Hey Hey’s black faces draws 2.2m

The Hey Hey Reunion – complete with its already highly controversial blacked-up Jackson Five tribute act – rated just over 2.2m for Nine on Wednesday night.

The act in the Red Faces segment -which saw five doctors blacked up along with one wearing white makeup to represent Michael Jackson – drew criticism from guest judge Harry Connick jnr.  

It was the second of two planned Hey Hey It’s Saturday reunion shows and helped Nien to a massive 42% share which has been overshadowed by the growing furore over the jackson Jive sketch:

Meanwhile, Ten’s second episode of Celebrity Masterchef drew less than 1.1m – a heavy drop on last week’s 1.4m.

It was a bad night all round for Ten. The 7pm Project rated just 608,000.

And Seven fared little better with Eddie McGuire’s Hot Seat (617,000) on Nine narrowly beat Andrew O’Keefe’s Deal or No Deal (611,000) in what is becoming an increasingly common occurrence in the 5.30pm slot.

Wednesday night’s share:

  • Nine: 42.0
  • Seven: 20.6
  • Ten: 18.9
  • ABC1: 11.9
  • SBS1 2.8
  • ABC2: 1.8
  • GO!: 1.3
  • ONE: 0.4
  • SBS2: 0.2

Wednesday’s most watched shows:

  1. Hey Hey Reunion Nine 2.2m
  2. Seven News Seven 1.3m
  3. Today Tonight Seven 1.3m
  4. Two and a Half Men Nine 1.3m
  5. A Current Affair Nine 1.2m
  6. Home and Away Seven 1.2m
  7. Border Security Seven 1.2m
  8. Nine News Nine 1.1m
  9. Celebrity Masterchef Ten 1.1m
  10. ABC News ABC 0.988m

October 8th, 2009 at 11:38 am

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Comments


  1. Samantha
    8 Oct 09
    11:44 am

    2. Good old Harry Connick Jnr, upset about the doctors’ skit (which when I first saw it thought it could be seen as offensive and kick up a stink, why didn’t producers see this??). Of course it was the revival of something 20 years ago (back then it must not have been offensive, but in good fun?) and surely as an australian tv show this is acceptable??

    But to force a public apology and make such a big deal out of it when he has hypocritically been a part of a skit that stereotyped a black preacher.

    Practice what you preach Harry.

  2. Rachael Lonergan
    8 Oct 09
    11:50 am

    3. ‘Harry / the entire US population / an American I once saw did something bad and unacceptable therefore we should be allowed to do something bad and unaccpetable too”

    Not a very sophisticated defence but it seems to be the one leading many of the blogs I’ve read this morning. I despair.

  3. Johnny Rotten
    8 Oct 09
    11:52 am

    4. Who are these 2.2million? Can they vote?

  4. Rachael Lonergan
    8 Oct 09
    11:55 am

    5. Johnny…most likely they can vote. If you want a real insight into heartland Australia, spend a few hours manning a polling booth next election. It’s pretty much the only day everyone has to come out. It’s an eye opener.

  5. Stephen Collins
    8 Oct 09
    12:12 pm

    6. @Johnny I hope in my heart of hearts they can’t vote. Anyone stupid enough to watch this pap doesn’t deserve the right to vote.

  6. Wolfie Rankin
    8 Oct 09
    12:13 pm

    7. Still sceptical about ratings, there’s no little man inside my set scribbling notes on a notepad… not that I know of anyway *looks around*.

  7. DD
    8 Oct 09
    12:14 pm

    8. I was dumbfounded to read in the SMH that the lead of the group is saying that it is ironic he is called a racist due to his Indian background. What is that all about? So you can’t be racist if you are Indian????

    Great to see that the show dropped 1M viewers. My faith in the Australian people is being restored!

  8. Stivette Jb Smythe
    8 Oct 09
    12:17 pm

    9. O H G I V E M E A B R E A K !!! Get a life and liven up you painful catbum faced killjoys!

    LET ME LAY IT OUT FOR YOU SIMPLY. Firstly; The show was fun, I still have a smile on my face – didn’t know how much I missed seeing it until the last two weeks and was never even a die hard fan. Thanks HeyHey and Jackie/Ding Dong/Ozzie it was great you came back last night and joined the crew.

    NOW, the “incident” – I didn’t even think anything of it again until Daryl handled it perfectly by inviting Harry Connnick to explain and “have his say”. Not that most of us needed to have it explained – but given that he is American, a friend of Hey Hey and THIS WAS LIVE TELEVISION it was the right thing to do since he was upset. It’s no big deal – he’s cool, and we’re cool. And Journos can you HOLD THE SUPERLATIVES PLEAESE ! … I would hardly call it factual run a headline within 60 minutes of the show saying “Hey Hey Condemned” – give me a break! Your headline should have read “I Hereby Condemn Hey Hey”.

    Let’s all take a deep breath and remember this was not a Hey Hey skit or send up but an act on the often distasteful but often hilarious Red Faces.

    One loveable Aussie trait is that we don’t take ouselves too seriously and while respecting other people WE STILL LIKE TO POKE FUN AT OURSELVES and others. If you want and need everything dumbed down, controlled and your humour censored by government and/or religious leaders then move to Iran and leave us 2 million or so other viewers to have a laugh. Like yelling out at the football that your team are playing like a “bloody bunch of poofs” (while sitting next to your gay friends) – this innocent skit was just an “Aussie bitta fun”.

    Now for the more important issue – when is channel nine going to listen to us all and bring this fantastic show back. Chook Lotto was such a laugh and Plucka as usual was a hoot – the weird thing is I don’t even know why I love this show but that I guess is part of it’s magic And NO it is NOT a FLEETING infatuation…. Come on Nine and come on ADVERTISING EXECS – give them a run for a couple of years and we’ll show you we mean it!

    Daryl and Team – 2 million aussies know this was just a little hiccup caused by a small oversight re one of your guests – and the fact it is LIVE TV. Like spilling wine on an old friend at a party – the shirt dries, the party goes on – and after a few days we are remembering the party and not the spilt wine. Well done – we LOVED THE SHOW!

  9. Rachael Lonergan
    8 Oct 09
    12:19 pm

    10. Regardless of ratings, more culpable are the exec producers and 9. I cannot believe they did not anticipate a negative reaction; that no one involved in the production didn’t put their hand up and say “Are we sure…..?”. EPIC FAIL.

  10. x
    8 Oct 09
    12:20 pm

    11. Sure this sketch was cringeworthy but it was a something to be taken as a parody, not to be taken seriously. To say that White Australians don’t get it beggars belief in itself. Singling out a particular culture/race and to treat them as though they are different is in itself a form of racism. People shouldn’t be treated as though they are different, no one human is better than another.

    American’s seem to push their views upon every other nation in the world, having said this I don’t discount the fact of the terrible history that still plagues America and its people. Maybe the world should be more like Australians, why you ask? Simply because Australians do not take themselves that seriously, we can look at ourselves, have a laugh and treat our next door neighbour that same way as a friend, without any prejudice or outcasting.

    Americans need not blame another country for their own problems because, these issues are something that Americans have created for themselves. America stop chastising other countries, have a good look at yourself. Sure Australia has had its problems and still does, however to say that we are thirty years behind you America is somewhat of a joke.

    Australia is one of the most multicultural countries in the world, we are more liberal in embracing another culture, albeit this may not be in the same way as another nation may, but we still embrace other cultures. Have a good look at yourself America before you cast a stone at another nation, have a good look at how the world views you!

  11. Adam Paull
    8 Oct 09
    12:28 pm

    12. A week in television is a long time – last week’s Red Faces was WON by a kid wearing blackface…

    I think it’s a bit of a low bow to suggest that 2.2 million Australians watched a 3.5 hour long variety show hoping to see a 3 minute routine with racial overtones.

    Unfortunately the three minutes in question will forever be held up as what Australians find entertaining – international commentators oblivious to the fact that the acts on that segment of the show are meant to be bad.

    Context is everything.

    Jack Strom’s (the long time Red Faces producer) decision to invite them on is one of the dumbest decisions a television producer has made in this country in a long time. It’s a shame that the incident spoiled what was otherwise a great night and taken to spotlight away from the return of Jackie McDonald and the television farewell of the brilliantly talented Ernie Carroll.

  12. Elle
    8 Oct 09
    12:53 pm

    13. Adam Paull, you are spot on!

    When did we cross that line where the minorities take offence to everything. Life is just so much harder now, you need to think about everything you say and do so as not to offend one person. I am just plain sick of it now!

  13. Renee
    8 Oct 09
    1:06 pm

    14. Seriously… who gives a flying ….? Are we that wound up to get hot and bothered when we see a group of white men dressed as the Jackson 5, and a man dresed as the white Michael Jackson? Have a laugh people and you too Harry. It was a genuine reunion from the group of medial students who are now professionaly practicing in the media field in some shape or form…. no insult intended.

    People like Harry insist that racism remains a sensitive topic…. and no doubt he was also sitting on the biscuit board to get Golliwogs off the market.

    If anything, Harry was discriminating against the doctors!! So it would be ok if a bunch of firemen to do the Jackson five skit, or maybe a bunch of firemen to dress up as cockney accented spice girls in little mutton dressed as lamb dresses?? Ooooo, blimey! That’s racist….

  14. Hayles
    8 Oct 09
    1:11 pm

    15. It’s 2009, we as a country, are forging ahead as a global influence yet our locally produced content, features this type of ‘entertainment’. Its not surprise it was picked up by the worlds media. And rightly so.

  15. Rachael Lonergan
    8 Oct 09
    1:33 pm

    16. I had no idea so many Mumbrella commenters could play the banjo.

  16. Dan German
    8 Oct 09
    1:37 pm

    17. That skit was embarrassing for Australia. Are we really a pack of rednecks? For all of you who think this skits was innocent fun, just read the wikipedia article on black face.

    At best it is insensitive, at worst racist. And I don’t throw the “racist” word around willy nilly.

    The skit was not funny, and Harry was 100% correct. Blackface potrays black people as substandard, almost subhuman. 100% wrong.

  17. Carl Panczak
    8 Oct 09
    1:48 pm

    18. A truly regressive, infantile and shameful display of television production, by tired old hacks without a single original idea between them.

    You should be ashamed of your complete lack of editorial judgement, and insensitivity to minority groups.

    I’m embarrassed for you.

  18. DD
    8 Oct 09
    1:51 pm

    19. Agreed Dan and Sivette I don’t think I take myself seriously at all but I would personally be offended if you were my mate and shouting at your football team to stop acting like a bunch of poofs. You might see it as poking fun but racism and homophobia are rife in this country and itelligent people like your good self should be leading by example to the younger generation.

  19. Elle
    8 Oct 09
    2:11 pm

    20. Oh DD, where have all the real men gone! The ones that shout “Your playing like a bunch of poofs” I haven’t heard that word in a while, probably because people like you make it hard for everyone just to be themselves!

  20. DD
    8 Oct 09
    2:20 pm

    21. Or maybe you haven’t heard it in a while because people are realising how offensive ‘real men’ and ‘bunch of poofs’ can be to some people. Time to grow up Elle and move with the times. By all means be yourself but seriously if that is all you can come up with then who would want to be with you???

  21. Rachael Lonergan
    8 Oct 09
    2:25 pm

    22. Dear Elle,

    ‘Your’ means ‘belonging to you’.
    ‘You’re’ means ‘you are’.

    Perhaps if you’d spent as much time learning English as you did the banjo at school you would know the difference.

    You’re welcome (see how that works?).

  22. Brisbane Boy
    8 Oct 09
    2:29 pm

    23. Pure and simple it is racism.

    Don’t hide it as anything else. What if they were up there doing an impression of someone who is disabled? Discrimination is just unacceptable in whatever form whether it is hateful or dressed up as humour.

    It may not intend to offend but it does. It offends me. Racism, Homophobia, Discrimination is not welcome in modern day Australia.

    I am even surprised channel nine let it happen. To Daryl Somers credit he apologised and let Harry Connick Jr speak his mind. I think that is grown up and I am glad they dealt with it there and then.

    Daryl Somers was grown up about it. People like Elle should be grown up too.

  23. Renee
    8 Oct 09
    3:13 pm

    24. Ah, Miss Longran… you might want to check your own entries before anally correcting a fellow contributor’s spelling on a relaxed social network forum, yours aren’t much better…. Bonus points for Elle for providing an entertaining entry rather than wasted hot cyber air like yours.. did I use ‘yours’ correctly? Frankly I don’t care. People like you like to make others unable to just be themselves around you…

    Perhaps you might feel more comfortable at: http://www.ocfoundation.org it’s the centre for people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorders.

  24. Rachael Lonergan
    8 Oct 09
    3:16 pm

    25. Lonergan. L-O-N-E-R-G-A-N.

    Tim, this is fun! More posts like this one please!

  25. Renee
    8 Oct 09
    3:33 pm

    26. haha, thanks Loner-gan, you just won me $10…
    A 10 dollar bet was down that you would come back correcting me on your name…. And, yes, special thanks to Tim!

  26. Rachael Lonergan
    8 Oct 09
    3:38 pm

    27. Glad I could help. Now you have $10 to put towards your banjo lessons.

  27. Chris Walton
    8 Oct 09
    3:40 pm

    28. A skit that wasn’t that funny, perhaps, but racist, no. If a bunch of non-black guys want to take-off the Jackson Five then is it any surprise they wear black make-up and wear afro wigs? I didn’t find it funny but I didn’t find it racist either.

  28. DD
    8 Oct 09
    3:44 pm

    29. Perhaps you could put your $10 towards and education!

  29. Stephen
    8 Oct 09
    3:52 pm

    30. I’m embarrassed to be an Australian.

  30. Rachael Lonergan
    8 Oct 09
    3:58 pm

    31. C’mon Chris! Don’t tell me you’ve never had your feelings hurt by someone yelling ‘ecky thump’ and smacking you with a black pudding!

  31. Chris Walton
    8 Oct 09
    4:03 pm

    32. Dear Miss Longrain, I still cry myself to sleep most nights, although after a few years of being in Oz the skin is starting to thicken up. BTW – how is the restaurant going?

  32. Rachael Lonergan
    8 Oct 09
    4:08 pm

    33. Wonderfully well thanks. Or at least it would be if I could only stop polishing the spots off the goddamn door handles!

  33. RDS
    8 Oct 09
    4:09 pm

    34. Do the Waylan Brothers need a gut punch for playing White Chicks or is that ok?

  34. Bob Bardsley
    8 Oct 09
    4:12 pm

    35. Can people please stop vilifying banjo players? I’ve played the banjo for a number of years and take offence to suggestions I’m lacking in intelligence and cultural acceptance.

    Bob

  35. RDS
    8 Oct 09
    4:15 pm

    36. Do the Waylan Brothers need a gut punch for playing White Chicks or is that ok?

    Does Robin Williams need a gut punch for playing a woman or is that OK?

    Does Eminen need a gut punch for playing Osama Bin laden or is that Ok?

  36. Chris Walton
    8 Oct 09
    4:19 pm

    37. The Wallabies need a gut punch for impersonating rugby players, but i’ll draw the line there.

  37. Special K
    8 Oct 09
    4:32 pm

    38. I think the 300,000+ stooges who lent their names to a Facebook group wanting Hey Hey back should be gut punched. Not to mention the 2.2m who watched last night.

    It’s cruel to give Daryl Somers hope. He’d be loving this and you’re giving this program more life potential by talking about it. So give yourselves an uppercut.

    With the dinosaurs in mind as example, evolution picks and chooses. It made its choice 10 years ago. Now go give Celebrity Masterchef the eyeballs it seemingly needs…..

  38. Ben
    8 Oct 09
    4:35 pm

    39. Would we find it funny if it were a bunch of people impersonating Asian’s with taped eyes and saying ‘mee so sorry’ and eating fried rice?

    Or how about some really stereotypical Indian characters doing a skit about driving taxi’s and eating curry.

    Oh, wait, I know one that would be hilarious, how about 5 or 6 guys dress up as a bunch of Jews and sing a song about ripping people off and never paying full price for anything.

    oh, no, wait, wait, hang on, no… you couldn’t do that because those ethnic groups are large in Australia. oh, no, wait, wait, hang on, no… you shouldn’t do that because it’s just plain racist.

    But apparently, according to a fair amount of reader feedback here and on news ltd and fairfax today, portraying a bunch of black people like this is totally fine. WTF?

    If you can’t do it to everyone (‘it’ being the portraying of racially offensive stereotypes), you can’t do it to anyone. Simple.

  39. Chris Walton
    8 Oct 09
    4:48 pm

    40. Ben, the skit wasn’t stereotyping an ethnic group. It was impersonating a pop group. I think if a group of people were stereotyping black people in the same way you have described stereotyping Jewish, Asian or Indian people then we would have been shown something that really was offensive.

  40. RDS
    8 Oct 09
    4:51 pm

    41. what is white and found in kiddies undies? MJ’s hand.

  41. Ben Shepherd
    8 Oct 09
    4:51 pm

    42. if connick (who has actually donned the black face paint himself 13 years ago on Mad TV – see todays Crikey) hadn’t of “reacted” like he did (ie a minor outburst) would this have gotten any attention?

  42. Adam Paull
    8 Oct 09
    5:01 pm

    43. Whatever the outcome of the “debate”, Nine has been handed a “Get out of Jail Free” card – now they can justify not renewing the show and save themselves all that cash. Unfortunately in 2009, big budget variety shows with live bands, big casts, etc are just not feasible on Australian television.

    I’m afraid it’s back to more ‘World’s Whackiest Whatevers” for us…

  43. Ben Shepherd
    8 Oct 09
    5:14 pm

    44. I can’t wait for 20 to 1′s most awkward TV moments. Jackson Jive, Kanye West x 2 (George Bush doesn’t care about black people and Taylor Swift), Australia’s naughtiest home videos, Normie Rowes punch on on Midday, Quentin Lynch dropping the f bomb after the 2006 Grand Final, the today show with Jessica Rowe

  44. Johnny Rotten
    8 Oct 09
    5:42 pm

    45. I am astounded by the people, including the one who commented on my blog, that it’s ‘just a joke’ and ‘get over it’.

    We’re talking about a racial stereotype, a particularly gruesome one that is truly shameful to our past.

    But, as someone commented to me, what about Jonah and Ricky Wong? Perhaps we need to pull our necks in because I could imagine a future where we frown upon those caricatures too.

  45. Ben Shepherd
    8 Oct 09
    5:45 pm

    46. i hope this doesn’t put a dampener on con the fruiterer’s return tour in 2010? :(

  46. Ian
    8 Oct 09
    8:45 pm

    47. I’m shocked. Flat out shocked that Rachel Lonergan can spell her own name. Without a lisp especially….

  47. SimonB
    8 Oct 09
    9:31 pm

    48. Chris Walton, I agree 100% – I think a lot of people have forgotten that it was a parody of the Jackson Five. I mean, they WERE (are) black, aren’t they? Would it have been the same if they didn’t have the black paint on their faces? I’m sorry, I saw it live (well delayed in WA) and didn’t think it was racist. However, I did think it wasn’t funny and turned off shortly afterwards. I did notice that HCJr was looking a little upset however. When I woke up this morning, I couldn’t believe the hooha that had erupted. OMG. Lighten up.

  48. bec
    8 Oct 09
    11:08 pm

    49. This issue is becoming very boring and the debate, embarrassingly juvenile. However, regarding whether racially-based parodies are funny, depends who happens to be propagating them, sir. Heaven help us if Harry and his ilk saw Summer Heights High with its Maoris and Asians. Never heard a bad word when this series aired (aside from the youth suicide episode).My only criticism is of those who thought the skit would be embraced universally. This storm in a teacup could so easily have been avoided.

  49. DD
    9 Oct 09
    10:14 am

    50. Actually thinking about it I have to admit that I have had many a night laughing at Pam Ann whose whole show is built on sterotypes.