Sam Newman has blamed a new generation of political correctness for the demise of Channel Nine’s long-running sports program The Footy Show (AFL).
The 77-year-old ex-Australian Rules player and AFL commentator, who was known for his outspoken comments on ‘woke’ issues, was a regular on the show which was axed in 2018.
Among Newman’s more controversial moments during the show’s long run, was appearing in ‘black face’ in 1999, after Indigenous player Nicky Winmar failed to appear for a scheduled interview.
Speaking to The Advertiser on Saturday Newman defended The Footy Show, which ran for 25-years, after debuting in 1983.
‘It did not [stay around too long],’ he said, rejecting the suggestion it was outdated.
Sam Newman (pictured) has blamed a new generation of political correctness for the demise of Channel Nine’s long-running sports program The Footy Show (AFL)
‘But it became a victim of the changing standards pushed onto us by the politically correct and people who get aggrieved over everything that is ever done; that was its demise.
‘There are plenty of shows that do what we do but they used to hone in on us because we were irrelevant and controversial.’
Elsewhere in the chat Newman said the biggest challenge society currently faces is to push back on the politically-correct that people go on with’.
He continued: ‘Where a minute percentage of the population try to push an agenda and want you to toe the line on some imaginary thing that they think that you should follow. The greatest bugbear is having to put up with the bull**t that people lay on you about political correctness.’
The 77-year-old ex-Australian Rules player and AFL commentator, who was known for his outspoken comments on ‘ woke ‘ issues, was a regular on the show, which debuted in 1983 until it was axed in 2018
Speaking to The Advertiser on Saturday Newman defended The Footy Show and rejected the suggestion that it was axed because it dated. Pictured: Newman created controversy in 1999 when he appeared on The Footy Show in black face
Meanwhile, Newman also explained his controversial exit from Channel Nine in 2020 was ‘amicable’.
The celebrity sportscaster left the network after he made comments on his podcast about George Floyd, an African American man who was killed in custody.
While Nine also said the parting was mutual, it follows Daily Mail Australia reporting that Newman had called Floyd a ‘piece of sh*t.
Newman made the comments on his podcast ‘You Cannot Be Serious’, alongside fellow footy great Don Scott and journalist, Mike Sheahan.
Newman also explained his controversial exit from Channel Nine in 2020 was ‘amicable’. Pictured: With Eddie McGuire
Newman was no stranger to controversy, having regularly been called out for offensive behaviour and comments throughout his media career.
In 2009 he likened a Malaysian man to a monkey, saying he was ‘not long out of the forest’.
In 2010 he was criticised for disrespecting Indigenous beliefs after admitting he hit a golf ball from the summit of Uluru.
‘They don’t generally nationalise, they colonise, and this has been the problem in Europe… and it is becoming a huge problem in America,’ he said earlier this year in a tirade against Muslims.
Don Scott (left) and Newman (right) currently host the You Cannot Be Serious podcast
