John Singleton, who is estimated to be worth $370 million, is often described as a “colourful larrikin”. But Singo has had a chequered past of booze, biffos and public hissy fits. Here’s a list of some of the Singo’s best biffos:
Cowin vs Singleton (2015)
Never ever question why Singo is drinking rose rather than beer! As B&T reported yesterday, Singo threatened to glass Fairfax Media director and Hungry Jack’s multi-millionaire, Jack Cowin.
The incident occurred at the swanky restaurant strip at Sydney’s Woolloomooloo Wharf in front of other guests that included the singer Jon Stevens, former NFL player Colin Scotts and Singo’s son Jack.
Video was released of Singleton leaving the restaurant after the incident. It was originally published on DailyMail UK, including these classy words from Singleton:
Cameraman: John, what did you think of the fight?
Singleton: A couple of old blokes having a good time.
Singleton: Yeah, he was trying to find a woman to belt. And I was trying to have a sex change, so he could bash me. And I took me d..k out and stuck it in his mouth and he bit it off and then he bashed me and I felt it was… sexist.
Stevens: You poor thing.
Cameraman: What’s your view on violence.
Singleton: We love it, we love it, we love it. I do, I f..king love it.
Twitter’s response to Singleton’s spat:
https://twitter.com/sportingphotos/status/598038720810323968
https://twitter.com/up_and_away149/status/598037049581535233
They need to leave Singo alone. Hes just an ol pisshead having a good time #singo
— Mitch Vickers (@MJV511) May 12, 2015
https://twitter.com/JohnJohnsonson/status/597907954344468480
I once killed a man for laughing at my choice of Pinot Gris. #johnsingleton
— … (@peter_berner) May 11, 2015
Fairfax Media chairman is a “pompous pretentious pr**k” (2014)
Singleton went on a 20-minute rant on 2GB Alan Jones program accusing Fairfax chairman Roger Corbett of being a “pompous pr**k” and a hypocrite.
The rant included such corkers like Corbett: “only got a year to go and then he can be president of the Avoca bowling club or Rotary or something, some self-important, pompous, puffed-up job for him.”
Singleton also said: “I don’t profess Christianity and I don’t bash the bible. Nor do I ring people on Sunday nights sounding drunk outta my head. If he doesn’t drink, he certainly does a really good impression late on Sunday night. Let’s assume he was just tired. I am not making any allegations there.”
Waterhouse vs Singleton (2013)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjKu-b954tI
Singleton publicly broke up with his long-term horse trainer Gai Waterhouse during the 2013 All Aged Stakes at Randwick Racecourse. Singleton’s mare “More Joyous”, who Waterhouse trained, had won eight races in a row. But came second last during the race.
Singleton accused Gai Waterhouse of tipping her son, bookie Tom Waterhouse, that More Joyous had health issues and no chance of winning. He then had a very public hissy fit after the race.
It’s UnAustralian not to gamble (2011)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_AsiVAiKfU
Singleton’s ad agency Banjo Advertising- on behalf of the Australian Hotels Association and Clubs Australia- ran a $20 million campaign against Tasmanian Andrew Wilkie’s proposal of a mandatory licence for poker machines.
The proposal required players to set a ‘loss limit’ before they start playing the pokies. If you’re over the limit, you’re locked out from the machines.
As Alan Jones, said: “John Singleton, one of the owners of this station, will spearhead a twenty million dollar two-year advertising campaign against these ridculous poker machine laws which I’ve been talking about.”
The campaign was accused of extreme bias, misinformation and perpetuating the idea that it’s ‘unAustralian’ to not gamble or drink.
$100 million pub crawl (2008)
Singleton went on a 200km, 11-venue pub crawl with hotel managers, Paddy Coughlan and Rodney Kelly, before committing to spend $100 million buying troubled pubs throughout NSW.
The marathon drinking session lasted 15 hours, starting at 8 am.
Assault charges (1994)
A 2002 book Singo: Mates, Wives, Triumphs, Disasters opened with a story of Singleton being found guilty of head butting a stranger at Sydney’s Forbes Hotel in 1994.
Gerald Stone, the author of Singo, told Fairfax media that: “John just sees it as a bit of biffo. They know this kind of thing runs in families … he had a grandfather who was an illiterate fuel peddler and once threw a cop in a horse trough. His oldest uncle killed a man because he hit him so hard in the boxing ring … And he had two mysterious uncles who wound up in Long Bay for fighting a brawl.”
Singleton claimed that he couldn’t remember the incident.
