It's entirely silly and you're just making excuses for him
you sound like a dopey sexist
Exactly, he shouldn't have done it and he knows it, the ensuing media blow up is way over the top
THIS isn’t Mel McLaughlin’s first time at the rodeo.
As Chris Gayle faces a grilling over his “disrespectful and simply inappropriate” comments to the Channel 10 reporter last night, social media has been quick to point out a January 2014 interview with Trinidadian cricketer Dwayne Bravo. During the live cross, Bravo made special mention to Ms McLaughlin after receiving his medal for man of the match.
“You’ve got a special message for one of our commentators?” the interviewer asked.
Bravo responded: “I just want to say hello to Mel, beautiful Mel, I was lucky enough to meet her once in Sydney. I just want to say hi and I see she’s still looking beautiful.”
The camera panned to McLaughlin in the studio, who appeared visibly embarrassed.
“That was slightly uncomfortable,” co-presenter Ricky Ponting said.
McLaughlin then attempted to change the topic of conversation.
“Let’s, ah, well ... let’s concentrate on what he did in the field first ... over to either of you, I don’t really care right now.”
Dwayne Bravo says hi to 'beautiful' Mel McLaughin
There was no “don’t blush, baby” in Bravo’s interview and he wasn’t brought up on the comments later.
Last night, Channel 10 commentator Mark Howard described the confrontation with Gayle as inappropriate and highlighted McLaughlin’s professionalism in the face of flirtation.
“It must be pointed out that Mel is a wonderful, professional, informed sports broadcaster and a valued member of Network Ten and on reflection, I don’t think that’s appropriate for what’s required in that format,” he said after the awkward interview.
“Chris is an entertainer and he’s a joker, but I think he probably went a bit too far there. I hope we don’t see any of it again, and Mel will be back for her next interview, prepared and ready to go as she always is.”
It’s not just cricketers who have struggled to hide their affection for McLaughlin during live interviews.
The reporter showed her class when she received an unexpected kiss from Socceroos star Tim Cahill following a 2012 match.
Despite being clearly caught off guard by the sneaky peck from the Australian striker, McLaughlin powered through and gave a skilful post-match interview.
At the time of the Cahill kiss McLaughlin was a presenter and sideline reporter with Fox Sports and quickly became a favourite with the fans.
A tongue in cheek blog post penned by SportsBet when the news broke that McLaughlin was leaving Fox Sports perfectly captured the heartache felt by fans: “Remember the scenes when Kim Jong-il passed away in North Korea? Multiply that by 10. Yep, utter devastation.”
During her time with Fox Sports she aided immensely the promotion of the A-League and was embraced by supporters of the beautiful game.
Such was the level of affection for the sideline reporter that Western Sydney Wanderers fan even sang about her during games.
In 2013, one dedicated fan on the Western Sydney Football website started a “Mel McLaughlin Appreciation Thread” — almost all of the posts are Wanderers supporters professing their love for the journalist.
Im not siding with gayle. Im not siding with any merkin. What he said was stupid as f**k, funny though. Im more outraged how everyone has made a big deal out of it. Its getting out of hand its a f**king joke at this point. People are carrying on like he digitally raped her or some shit. As others have said if the roles were reversed it would be a different story.
Even mel McLaughlin has said herself she doesnt want a big deal about and for it to be dropped. But the media and the public keep going on about.
Our sons are going to be virgins for life the way society is going.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...r-mel-mclaughlin/story-fni2fnmo-1227697651161
Cahill actually kissed her.
He would have been sent to prison, if anyone actually watched soccer.
I have yet to see anyone say he should of said it. Though if you don't want him hung for it then you are sexist according to most.
The Sharapova one is proof that it only goes one way. Unless the reporter said 'What do you think of my arms?' Then that response was similarly wrong. Speak to him after the press conference
How is complimenting a girl and asking her out innapropriate for live tv?
It's his possible rejection on the line. He handled rejection well. Good role model. Picked himself back up quickly and laughed it off despite possible embarassment in public.
What line did he cross? Dont tell pretty reporters that they're pretty and you'd like to go out for a drink with them? That is a line? Since when and how is that a line?
She is happy to ask him and others more awkward questions while he and others have just got out and stuffed up in their own office but dont tell her that she is pretty and invite her out. Imagine being asked about your form or possible retirement after a run of low scores, ambushed by her on the boundary within 30 seconds of the wicket falling. You probably think if she can handle asking that, and basically tell someone they're possibly getting too old or doing crap at their job on tv, that she can handle being told she's pretty.
It was entertaining at worst. They both work in entertainment. Those outraged by Gayle on this, I find ridiculous.
I think both are extremely serious issues tbh. I don't know if I would necessarily put teachers who has sex with students who would otherwise be above the age of consent in prison but they certainly should never teach again.
Those who prey on even younger students male or female should be hammered by the law.
But yes there is a double standard because women are seen as sexually submissive and men as aggressors. I think a woman hitting on a bloke like sharapova (sp?) did has the potential for wrongness but he seemed into it so its OK.
My problem would be if a sexy woman hit on a guy and he was clearly not into it (ala with Gayle) he would be seen as a joke. That's the double standard and it would be the very clowns defending Gayle who would be bagging the hypothetical bloke out
I think Gayle should be punished appropriately
He should be made to play in the next Windies test match
That's the issue. If I am in that situation I'd laugh it off whereas someone else male or female may not. So does that mean that comment is any less of a comment because I didn't react?
Remember to her credit she didn't budge she kept at it and viewers started the outrage before even knowing even if she was part of the 'joke'.
In that case the male reporter not taking offence shouldn't come into it as was the case with Gayle
I'd like to think most people can read a persons body language well enough they can make a call.
Hitting on a person "for a laugh" on camera is a risk. Like telling an offensive joke. An offensive joke is normally OK if its funny and hitting on someone is going to be fine if the person responds in a positive manner.
I think offence is an important part of the deal. If Mel was into it good on Gayle but she was obviously visibly annoyed