Mardi Gras accepts Wilson’s apology
A Channel Ten newsreader has apologised on air after he branded the Sydney Mardi Gras parade “disgusting”.
The interview on Ten’s Morning News on Monday between Mardi Gras co-chair Peter Urmson and newsreader Ron Wilson turned sour after what began as a general discussion about the political themes of this year’s Mardi Gras. It quickly turned into a tense back-and-forth between the two when Wilson began questioning the relevance and appropriateness of the parade in 2011.
“Some of the spectacles you’re seeing, I’m assuming would even make you cringe. It becomes an exploitation almost of a sexual image rather than trying to explore the diversity of lifestyle,” Wilson said.
“Our community is extremely colourful, and we celebrate our diversity through …” Urmson replied, before Wilson interrupted by saying “there’s a difference between colourful and disgusting”.
At one point, Wilson questioned why the gay and lesbian community was pushing same-sex marriage as an issue.
“There’s acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle. Why not let time take care of the gay marriage issue rather than pushing it?” he asked.
A clearly dumbfounded Urmson responded by saying, “Because if we don’t push for it, no one’s going to.”
Criticism of Wilson’s performance exploded on the Star Observer’s website – www.starobserver.com.au – and social media platforms, with many questioning the bizarre and uncharacteristic editorialising of what began as a fairly straightforward interview for the 35-year news veteran.
Following the backlash Wilson apologised for the interview in a statement on Monday night and on air at the end of the Tuesday morning news broadcast.
“As a journalist, my job is to present an issue from different perspectives,” Wilson said in an on air apology.
“But there is no question I could have chosen my words better. If anyone took offence at anything I said during the interview I apologise. I fully support the gay community in its campaign to promote the issue of gay marriage and I congratulate the gay and lesbian community on the success of Mardi Gras. Please take that with the upmost sincerity.”
Urmson said he was happy to accept Wilson’s apology.
“We appreciate the need for an interviewer to present contrary views and it is our roles as spokespeople to respond, however clearly a line was crossed yesterday and Ron made some highly subjective and damning comments which it is now clear he regrets,” he said in a statement.
“Furthermore we appreciate that Ron was prepared to go on record, on a personal basis, stating his support for same-sex marriage. That is something that neither major political party has to date been prepared to do. It is not something Ron needed to do, but clearly felt important to put on record.
“As far as we are concerned, it lays the matter to rest. Channel Ten has given otherwise positive coverage to this year’s Festival and Parade, and we look forward to working with them again in the future.”
Sydney gay activist Gary Burns has announced he will lodge a complaint against Wilson at the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board.
“The Mardi Gras may not be everyone’s cup of tea but surely diversity on a night like this is acceptable,” Burns said.
Ten also released a statement yesterday in regards to the comments:
“Ten Morning News featured eight minutes of overwhelmingly positive coverage of Mardi Gras. Ron Wilson congratulated organisers on the success of the 2011 event.
One small section of the interview raised a question about behaviour by some participants. The phrasing might not have been ideal, and TEN apologises if any viewers took offence.
However, it is not unreasonable for alternative views to be put to organisers and the interview talent agreed that while he didn’t hold the view, some sections of society may.”
Very surprised at Mr Wilson’s lack of discretion and out and out ignorance and bias being sprouted on his platform. Ch 10 should have him publicly apologise. Once again the gay man, Peter, handled the situation with diplomacy and forthrightness.
This interview has definately lost my future viewing of Ch 10 and especiallly disappointment in Tony Wilson; fallen with a thud.
If he is to call the sexual expression in the parade disgusting, why not label all the indecent heterosexual imagery shoved down our throats every day disgusting also. Advertising, music, television, cinema and even journalism…we are succumb to overtly sexual and straight content every day of our lives. Let us have our one day to express ourselves and the diversity of our culture, which yes. Does have a sexual element just as the heterosexuals do.
The Mardi Gras is an opportunity to be! without fear of reprisal, criticism or casternation. Your vile anti-humanistic motives are disgusting Mr Wilson. You are a news presenter, a pretty face to sprook what your sponsors want you to say. You are not important, you are not significant and what initiates your disgust is other peoples happiness, their lives.
Honestly, I am gay, married to my husband (under Dutch law) and very very happy with my life. Let it disgust you, but what right do you have to vent your spleen on your sponsors air time, or is that their intention?
Ric…. Sydney
I am a 50 ish married woman and a practicing catholic. I live in the country and see in our small community the terrible effects that homophobbia and lack of acceptance wreak on individuals and their families. For the sake of ALL in our communities we need to grow up and realise that same sex attraction,a range of gender differences and different perspectives and lifestyles arising from these have always been part of human experience and that is not going to change.
I want my dear friends and relatives who identify as GLBTQ (any letter combination) to have a full and happy life, not to be contanybattacked, derided and rubbished by stupid. smallminded people who think that they are the arbiters of morals and social acceptability.
Last year a beautiful young man who was his parents pride and joy committed suicide here. He left a note which outlined his despair of ever being accepted the way he was. Police friends tell me this us not an uncommon motive for youth suicide, particularly in country regions.
I didn’t see this years mardi GRAS parade as I don’t have pay tv. If some of the behaviour was risqué, people have to realise this is a once a year celebration by the community which is drawn together because of their sexuality or gender. One of my young friends who has danced in the parade in previous years is a very serious nerdy scientist. It’s about being daring and celerating difference.
I support gay marriage, families and equal rights before the law. If this puts me at odds with the church, so be it. They will catch up eventually.
Everyone speak out!
I’m a gay male & I totally agree with Ron Wilsons comments.
Why is it that a good percentage of gays can’t accept critiscim, no matter how minor so it’s labelled as being homophobic. Earlier comments support this fact.
What once was a creative, artistic & fun parade has now turned into exactly what that bigot Fred Nile has always claimed it to be.
A long winded moving sex fest.
These days it’s an excuse to wear the least clobber one can wear with out being nude, with more simulated sex acts on display than can be seen at a soft porn film marathon. I don’t find it obscene as such but certainly falls into ho hum, yawn,tedious area.
The Mardi Gra has become a farce, even the few minutes devoted on the TV news reports are cringe inducing.
I’m no prude by any terms but I find that the Mardi Gra parade simply reinforces all the negative stereotypes that there are of gays. It certainly doesn’t reflect the life I lead, my partners nor many of our gay friends, we give it a wide berth every year. I just wish it didn’t fall on my birthday this year(as it has in the past) because when people find out this fact they seem to think that some kind of gay magical gift has been bestowed on me & I can’t stand to hear that hollow phrase “Happy Mardi Gra” all day!
As I see it Ron Wilson shouldn’t be chastized let alone fired for his comments, he’s entitled to them.
I’m wary of defending Wilson without knowing exactly what he was referring to, but I can see some truth behind the idea that some of the floats do have an overt sexuality that is not really in line with the original purpose of the parade, or with cultural norms pertaining to PDA etc.
This is not to say that the people who say “They can do whatever they want behind closed doors, I just don’t want to know about it because it’s disgusting” are right, because they absolutely are not. GLBTQI people should have the right to PDA as much as heteros, but let’s not forget that there are limitations on that too. If heterosexual people flaunted nudity and sexuality on public streets, there would be outcry as well.
While I don’t necessarily think that sexuality should be something taboo and hidden from society, as long as it is, it’s unfair to treat one type differently to another. So if we want to campaign for more openness about sexuality in general – fine, great. But it’s a very different beast from the cultural visibility and equality Mardi Gras was designed to achieve.
What a pathetic defense by Network Ten. I had no idea our mainstream news media were still so homophobic. It’s clear we have to stand up and fight even harder for the rights of our gay and lesbian fellow Australians.
** I am still curious as to why there are so many anti-gay people and anti-gay comments on what is a Gay Web Site.
Much like my straight friend that can’t face the consequences of telling his wife that he prefers men, this parade gives people like my straight friend the knowledge that there are people out there just like him! Ok, the parade is a bit over the top, but it certainly makes people sit up and take notice.
Im a gay man and I believe, at least to start with, Ron Wilson had a point.
Mardi Gras pushes strongly sexualized images of our community that don’t, in my opinion, represent us all. These images are like a ‘red rag to the bull’ where the greater straight community are concerned and I just don’t believe they help our cause.
Diversity is fantastic but if someone is going to be riding a huge inflated penis up Oxford St then surely we have to expect that some people will be offended. Is this our message?
Granted, I believe it’s unfortunate that Ron Wilson has the used the word ‘disgusting’ to describe this event but he did immediately follow this word with ‘in some cases’.
Personally, I think it is time to put a big dose of vicious back into term vicious queen. When someone bashes, bloody well bash them back. Wilson and his ilk understand only two things. Money and war. They thrive on both. So there in is described the strategy we need to employ against them. Kick head and keep kicking until their filthy mouthes are silenced.
Leave Ron alone. He’s a good man and he is entitled to an opinion as much as any one else.
Ron Wilson, you’re entitled to your views, however you – as a public figure – have a duty to accept the criticisms that come when you piss people off…. & inciting homophobic attitudes is going to piss poeple off.
MARDI GRAS ROCKS!!!! You don’t like it, don’t watch it. It isn’t rocket science.
And gay & lesbians have had straight sexuality shoved in our faces since forever so to those of you who think it’s too sexual – TOO BAD!
Remember one of the three owners of the Australian Christian Lobby also come from Channel 10. Ron Wilson abused his position to push his personal agenda.
From one Lauren to another i could not agree more with what you wrote. Wilson was unprofessional in the extreme.
SSO – Many of these comments are quite offensive & unnecessary. I don’t know who some these people are, but I think a quick IP address check may show the same person appearing..
Makes me laugh when people think they are anon when comment online – the system catches all your info and more!
Tiger Woods fucking over his partners is disgusting. Canterbury players are disgusting. But no news anchor expresses their disgust on those stories do they? Seems like a case of discrimination if ever I heard one.
There’s nothing about sex and sexuality that’s disgusting! The human body is beautiful. It should be celebrated! I watched the Arena broadcast and nothing disgusted me… well until I saw the Channel 10 news report.
Sack the stupid bastard!
Channel 10 has given a pathetic excuse!
Did anyone else Notice Peter Urmson say “we’re not back in the black yet” at 4.12? Does this mean another loss for the Season?
As a gay man, I’m not fully sold on same-sex marriages. The “heterosexual” divorce rate is 40 percent plus – meaning that just under half of legal marriages fail within the first 5 years of the confetti (or environmentally friendly rice) throwing. Why would we want to adopt and follow this increasingly failed model?
As for Tim Wilson’s posit that 2011 Mardi Gras was along the lines of “disgusting” and overly sexualised – poppycock! The parade and what is symbolises is certainly a lot fresher than a tired newsreader who, day in and day out for three decades, has been beating up the same old story.
One thing I would like to see is the gay collective openly doing more in and for the wider sphere of the community as opposed to belly-aching continually over equal rights and the cost of hairspray. Wider acceptance would come if more of a brothers and sisters were out there doing it for others, not just themselves.
It’s “MARDI GRAS”…a theatrical performance, a heightened fantasty to what is the reality of the gay world aimed at creating awareness of existence, fighting for equal rights, and making a spectacle out of the gloriousness of camp.
Take a look at the original Mardi Gras from Brazil. No, brazillians don’t dress like that every day either..
It’s apart of our culture (and our tourism industry) and it is here to stay.
Funny how the people here making negative comments here are actually on a web site like this in the first place!
Personally a Good Reporter “Reports News” a Lousy Reporter makes his own comments and sensationalises what is happening (Read Ron Wilson). It typical of the so called news programs on all our commercial TV stations that dish out their own agenda to the public.
I have been to many of the Mardi Gras over the years and I can tell you that many years ago, there was a lot of tits & bums, but it has been toned down very much in the past few years. I would also like to know what Ron Wilson found offensive.
Although I am horrified at Ron Wilson’s comments, I am more horrified by the comments.
Until we can accept everyone in our community, we are never going to be accepted by the greater community. Where have the basic values of love and respect gone? We need to band together not spread vile about each other. Granted, everyone has an opinion but think about that 15 year boy in country NSW or that 22 year women who is being told to hate herself because she has curves who are reading your comments and what that may mean to them, and what it may lead to.
Why is it that everybody must agree that this ‘colourful’ display is alright? Are we as a society now required to approve of everything, no matter how lewd or tasteless we find it to be? There must be a point at which we have to say that enough is enough. If gay people like this parade, well that is their choice. It isn’t mine. I agree with Ron Wilson, it is disgusting.
It proves to me that the promoters of this rubbish are on the attack against standards that the community has long held and called DECENCY. Try to understand this, NOT EVERYBODY APPROVES OF THIS SORT OF DISPLAY. We have the right to our own standards and opinions.
WTF!!!! RON WILSON YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!
i am boycotting channel 10 news from now on.
I agree with Ron.what a sick world we live in.Why cant these freaks keep to themselves
its just not natural
by the process of gradualism the unacceptable becomes the acceptable
Interesting to see the views expressed. If you are pro-gay then you are enlightened, liberated, forward-looking blah blah. If you are not pro-gay then you are homophobic, close-minded, biased, intolerant etc. It’s not hard to see which community is really the narrow-minded.
Interesting to see the views expressed. If you are pro-gay then you are enlightened, liberated, forward-looking blah blah. If you are not pro-gay then you are homophobic, close-minded, biased, intolerant etc. It’s not hard to see which community is really the narrow-minded.
I (and Mr Wilson) have just as much right as a normal person to say and think what we like, and be ‘accepted’ for our views the way gays demand it from others. Don’t confuse the tolerance of the majority for weakness.
Btw, the Mardi Gras, if that disgusting spectacle is what “represents” the G/L community, if THAT image is what you want to portray about yourselves, don’t then be surprised when most people find you unpalatable.
I have nothing against Gays and Lesbians at all. In fact some of my friends including my best friend are homosexual. I believe that we should all be treated as completely equal and should have the exact same rights including marriage. However this should cut both ways. I can’t see how it should be ok for the over sexualized imagery of the Mardi Gras to be put out there in the public domain where everyone including children can see it. Yet if straight people acted like some of these people do they would be arrested. Not every homosexual acts like this or even thinks that it’s a good idea for the community to be portrayed in this way. It may be a bit of fun to some but to others (even gays) it is disgusting.