ABC warns old Michael Parkinson episodes could offend viewers in latest woke move

The ABC is warning viewers who watch ancient repeats of beloved British talk show host Michael Parkinson’s local television series that some of the content may now be offensive. 

The national broadcaster is replaying classic programs to celebrate its 90th anniversary of broadcasting but believes what Parkinson’s guests had to say 40 years ago is no longer acceptable. 

Sixteen of the 28 episodes of Parkinson In Australia screened between 1979 and 1982 and available on the ABC’s iView platform now come with a written and spoken warning:  

‘The following program expresses attitudes that are not consistent with current standards and may offend some viewers.’

The ABC is warning viewers who watch ancient repeats of beloved British talk show host Michael Parkinson’s local television series that some of the content may now be offensive. The revered presenter is pictured with wife Mary

Interviews Michael Parkinson conducted with Bob Hawke, Kerry Packer, Peter Allen, Gough Whitlam and Paul Hogan now come with a warning. Packer is pictured with Hogan

One of the apparently offensive episodes – all of which are rated PG – features Parkinson interviewing current ABC chair Ita Buttrose when she was publisher of the Australian Women’s Weekly and Cleo.

The ‘viewer advice’ does not specify which guests in each program are likely to cause offence or what it is they might say that is not appropriate. 

Instalments to get the warning treatment include appearances by former prime minister Bob Hawke, the late media mogul Kerry Packer and actor Paul Hogan.

Other interview subjects who appear in episodes which should be viewed with caution include Gough Whitlam, Barry Humphries, Rod Laver, Peter Allen, Colleen McCullough, George Negus, Mike Walsh, John Farnham and Jack Thompson. 

Broadcaster Ben Fordham mocked the warnings as ‘another example of political correctness creeping into our lives’ on his 2GB breakfast program on Friday.

‘This time it’s the ABC in Australia taking action,’ he said. ‘In their sights – Sir Michael Parkinson. Yes, Parky.

In a 1979 interview with Hogan the comedian discusses complaints he gets about jokes he makes on his own television program. Parkinson is pictured with Hogan

Sixteen of the 28 episodes of Parkinson In Australia screened between 1979 and 1982 and available on the ABC’s iView platform now come with a written and spoken warning

‘Now, the program is rated PG, so what could possibly cause offence? We’ve been doing our best to try and work that out.

‘They’re just conversations with some great Aussie characters in all their glory, characters that in the modern uptight world we’re sadly often missing.’ 

In one episode Parkinson asks Hawke – a notorious womaniser – if a newspaper’s claim that he ‘performs like a playboy’ was right. ‘I have my moments,’ Hawke replies.

‘Do you really need a warning for that?’ Fordham asked. 

It could be that Parkinson, who presented his eponymous UK talk show from 1971 to 1982 and from 1998 to 2007, is part of the perceived problem.  

In his interview with Hawke, then the ACTU president, Parkinson said of trade union officials: ‘They’ve got about as much personality as a cigar store Indian.’

Legendary media executive Buttrose appears on a 1979 episode with the late television journalist Mike Willesee, who was then host of A Current Affair. 

Parkinson’s first question to Buttrose is whether she considers Willesee a ‘male chauvinist pig’, after introducing her as the most powerful woman in Australia.

‘I didn’t hear the question for the oinking,’ Buttrose replies.

‘I’ve been told he is. Some of my women friends who’ve worked with Mike over the years have told me that one of the requirements to be a journalist on his team is to have good boobs.’

Parkinson: ‘Is that right Mike, good boobs?’

Willesee: ‘I’ve got nothing against that.’

When Parkinson asks Buttrose if there are many male chauvinist pigs in Australia she answers, ‘Well, some of my best friends are male chauvinist pigs.’

‘If you don’t like them you’ve got an awful problem here.’

Parkinson: ‘Do you use your feminine charms when dealing with men?’

Buttrose: ‘Of course. Why not?’          

One of the episodes – all of which are rated PG – features Parkinson interviewing current ABC chair Ita Buttrose when she was publisher of the Australian Women’s Weekly and Cleo 

Willesee, who died three years ago, could have upset the ABC censors in his reply to Parkinson asking if he was sexist.  

‘I find it difficult to understand words like sexist and feminist,’ he says. ‘Have you ever seen a feminist who was feminine? 

‘Have you ever been accused of being sexist by someone who wasn’t? No, I don’t understand it. 

‘There are groups of people with such set ideas that if you don’t conform to them then you are regarded as an opponent.’

In a 1979 interview with Hogan the comedian discusses complaints he gets about jokes he makes on his own television program.

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Broadcaster Ben Fordham mocked the warnings as ‘another example of political correctness creeping into our lives’ on his 2GB breakfast program on Friday

‘I put in one minute of that program say sending up Greeks, or Italians or Poms, or Eskimos and you get 300 hundred phone calls,’ he says. ‘You never ever get them about sending up Australians.

‘Maybe we sit there and go, “Ah yeah, I know a galah like that”.’

Fordham said that snippet – or anything else he could find in Parkinson’s interview series – should not cause offence to anyone.

‘Don’t worry Hoges, there’s still a few galahs around and the ABC is proving it in 2022 with the warnings before Parky’s show,’ he told his audience.

‘So if you think they were sensitive back then we’ve got some news for you: we’ve now got warnings before shows featuring these great Australian characters.’    

An ABC spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia ‘the use of warnings before content of this nature is consistent with the ABC’s editorial policies.’

‘It is also consistent with the approach taken by many other broadcasters and streaming services who include similar warnings for content which includes potentially offensive language or attitudes,’ she said. 

Champion Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe announced in a 2014 interview with Parkinson that he is gay. Thorpe also revealed he battled depression and alcohol abuse for most of his career