
You’re being “hysterical”, Steve Price admonished his fellow panellist Van Badham, in a fiery exchange on the ABC’s Q&A last night. It’s the line that made jaws drop, prompted the Guardian columnist to blame her ovaries, and is making headlines everywhere today. As it should.
But it’s not the only line we need to discuss. The line that underscores what was most diabolical in Price’s reaction happened earlier.
The final audience question of the night came from a young man Tarang Chawla who explained he is an ambassador against domestic violence: A role borne out of tragedy.
His 23-year-old sister was cleaved to death by her partner last year and he wanted to hear from the panel about their views on Australia’s blokey culture, a culture in which it’s still permissible for men to joke about killing women.
He specifically referred to Eddie McGuire’s ‘joke’ on Triple M last month about drowning sports journalist Caroline Wilson and Sam Newman’s subsequent defence of the remarks.
Watch Steve Price’s controversial comments from last night’s show.
Host Tony Jones went to Price first. “I happen to know all the people you mentioned there” he said.
For a solitary moment I thought Price must know this young man’s family. He didn’t.