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news
Magda SzubanskiAustralian comedian Magda Szubanski ‘does a James Martin’
The phrase “doing a James Martin” won’t quite have caught on down under. But TV host and comedian Magda Szubanski was at the centre of some controversy for an anti-cyclist tirade on Monday night's Good News Week.
In a segment where guests can rant about what irritates them, Szubanski expressed her frustration towards lycra-clad cyclists, saying she was fed up with cyclists riding for exercise.
Szubanski and fellow comedian Julia Morris then further raised cyclists' temperatures by suggesting that motorists should "just drive and take them out.”
The comments prompted angry comments on blogs and websites and Szubanski issued a swift apology, and has also pledged to take part in National Ride to Work Day later this month - in lycra.
Szubanski said: “Clearly my joke was stupid and insensitive but perhaps it has brought to light that there are frustrations amongst cyclists and motorists. Hopefully some good will come of this and it will help promote useful dialogue between the two groups."
In a review article on the Tesla Roadster celebrity chef James Martin wrote: “God, I hate those cyclists. Every last herbal tea-drinking, Harriet Harman-voting one of them. That's one of the reasons I live in the countryside, where birds tweet, horses roam, pigs grunt and Lycra-clad buttocks are miles away.”
“Knowing they wouldn't hear me coming, I stepped on the gas, waited until the split second before I overtook them, then gave them an almighty blast on the horn at the exact same time I passed them at speed. The look of sheer terror as they tottered into the hedge was the best thing I've ever seen in my rear-view mirror.”
The article prompted Bradley Wiggins to tweet about it on social networking site Twitter, while cyclists reacted with fury to the comments. Martin was forced to issue a grovelling apology.
Latest Comments
- r32hoo 59 min 10 sec ago
The first generation CHPT3 items made in concert with Castelli were fantastic quality, and when purchased on sale were a reasonable investment. I...
- David9694 4 hours 8 min ago
Theres not one scrap of self-help among drivers is there, it's always someone else's issue.
- Simon E 4 hours 56 min ago
Oh dear. A single bike in a single size in one shop is not indicative of the entire UK market for bicycles. And the slump isn't just bikes, it's...
- hawkinspeter 7 hours 48 min ago
Ridiculed or is it just jealousy?
- Rendel Harris 8 hours 14 min ago
Thank goodness for that. I don't suppose anyone would want you to. You certainly behave like one though.
- Eton Rifle 8 hours 22 min ago
You do see some utterly ridiculous examples of car use....
- Eton Rifle 8 hours 44 min ago
Exactly. Every road death is a tragedy but this is at the "twat deserved it" end of the spectrum, looking at the state of that car.
- Rendel Harris 8 hours 51 min ago
I'm not the editor of this article, nor indeed of anything on this website. One would have thought that didn't require explaining.
- Eton Rifle 8 hours 52 min ago
I think the answer is in your question. I genuinely didn't know he was married to her. It does kinda explain it. Disappointing, nevertheless.
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8 comments
On the one hand the apology may or may not be sincere on the other it must be pretty shocking for someone who basically makes their living from being popular to find out they've said or done something that is deeply unpopular with a lot of people… maybe it's an example to others.
On the other hand the fact that this happens with monotonous regularity suggests it isn't that much of an example – that said James Martin and whatsername are fairly local celebrities (her celebrity doesn't even extend this far down the page) and that goes to the power of 10 for dumb columnists on local papers.
I think these people need pulling up - it's about society learning to accept different groups. Over the years it's happened with race and sexual orientations… now it's our turn to become part of the mainstream
The only thing I feel slightly uncomfortable about is that as part of a group that's often seemed to be just one step ahead of the lynch mob it feels odd to see cyclists forming one themselves, to mangle metaphors it's a bit like all the foxes getting together to hunt down ruddy-faced men in red coats, but maybe I'm just soft.
I don't believe this enforced apologizing does a lot of good. B)
Yep, can we burn the witch? I've got a lighter you can borrow.
yeah, burn the witch! burn the witch! Actually do we have to? She's 12,000 miles away and I've only got one box of matches
“Clearly my joke was stupid and insensitive but perhaps it has brought to light that there are frustrations amongst cyclists and motorists"
yeah, and it's helped how?
This is the same person who was mortally offended by the (although unspeakably crass and awful and I'm not defending him in any way) comments of an aussie DJ http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,28383,26086457-5013561,00.html
Yes, all is forgiven, no need to atone... just PLEASE don't don the lycra
Maggots like Szubanski and Martin should be lined up on the side of the road and have white van man drive as close as he can to them whilst they are standing on a ladder with only one leg and see how much they like "tottering into the hedge's (sic)"
What is wrong with these idiots ?
Oh, its okay though, we apologised afterwards and it was only a joke. Its funny how many imbiciles can get away with that. Wonder how it would have gone down if she was having a dig at the Aborigines (sorry, indigenous Australians), black people, the Pope, Jews or Muslims.....
Cyclists, the latest in a long line of easy targets to poke fun at and "say sorry later" to !
And Magda Szubanski in lycra, no thank you, 5' tall and 80kgs. Hmmmmmm, maybe she should get her fat a4Se on a bike and get some exercise.
Oh and by the way I am only joking....