BUNGAREE export Danny Frawley is at the centre of a social media furore for ‘racist’ humour in a television segment mocking the historic Shanghai AFL match between Port Adelaide and Gold Coast.
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Fox Sports has issued a statement apologising for ‘Spud’ Frawley’s comments made on The Bounce, on Sunday night, but debate continues online with some slamming it as blatant racism, while others saying it's light-hearted entertainment.
The St Kilda Hall of Famer and former Richmond coach himself has been quiet on the issue.
Bounce's chief host and AFL Hall of Famer Jason Dunstall introduced the segment by segueing from a discussion between Spud and Cameron Mooney about the Shanghai game by saying: "I'll tell you what was interesting, they did cut a deal to televise the game locally and to listen to the local commentary made the game very interesting."
It then cut to vision of the game, with overlay commentary in an attempted Chinese-accented English, "No tackle, tackle over there, the pollock on the left", that quickly descended into gibberish.
When it cut back to the studio, Dunstall, Mooney and Brian Lake were in peals of laughter, with Mooney trying to restore some dignity by suggesting "you can't be serious".
But that wasn't the end of it, after revealing that it was Spud providing the so-called commentary, he then continued by holding up a Chinese menu saying: "I tell you guys, what about the Chinese footy record over there, it was absolutely outstanding and Moons how good was No.9 over there?" To which a confused Mooney answered: "Gaz [Gold Coast Suns' Gary Ablett] wasn't that great."
"No, No.9 ... the steak and black bean sauce, it was unbelievable," Spud guffawed.
It came as a surprise to some Fox Footy lovers that Frawley would resort to antiquated racist humour on Sunday night when mocking the historic Shanghai AFL game between Port Adelaide and Gold Coast being broadcast in China.
A Fox Sports spokesperson said: "It was never Danny's intention to upset or disrespect anyone and we apologise to anyone who may have taken offence."
The show quotes itself as taking "a lighter look at a big weekend of footy ... the Bounce team poke fun at themselves as well as everything in and around footy".
Viewers took to Twitter and Facebook to question the humour of the segment.
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