler are sending to teenagers listening to their graphic sex talk, put downs, humiliation and vacuous celebrity talk about Kim Kardashian and sex tapes.
I’m no hater, but this man and his co-host have to be sacked, otherwise 2 DAYFM’s remaining reputation will slide down the gutter -
Carolyn November 26, 2011
The one good thing to come out of the sad little man’s latest outburst?
The SMH just quoted this piece. I had no idea the Hoopla existed. Shame on me but now, because of a bully…
Great stuff to read.
I also wanted to remind everybody about this little gem SHOCK that won Tropfest in 2010:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w00UsFwn34w
Dedicated to Kyle Sandilands.
Thanks Wendy. -
Mike November 26, 2011
What a great website Wendy.
This article has made me realise there is only one solution.
Sandilands and O must go.
Austereo’s determination to hold onto the pair at any cost won’t work this time.
Their luck has run out and we can than twitter and blogs like this.
and just an afterthought, why hasn’t Sandilands been hauled back from his LA mansion to the bosses office where his fellow workers would be copping the fallout from his foul mouth? -
PaulineB November 26, 2011
Well, all I know of Kyle Sandilands is what I pick up in the media and as a result would not dream of listening to either his radio or tv shows. Unfortunatley I caught the first 10 mins of the most recent foray into TV – pathetic.
Misogynist? No – just a very unhappy and insecure person with no talent or personality, as is his simpering on air partner Jackie O.
Gosh Wendy, I long for the good old days when you were on breakfast radio – you and Ange Catterns – a class act – the likes of Sandilands wouldn’t have a clue! -
Wayne November 26, 2011
2 DAYFM can’t ride this one out.
I’m sure they think all will be forgotten over the summer break, but Kyle and Jackie O are dead in the water, and both are to blame.
Only yesterday morning they started their show with a segment on fake orgasms.
These two really are lower than low.
Nice to discover the HOOPLA Wendy -
Seana Smith November 26, 2011
Thank goodness I’m an unapologetic ABC listener rather than an apoplectic 2Day listener!!
Don’t listen to people who are paid to be opinionated nor tend to read opinion pieces in papers as when people are paid to be opinionated, they can easily go too far… and tend not to be experts. Much prefer a thoughtful real expert.
-
Nareen Young November 26, 2011
I agree with Wendy, the vitriol isn’t limited to women – my experience with haters in thousands of workplaces over many years tells me that haters don’t just hate one group. No, no, no my friends – you can pretty well guarantee that if someone hates women they will also hate Gay men and Lesbians, Muslims, Aboriginal people, asylum seekers and just about everyone else, unless of course they’re a woman and then it will be “the feminists” as well. And they will scream from the top of the rooftops that it’s their right to express their view, regardless of its capacity for damage, on the grounds of free speech. I’m pretty cheered by the events of the week – regardless of who’s to blame, the social media and public campaign has worked a treat (and I single out Penbo who has made it very ok for good and decent men to stand up and speak out). Great to see DCA members Telstra and Blackmores pulling their advertising money and then the Federal Government. Does this mean that hater as hero is on the wane? That unfettered ‘free speech’ is starting to be understood as the cry of the truly hateful? Gee I hope so.
-
Annie from Faulco November 26, 2011
Thanks, Wendy.
Please spare a thought for the schoolteachers who encounter “excitable” boys and “vocal” girls, quoting this appalling person, first thing in the morning. While kids know the difference between fact and fiction in most media contexts, radio is to them a news and current affairs medium.
As it should be, and in many cases is, as well as much more, of course. But there are no pictures, so it’s a bit harder to tell fact from fiction for some kids.
I can understand that some unimaginative boys may use quotes to abuse girls, but when girls use these quotes against other girls, that’s really disturbing to me.
It reminds me of the BB show some years ago where a male placed his genitals on a woman’s face. The “excitable” boys talked of nothing else all day, and their “vocal” female counterparts asserted that “she deserved it”, but could not explain why.
The other kids who were not exposed originally, to what I call anti-social media, were well aware of these events by the end of the day. Most resisted these “role models”, but for some it went viral.
If the audience for the Austereo presenter is as described, it may make sense for the media enquiry to investigate the influence on young people of such presenters on their current attitudes to their peers and the values they take into later life.
I am not a prude if I think that disrespect to others is unacceptable, and fun can be enjoyed without harm and humiliation. Not likely to pitch that successfully to any media company anytime soon. Wouldn’t rate.
-
Amanda November 27, 2011
I clicked on this link via Facebook because unwanted to see what so many people are raging about. With this exception, I don’t hear anything about this guy because I don’t care to. The reason why nothing gets done about him is because of the attention he attracts – doesnt matter if its good or bad. This article and the comments that follow just prove it. Love him or hate him, you guys obviously listen to him so you’re only adding fuel to his fire. Sorry, buy it’s true
-
Jasmine November 27, 2011
As a woman I’m disgusted by Jo Casamento’s puff piece in the Sun Herald.
In one sentence she talks about vomiting over his remarks, then says he’s a nice guy and we should ignore him
So you are happy to ignore the filth and humiliation that can be heard on free to air radio every moning by any kid.
and do you endorse a man who has friends like John Ibrahim, to ” hunt down ” a fat slag of a woman.
Nice work Ms Casamento. -
Mango November 28, 2011
Ummm … Kyle is saying Geoff is easily offended? And how did he feel about his review? Pot, kettle and all that.
*Rolls eyes* -
Lee December 6, 2011
you know who is worse than Kyle? Jackie O – for representing the pathetically tolerating female side-kick. Disgusting human beings. It would be one thing if the pair were left stranded on their own private island of insult and hatred, but it is quite another to PAY them to infiltrate their complete lack of morale on the public.
Who pays them? And how do they sleep at night? -
ellenni March 30, 2012
the only way to stop this person is to tune to another station. once the sponsors are aware the audience is not there they will pull the pin. so vote with you tuner dial folks and you will get a result.
