By Jordi Roth

kyle-sandilands

Well look here, who’s on the front page of my favourite tabloid ‘newspaper’? ‘Shock jock’ Kyle Sandilands has said something controversial, made the headlines and infuriated the Australian public.

Shocking, I know.

This latest round of tabloid throw and catch with Sandilands was ignited after comments he made on ‘The Kyle and Jackie O’ radio show, suggesting that a concentration camp would be a productive diet method for Magda Szubanski, an Australian comedienne living through a well-documented battle with her weight. After the media eruptions kicked in, Sandilands apologised with the infamous catch line – “I didn’t realise it would offend people”. Anyone who expected him to display a level of public sensitivity after his last antagonism would be greatly mistaken.

Being the granddaughter of four holocaust survivors, I was no less than appalled with his tasteless remarks. But I had stopped reacting to the ‘Kyle Sandilands courts controversy’ headlines long before he was referring to his co-host Jackie O as “fat”. For him “that’s just live radio”, and for me, silently seething every time I hear an ignorant remark – his stunts were becoming exasperating.

Sandilands is something of a media maestro – say something offensive, make the front page, and garner more press. A perfectly simple equation that works for him. Now he may have just cemented his position as Australia’s favourite punching bag, becoming one of the few people capable of perfecting the art of controversy – a twisted game in which he voluntarily participates. The media will knock him down, and he goes straight back for more.

It was barely a moment ago that the Australian public was incensed by Sandilands having a 14 year-old girl strapped to a lie detector test to be interrogated about her “sex life” live on air. The story will go down a well-versed chapter in a terribly low point of Australian popular culture. And for all the media coverage, the thousands of petitions to have the show axed and the public condemnation, his bad taste still remained. Apparently there is no limit to which he can operate.

It appears that public opinion accounts for little. His well-paying platform to project his ignorant remarks nevertheless remains. Though he has been suspended over this latest debacle, just like the last episode, it appears merely an attempt to temporarily placate public fury.

For 2day FM, the radio station that broadcasts the show, it is all about the ratings – as long as they have audience numbers, they will continue to pay Sandilands. And Sandilands will continue to attract controversy while it keeps him in the media. Nothing feeds a supersized ego like a front cover. This is instant infamy, the cheapest trick in the book for egomaniacs that thrive off publicity, no matter how depraved.

The only people who suffer are the subjects of his vulgarity, and the Australian public, who are faced with the never-ending media coverage. Sandilands is certainly bearing few bruises. He may be down a million dollar contract with Channel 10 as judge on Australian Idol, but there is surely a line of tabloid reporters waiting patiently with a thousand dollar cheque in hand, eager for the exclusive story in which ‘Kyle Sandilands confesses that he is an ignorant pig who has no filter between his brain and mouth and this time he is truly sorry’.

Sandilands’ comments should not be front page news; they should not even be water cooler talk, but the public will continue to react to news as it makes the headlines. Front page controversy is like an open vortex that sucks us all in. We devour the battle of both sides to remind us that we too, have an upstanding moral filter that can detect right from wrong.

As long as people are listening, Sandilands will continue with his tasteless comments, and the public will continue to respond. It is a vicious cycle.

So Australia, here is my answer to the Kyle Sandilands problem. If he bothers you, turn him off – for good. And if you enjoy his program, all the power to you, but may I add that Hamish and Andy are actually entertaining without sinking to the lowest common denominator.