Sam Newman Has To Cop Cancer on the Chin
March 5th 2008 15:00
Welcome to my new blog. I've always been one to say it how it is. I am not one to be swayed by public opinion, nor am I an outwardly compassionate person, just for the sake of being compassionate. I often say what others shy away from and touch on take aim at delicate subjects deemed untouchable. And thus, my opening post is no different, and will set the standard for posts to come.
I have been affected personally by cancer. I haven't had it and wouldn't wish it upon myself or anybody close to me, but people close to me have been hit with the disease and died from it.
There is no hiding from the fact that when the public learn that a celebrity is suffering from a disease they typically show compassion and are sympathetic for what they are going through. Just as everybody in the world sneezes - even the most famous celebrities - they too are as vulnerable to cancer as the rest of us. Being diagnosed with cancer is, apart from dying, the harshest way to discover that celebrities are indeed human.
The battles of pop singers Kylie Minogue, Delta Goodrem and Olivia Newton-John stole the hearts of the Australian public. Fans and non-fans across the nation (and to a lesser extent the world) followed their highly-publicised but just as 'real' dealings with cancer - the hair loss, the anguish, the chemotherapy. Many Australians shed a tear for the trio as they took time away from their careers and suffered. There wasn't a dry eye in the building when, not having the strength to perform as scheduled, Delta Goodrem watched former Savage Garden frontman Darren Hayes delicately sing her hit song "Lost Without You" at the 2003 ARIA Awards. It is only after months of not knowing when and if they would emerge again, we smiled with relief when all three made full recoveries. The darlings of the Australian public had survived the ordeal, an ordeal you could never have wished upon them.
Today at 6pm a report came through to inform the Australian public of another celebrity cancer battle. This time it wasn't a vulnerable female pop singer. It was former Geelong Cats footballer and Channel 9 Footy Show presenter John "Sam" Newman.
While Newman's football career was outstanding, playing 300 games for the Cats and representing Victoria on 8 occasions, he is now known for his controversial role on the Footy Show, which he has fronted for 14 years. While undoubtedly the most 'watchable' aspect of the show, Sam has rarely showed class, dignity or emotion that wasn't just for television. He has never demanded nor deserved the respect or sympathy of the Australian viewing public and frankly, this should again be the case here.
Amongst other indignities the tactless star has showed his "White Australia Policy" racist side by painting himself black to imitate missing in action St Kilda player Nicky Winmar, an Aboriginal, exposed his genitals numerous times on television and disregarded people with the abrupt, arrogant and assholed nature that we have come to know (and love or hate). The demeaning nature with which Sam interacts with 'the general public' during his 'Street Talk' segments over the years has shown the mans true colours. So while we may have had the odd laugh at Newman's antics over the years, anyone that believes in 'what goes around comes around' would not be surprised or upset at this latest report. In fact, I was glad to see Sam on the back foot this time, not one of his Street Talk or Sam's Mailbag victims.
Readers might criticise this article for being too prudish, arguing that Newman has entertained the masses for over a dozen years. Others might say that I'm being hypocritical because my article sets out to be tactless, a quality regularly displayed by the Footy Show veteran. However, I disagree. Being a bastard had to catch up with Sam, at one point or another.
This story will develop over the coming days and weeks, particularly as the AFL and Footy Show seasons draw near. I find it rather ironic that the initial report on Sam's cancer was written by friend and Channel 9 colleague Tony Jones. Jones has attempted to portray his mate in a positive light, with the article trying to persuade the reader that they should feel sorry for Newman.
There will certainly be many who actually do feel sympathy for the former Cat and his ordeal. I won't. And neither will many others across the nation - disgruntled viewers, offended Street Talk participants and those with a dark sense of humour and fans of irony. For Newman has made jokes and light of others' misery an immeasurable number of times between 9:30 and 11:30pm on Thursday nights for 14 years. Having refused to laugh at his childish, crass and often offensive humour for years, it's about time that we who feel no sympathy for Sam can finally smile at him.
I'm not going to sit here and say I wish Newman had the illness or died from it, but to grab a quotation from the man himself, "it couldn't have happened to a better bloke".
I have been affected personally by cancer. I haven't had it and wouldn't wish it upon myself or anybody close to me, but people close to me have been hit with the disease and died from it.
There is no hiding from the fact that when the public learn that a celebrity is suffering from a disease they typically show compassion and are sympathetic for what they are going through. Just as everybody in the world sneezes - even the most famous celebrities - they too are as vulnerable to cancer as the rest of us. Being diagnosed with cancer is, apart from dying, the harshest way to discover that celebrities are indeed human.
The battles of pop singers Kylie Minogue, Delta Goodrem and Olivia Newton-John stole the hearts of the Australian public. Fans and non-fans across the nation (and to a lesser extent the world) followed their highly-publicised but just as 'real' dealings with cancer - the hair loss, the anguish, the chemotherapy. Many Australians shed a tear for the trio as they took time away from their careers and suffered. There wasn't a dry eye in the building when, not having the strength to perform as scheduled, Delta Goodrem watched former Savage Garden frontman Darren Hayes delicately sing her hit song "Lost Without You" at the 2003 ARIA Awards. It is only after months of not knowing when and if they would emerge again, we smiled with relief when all three made full recoveries. The darlings of the Australian public had survived the ordeal, an ordeal you could never have wished upon them.
Today at 6pm a report came through to inform the Australian public of another celebrity cancer battle. This time it wasn't a vulnerable female pop singer. It was former Geelong Cats footballer and Channel 9 Footy Show presenter John "Sam" Newman.
While Newman's football career was outstanding, playing 300 games for the Cats and representing Victoria on 8 occasions, he is now known for his controversial role on the Footy Show, which he has fronted for 14 years. While undoubtedly the most 'watchable' aspect of the show, Sam has rarely showed class, dignity or emotion that wasn't just for television. He has never demanded nor deserved the respect or sympathy of the Australian viewing public and frankly, this should again be the case here.
Amongst other indignities the tactless star has showed his "White Australia Policy" racist side by painting himself black to imitate missing in action St Kilda player Nicky Winmar, an Aboriginal, exposed his genitals numerous times on television and disregarded people with the abrupt, arrogant and assholed nature that we have come to know (and love or hate). The demeaning nature with which Sam interacts with 'the general public' during his 'Street Talk' segments over the years has shown the mans true colours. So while we may have had the odd laugh at Newman's antics over the years, anyone that believes in 'what goes around comes around' would not be surprised or upset at this latest report. In fact, I was glad to see Sam on the back foot this time, not one of his Street Talk or Sam's Mailbag victims.
Readers might criticise this article for being too prudish, arguing that Newman has entertained the masses for over a dozen years. Others might say that I'm being hypocritical because my article sets out to be tactless, a quality regularly displayed by the Footy Show veteran. However, I disagree. Being a bastard had to catch up with Sam, at one point or another.
This story will develop over the coming days and weeks, particularly as the AFL and Footy Show seasons draw near. I find it rather ironic that the initial report on Sam's cancer was written by friend and Channel 9 colleague Tony Jones. Jones has attempted to portray his mate in a positive light, with the article trying to persuade the reader that they should feel sorry for Newman.
There will certainly be many who actually do feel sympathy for the former Cat and his ordeal. I won't. And neither will many others across the nation - disgruntled viewers, offended Street Talk participants and those with a dark sense of humour and fans of irony. For Newman has made jokes and light of others' misery an immeasurable number of times between 9:30 and 11:30pm on Thursday nights for 14 years. Having refused to laugh at his childish, crass and often offensive humour for years, it's about time that we who feel no sympathy for Sam can finally smile at him.
I'm not going to sit here and say I wish Newman had the illness or died from it, but to grab a quotation from the man himself, "it couldn't have happened to a better bloke".
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