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PM Calls Top 'Gay' On Radio
Audio clip care of Dan News
Video
from The Farming Show. Audio here.
Prime Minister John key has come under fire for describing a radio host's red top as "gay".
Key co-hosted 'The Farming Show' on Friday 2 November.
After the PM started the show with an Adele track, while discussing a planned charity golf game that afternoon, he said regular host Jamie Mackay had 'that gay red top on'.
During the hour-long show the Prime Minister went on to interview people including Sir Brian Lochore, Graeme Smith, Laurie Mains and Barry Soper.
While in Dunedin on Friday, Key also reportedly described football player David Beckham as 'thick as bat shit' during a school visit.
Update for the PM's post-cabinet press conference:
The PM was asked about his comment to RadioSport's Farming Show host Jamie MacKay about his "gay red top". He was asked what he understood "gay" to mean in that context. He responded that it meant "weird". Asked whether he saw it as a homophobic term he said it was a term in common usage and that if anyone was offended he was sorry.The PM was asked about the comment he was reported to have made about UK soccer star David Beckham. He said that he would not comment. Pressed as to whether he was denying that he had made the comment or not he replied "I'm not going to engage in what some person has reported me saying that may or may not be correct".
The PM was then asked whether he thought David Beckham was smart. He replied, "He's made more money than I have."
And film actor and gay rights activist Sir Ian McKellen explains what the problem is:
I'm currently touring secondary schools in UK, attacking homophobia in the playground and discouraging kids from the careless use of "gay" which might make their gay friends (and teachers) feel less about themselves. So even as he supports the proposal to introduce same-gender marriages in New Zealand, I do hope John Key listens to his critics and appreciates their concern. Careless talk damages lives.
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