Australian media seems to be battling a rather nasty hangover from Friday’s Opera House/Everest race debate.
The latest development is that shock jock Alan Jones has openly apologised for the way he spoke to Opera House chief Louise Herron, while Peter Helliar has called Project co-host Steve Price “a wanker”.
It all kicked off late last week when The Everest horse race sought to project advertisements for the cup onto the sails of the Opera House.
The dispute between those for and against the move came to a head when Jones interviewed Herron on Friday and demanded she hand in her resignation if she did not give the campaign a green light.
Following the interview, Jones was accused of bullying, however, the shock jock failed to apologise yesterday, instead claiming his treatment of Herron was no different to that of previous interviewees.
This morning, Jones gave an on-air apology to Herron, saying he “regretted” his actions.
“I used some words in these programs about the Everest, and the Opera House, and Louise, which in hindsight I now most regret hearing, having heard the impact they’ve clearly had on some people.
“In relation to Louise [Herron], I was tough regarding an issue I and others felt is very important,” he said
Meanwhile, Peter Helliar and Steve Price butted heads on last night’s episode of The Project over the ad campaign.
Speaking on the debate, Price said: “It’s a few lights flashed up on the sails briefly, there’s no graffiti, it’s not advertising, it’s promotion of a NSW sporting event.”
Price also highlighted several other occasions where brands have used the Opera House’s sails for promotional purposes.
In response, Waleed Aly said: “Did you just say it’s not advertising it’s a promotion?”
While Helliar replied: “That’s a quaint argument.”
Price hit back at Helliar: “You’re so obsessed with this story. You don’t even live in Sydney. You didn’t even pay for the Opera House — I did!”
Helliar laughed in disbelief as he responded: “You’ve made me angry. You paid for the Opera House? There’s your headline. You’re a w***er.”
“I don’t know what the big deal about this is!” Pricey shares his two cents on the Opera House controversy and explains where else he’s shared his cents! #TheProjectTV pic.twitter.com/z0k22xljon
— The Project (@theprojecttv) October 8, 2018
Price then went on to defend his 2GB colleague Alan Jones after Helliar brought up the bullying accusations.
“This isn’t about gambling, it’s the fact that the Sydney Opera House have a charter, and they’ve been forced to change that charter and that interview with Alan Jones — and it’s almost a side issue — but that was disgusting,” Helliar said.
“That was so disgusting. To hear a woman bullied … and (NSW Premier) Gladys Berejiklian — even if she had nothing to do with it — shouldn’t have gone ahead with (approval of the Everest projection).
“She should have changed her mind to send a message.”
Price responded: “You’ve put me in a difficult position because that’s a colleague of mine and I don’t intend to sit here and pass judgment on Alan Jones, that’s not what I’m going to do.
“I don’t do it about any of you guys when I’m on the radio and I won’t do it about the people I work with.”
