John Singleton lashed out at Fairfax director Jack Cowin with broken glass after ‘long lunch’
The Daily Telegraph has published pictures of two more high profile media millionaires in an altercation, after Macquarie Radio Network boss John Singleton apparently lashed out at Fairfax Media and Network Ten director Jack Cowin with a broken wine glass yesterday.
This morning’s paper carries a double page spread of images showing Singleton standing over Cowin after a three hour lunch at an exclusive Sydney restaurant with the stem of a broken wine glass in his hand.
Police have confirmed they are “investigating the circumstances around the incident”.
The altercation comes almost exactly a year after the same paper published pictures of billionaire Network Ten shareholder James Packer brawling with long-time friend and Nine Entertainment Co boss David Gyngell on the street in Bondi.
The paper reports Singleton, who made his fortune in advertising, said the flare up came after long-time friend Cowin teased him for drinking rose rather than beer.
“Singleton was displeased with this and whacked Cowin over the head with a bottle,” the paper reports Singleton telling them, referring to himself in the third person.
The bust up comes weeks after Fairfax Media took a controlling stake in Singleton’s Macquarie Radio Network. Cowin, who made his fortune through Hungry Jack’s, is a director on the Fairfax board.
Cowin told the paper “we were just like bear cubs playing around” downplaying the incident.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports the photographs were sold to the paper for $10,000 by the photo agency Diimex.
News Corp, which owns The Daily Telegraph, has recently moved some of its ‘premium’ content behind a more stringent paywall on its website, restricting readers from viewing it unless they are subscribers with a digital pass.
Following last year’s incident Gyngell was handed an infringement notice by NSW Police.
Alex Hayes
love this
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Drinking. Aggressive. Going the biff. Just shows they like watching NRL.
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Hope when I’m 73 my friends treat me a little better whatever my choice of drink.
Presume Hungry Jack is not a Happy Jack.
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Idiots!
Tossers like this and Packer/Gyngell are apparently “LEADERS” in business and entertainment.
To think that the lives of thousands of hardworking creative and sales people are dependent on these self important [edited by Mumbrella]
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“Almost exactly” is almost exactly an oxymoron.
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Well played Groucho…. best comment of the month 🙂
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As with Packer, once again shows that money does not buy them ‘class’.
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Bravo Jack Cowin – rosé (ie red wine cordial) should be abolished!
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Alex – in your 2nd par, when you say it’s an “exclusive” Sydney restaurant – do you mean it’s exclusively for mad drunken media people? Or do you mean ‘expensive’ Sydney restaurant?
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And to think Singo used to demand his agency folks didn’t drink at lunch under his watch. Even the suits in client meetings. It was a ‘one strike and you’re out’ sackable offence*.
I can see why now if it makes you wanna stove a wine glass into your lunch neighbours face.
*Yet you could fill your boots at the agency bar any night of the week after 6pm.
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Ha ha. All the world’s a photographer these days. Good get.
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Disgraceful. Bet you he didn’t offer to pay for the damaged wine glass…..
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The fights are bigger at Hungry Jacks?
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This is great. I honestly don’t get those who find it ‘appalling’.
Why do people get so offended about ‘bad’ behavior? It’s become the new Australian culture. Let’s all live life straight. Wake up, go to work, go home watch tv and then bed. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
I LOVE that some old rich guy decided to glass another old rich guy. What fun. It’s like some bad camp reality TV show. This old Singleton character doesn’t like being pushed around. There’s no prejudice involved here. No abuse of power. No oppression. No systematic abuse at play.
For that reason, I vote ‘yes’ to this. Want to see more, please.
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Drunken brawling in restaurants is completely unacceptable, whether you’re Singo or anyone else. It’s not funny in any way and can be traumatic for witnesses who don’t know whats happening or why.
If I was sitting on a media or agency Board with either of these men I’d want answers and assurances that this disgraceful behaviour won’t happen again and won’t affect the performance or reputation of the business. It’s their job to ensure the company is held in esteem, and this is a blatant failure of duty.
And at the very least they should apologise to the other diners whose lunch was ruined by this shameful spectacle.
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hmmm, I hope he didn’t connect 9and get photographed) coz it’s 4 years mandatory
and bobby, don’t encourage him; it’ll only end in tears
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Clarification.?
3rd par in: Police have confirmed they are “investigating the circumstances around the incident”.
Last par: It is unclear at this stage whether police are investigating yesterday’s incident.
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Maybe SBS should do a fly-on-wall doco on “rich pratts of Sydney.”
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Hi Cannes(d),
You’re right – par three was added later the last par should have been removed – it has been now.
Cheers,
Alex – editor, Mumbrella
Oh come on dad, I’ve told you that rose just goes straight to your head!
Do something constructive for society, do something meaningful with your lives, you over-privileged saddos.
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More proof money doesn’t buy class.
Just another couple of yobbos in expensive suits.
And what on earth was Jon Stevens wearing?
Btw, how does Hungry Jack’s get away with advertising it’s Australian when it’s owned by Cowin, who is Canadian and not an Australian citizen?
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Clearly a publicity grab!
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Don;t you just love the sanitised version of events in today’s SMH?
Left to faithful son Jack to smooth things over to a compliant journo.
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@G. Right.
A shout-out to any journo students looking for an interesting research paper: how about a comparative analysis on how the MSM covered the Paker-Gyngell Bondi boffo, alongside this Singo swing at Old Mate.
I’d find it an amusing read to see who in the MSM covered what, and how, last year, compared with which outlets picked this one up this year….
It might be something someone over at The Conversation might be interested in, but now Education Minister Pyne has slashed their budget….
Another win for Rupert.
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We should hang out. Play some checkers. And get angry at other people.
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Anyone dared or cared to ask Gai Waterhouse for a comment.
Seems to me it was after a similar “long lunch” that Singo went ballistic at his horse trainer.
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What a great example this sets for young people. It represents the worst side of this country.
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Love your work singo!
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