Anthony Albanese’s apology for his comments about Kylie Minogue is an admission he got it wrong in playing along with a social media influencer’s ‘shag, marry, date’ question. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP View image in fullscreen Anthony Albanese’s apology for his comments about Kylie Minogue is an admission he got it wrong in playing along with a social media influencer’s ‘shag, marry, date’ question. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP Anthony Albanese Analysis Anthony Albanese’s ‘shag, marry, date-gate’ underscores the double-edged sword of social media appearances Josh Butler Everything in Canberra is content now, from performative questions to calculated outbursts and comments about Kylie Minogue
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Anthony Albanese probably didn’t expect an interview with a comedian in her “Bush Barbie” character would have kickstarted the biggest firestorm of the week.
But the prime minister, appearing alongside a stuffed copy of his beloved cavoodle Toto – fell victim to an entirely avoidable and regrettable controversy when he played along with a “shag, marry, date” game.
It’s an episode that has also exposed the double-edged sword of the new media environment, as the political establishment desperately tries to access voters who have tuned out of politics.
It’s not hard to understand why politicians agree to go on these shows. Piggybacking off the popularity and in-built audience of a popular social media creator, FM radio host or TikTok feed can endear a politician to viewers who would normally switch them off, letting them show a different side of their personality. At a time when trust in politicians is low and frustration is rising, where some people may place more trust in their social media influencers than journalists, what is a politician with a message to do ?
Nikki Osborne, the host of the Bush Deep podcast, has close to half a million followers on Instagram.
But while Osborne, a comedian who dons a Steve Irwin-esque “bushie” outfit, can be risque, cheeky and uncouth – Australians aren’t as forgiving about their leaders.
Albanese shouldn’t have engaged with the game. Ironically he had the right answer initially, telling Osborne “I’ve just got married, I’m only six months in” when she asked him to rank Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman and Rhonda Burchmore in ‘shag, marry, date’ (mercifully it was, the less offensive version of a game which often has more disrespectful categories).
But after only mild coaxing from Osborne – “but if [marriage] goes tits up, let’s just pretend” – the PM answered Minogue for all three.
A moment of weakness, a slip of the mask, a moment he may have instantly regretted: whatever it was, it wasn’t as though this was uncharted territory for federal parliament.
Read more One was also immediately reminded of former Labor PM Kevin Rudd’s immortal answer to a question on Rove McManus’ late-night TV show back in 2007, when asked “who would you turn gay for?”
“My wife, Therese,” Rudd replied, an answer mocked at the time but the only response guaranteed to not get you into trouble with either your spouse or the public.
The Betoota Advocate, often a decent barometer of the public mood, wrote: “Albo Now Bunking With Toto After Finally Offering Honest Answer To A Question”, with a Photoshop of Albanese in the literal doghouse.