Channel Ten’s The Project is being urged to make a public apology to one of its regular guests, the right-wing radio commentator, Steve Price.
Last Thursday, Price appeared on the nightly chat show to discuss Donald Trump’s presidential win. On the panel he was pitted against News.com.au columnist and avowed Clinton supporter, Jamila Rizvi.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkrZ8QPtJMI
The discussion between the two quickly became heated with Price being slapped down by a number on the panel, including the show’s host Carrie Bickmore.
However, Fairfax Media is today reporting that a petition – which has already received over 14,000 signatures – is calling on the program to apologise to Price for perceived “leftist bullying”.
Price made the statement that Trump was elected by “people in real America, in small town America, weren’t buying the bulldust that was coming out of the elites.”
Rizvi interjected and called the argument “bullshit” before Price hit back with: “This is the reason why Donald Trump won, because people like you lecture and hector people.” It’s then Bickmore intervened telling Price to not “keep that tone”.
The petition, on Changeorg.com, was started by Thomas Nicholls, who was quoted on Fairfax as saying: “Nobody, no matter what side of politics they fall on, should have to experience the abuse and degradation of what Steve had to go through on that program.
“What happened on The Project is unacceptable and should be condemned. Wether you are on the left, right, or somewhere in between, nobody should experience what Steve experienced,” Nicholls said.
Price also has another backer in 2GB presenter Ben Fordham who tweeted: “Pricey was allowed to speak for approx 4 seconds before being interrupted.”
Fordham has also entered into a tweet war with Rizvi who believed she was the one being interviewed for the show and not Price. To which Fordham hit back with: “Oh. I thought it was a panel show where people chip in their opinions. My mistake.”