3AW and Crocmedia dump former AFL star for joking about sexual assault

On its website, 3AW has posted the following statement:
 

3AW is disgusted by comments made by one of its football commentary contributors, Scott Cummings, and published within a personal podcast.

Although the comments were never aired on 3AW, we believe there is no platform appropriate for such remarks.

Sexual assault is never a laughing matter. Jokes about sexual assault are never OK.

We fully endorse comments from Domestic Violence Victoria today that “flippant comments degrading women are often dismissed as trivial, harmless and even funny. However, the evidence tells us that these attitudes contribute towards the social conditions that allow family violence and violence against women to continue unabated”.

We acknowledge Mr Cummings has this afternoon issued an apology and will seek guidance from Domestic Violence Victoria on the best way to move forward.

Nonetheless, the fact that this podcast was published, remains online, and was defended by Mr Cummings on social media, shows incredibly poor judgment.

As such, we have decided to terminate our relationship with Mr Cummings. He will not appear on 3AW Football again this year.

We would like to take this opportunity to direct people to Our Watch’s ‘Doing Nothing Does Harm’ campaign — When you see disrespect towards women, do something.

 

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Crocmedia CEO Craig Hutchison told the Herald Sun that Cummings, is not an on air talent of the company’s Melbourne radio station SEN, but he does appear on the weekly Western Australian footy TV program and has been stood down earlier today, effective immediately.

“The comments made on Scott and Dane’s personal podcast are abhorrent, and completely inconsistent with our businesses values and respect for women and standing up against sexual abuse in society,” Hutchison said.

“We support Domestic Violence Victoria’s stance that such comments contribute towards normalising society’s great scourge which is violence against women.

“We accept Scott’s apology and remorse but stand firm that we won’t tolerate this level of language and behaviour on or off air regardless of whether it is made in our environments or not.”

The podcast, called Humpday, had been going for 22 weeks but given the backlash, was terminated by Cummings and co-host Dane Swan. The official Twitter page for Humpday with Scotty and Swanny confirmed the show’s demise.

Cummings issued the following appology on the podcasts twitter page:

“I would like to publicly acknowledge that the recent comments made on my podcast were disrespectful and wrong,” the statement reads.
“It was insensitive and irresponsible to make light of sexual abuse and I am deeply sorry for any offence or triggered responses caused by my actions.
“I recognise the responsibility associated with being a person in media and the potential impact of my actions.
“I will be seeking guidance from Domestic Violence Victoria on how best to move forward.
“I am therefore stepping down from the podcast immediately and will take time to consider my words and reflect on my actions.”

But Swan, a Brownlow Medalist, refused to back down, saying on Twitter, “If we had of (sic) ever said anything wrong or offensive we would of apologised but the fact is we have never have and I’ll debate anyone anywhere arguing that point.” 

The outrage stems from Cummings reading out slang ‘definitions’ from the Urban Dictionary website and matching them with the names of Swan and their podcast producer Ralph Horowitz.

Cummings then read out the ‘definition’ of a “dirty Ralph” which according to the Urban Dictionary means to “sneak up behind a girl who is on all fours throwing up” and sexually assaulting her. Another definition involved masturbating into a woman’s face as she slept. The Humpday trio found all this to be hilarious. 

You be the judge.

 

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