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The ABC has warned viewers who wanted to watch old episodes of Michael Parkinson’s local TV series from last year that some content might offend them.
The national broadcaster rerun classic Parkinson’s programs to celebrate its 90th broadcast anniversary, but felt some of the talk show host’s discussions with guests 40 years ago were no longer acceptable.
Parkinson, who died aged 88 in his Berkshire home surrounded by his wife Mary and children, was as beloved in Australia as he was in his native country.
Sixteen of Australia’s 28 Parkinson’s episodes screened between 1979 and 1982 were made available on ABC’s iView platform last year, but come with a written and spoken warning:
“The following program expresses attitudes that do not conform to current standards and may offend some viewers.”
The ABC has warned viewers who watched old episodes of British host Michael Parkinson’s beloved local TV series last year that some content may be offensive. The revered presenter, who died aged 88, is pictured with his wife Mary
The interviews Michael Parkinson conducted with Bob Hawke, Kerry Packer, Peter Allen, Gough Whitlam and Paul Hogan on ABC came with a warning. Parkinson is pictured with Parker
One of the seemingly offensive episodes – all of which were rated PG – featured Parkinson interviewing current ABC chairwoman Ita Buttrose when she was editor of the Australian Women’s Weekly and Cleo.
The “viewer advice” did not specify whether the host – or which guests – of each program were likely to cause offense or what they might say that was inappropriate.
Installments to get the warning treatment included appearances by former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, late media mogul Kerry Packer and actor Paul Hogan.
Other interview subjects who appeared in episodes with viewer caution warnings included 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 at the time as “another example of political correctness creeping into our lives” on his 2GB breakfast show.
“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 discussed complaints he received about jokes he made on his own television program. Parkinson is pictured with Hogan
Sixteen of the 28 episodes of Parkinson’s in Australia screened between 1979 and 1982 and available on ABC’s iView platform received a written and oral warning.
“Now the program is rated PG, so what could possibly offend?” We have done our best to try to resolve this issue.
“These are just conversations with great Australian characters in all their glory, characters we sadly often miss in today’s tense world.”
In one episode, Parkinson asked Hawke – a notorious womanizer – if a newspaper claim that “he acts like a playboy” was accurate. “I have my moments,” Hawke replied.
‘Do you really need a warning for that?’ Fordham asked.
Parkinson, who presented his eponymous British talk show from 1971 to 1982 and 1998 to 2007, interviewed Hawke when he was chairman of the Australian Council of Trade Unions.
“They have about as much personality as a cigar store Indian,” Parkinson said of union officials.
Legendary media executive Buttrose appeared in a 1979 episode with the late television journalist Mike Willesee, who was then the host of A Current Affair.
Parkinson’s first question to Buttrose was whether she considered Willesee a “macho pig”, after he introduced her as the most powerful woman in Australia.
“I didn’t hear the question for the squeak,” Buttrose answered.
‘I was told he was. Some of my friends who have worked with Mike over the years have told me that one of the requirements for being a reporter on his team is to have nice breasts.
Parkinson: ‘Is it true Mike, good boobs?’
Willesee: “I have nothing against that.”
When Parkinson asked Buttrose if there were a lot of macho male pigs in Australia, she replied, “Well, some of my best friends are chauvinistic male pigs.”
“If you don’t like them, you have a terrible 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 PG-rated – featured Parkinson interviewing current ABC chairwoman Ita Buttrose when she was editor of the Australian Women’s Weekly and Cleo.
Willesee, who died four years ago, may have upset ABC censors in his response to Parkinson asking if he was sexist.
“I have a hard time understanding words like sexist and feminist,” he said. ‘Have you ever seen a female feminist?
‘Have you ever been accused of being sexist by someone who wasn’t? No, I do not understand.
“There are groups of people with such strong views that if you don’t conform to them, you are seen as an adversary.”
In a 1979 interview with Hogan, the comedian discussed complaints he received about jokes he made on his own television program.
Broadcaster Ben Fordham mocked the ABC’s warnings last year as ‘another example of political correctness creeping into our lives’ in his 2GB breakfast program
“I put in a minute of this program, say, send Greeks, Italians, Poms or Eskimos and you get 300 phone calls,” he said. You never hear them talk about sending Australians.
‘Maybe we sit there and think, “Oh yeah, I know a galah like that”.’
Fordham said at the time that this excerpt – or anything else he could find in the Parkinson interview series – shouldn’t offend anyone.
“Don’t worry Hoges, there are still a few galahs and the ABC proves it in 2022 with Parky’s pre-show warnings,” he told his audience.
“So if you think they were sensitive at the time, we have news for you: we now have warnings ahead of shows featuring these great Australian characters.”
An ABC spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia “the use of warnings before content of this nature is in line with ABC’s editorial policies”.
“This is also consistent with the approach taken by many other broadcasters and streaming services which include similar warnings for content that includes potentially offensive language or attitudes,” she said.
Olympic champion swimmer Ian Thorpe announced in a 2014 interview with Parkinson that he was gay. Thorpe also revealed that he struggled with depression and alcohol abuse for most of his career.