Charlie Pickering Retracts Criticism of Grace Tame's ABC Podcast Role
ABC star does complete backflip on comments slamming Grace Tame being given a taxpayer-funded job at the public broadcaster
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Australian comedian Charlie Pickering has retracted his earlier criticism of Grace Tame, who has been hired by ABC for a podcast series. He stated that his comments were taken out of context and expressed admiration for Tame's advocacy work, particularly for autism awareness.
- 01Charlie Pickering initially called Grace Tame's hiring 'problematic' due to her controversial remarks during pro-Palestine rallies.
- 02He faced backlash from right-wing YouTuber Avi Yemeni during a protest outside ABC's Melbourne office.
- 03Pickering later clarified that he was ambushed and did not intend to criticize Tame, describing her as a 'big fan' and an 'outstanding advocate.'
- 04He acknowledged the complexity of the issues surrounding Palestine and Israel, stating that reasonable minds can differ.
- 05An ABC spokesperson confirmed that Pickering's initial comments did not violate the broadcaster's code of conduct.
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Australian comedian and ABC host Charlie Pickering has walked back his earlier criticism of Grace Tame, who has been hired by ABC to host a four-part podcast series. Initially, Pickering described Tame's hiring as 'problematic' due to her controversial remarks made during pro-Palestine rallies, which drew criticism from various quarters. During a protest outside ABC's Melbourne office, he was confronted by right-wing YouTuber Avi Yemeni, who questioned him about Tame's hiring. In response, Pickering claimed his comments were taken out of context. On Thursday, he clarified that he was ambushed during the interview and expressed his admiration for Tame, calling her an 'outstanding advocate' for autism awareness and women's rights. He emphasized that he does not oppose her role in the podcast and acknowledged that discussions around Palestine and Israel can be complex. An ABC spokesperson stated that Pickering's comments did not breach the broadcaster's code of conduct.
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Pickering's comments and subsequent retraction highlight the sensitivity surrounding public discourse on controversial topics in Australia.
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