TV make-up artist slams Rudd’s ‘rudeness’ following leaders debate
Sky News has distanced itself from a make-up artist who last night took to social media to slam Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for being rude to her as she made him up for last night’s debate.
After the event Lily Fontana who did the make-up for both Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott, took to her unlocked Facebook page writing:
“Just finished doing Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott’s makeup for the People’s Forum at the Broncos Leagues Club.
“One of them was absolutely lovely, engaged in genuine conversation with me, acknowledge that I had a job to do and was very appreciative. The other did the exact opposite! Oh boy, I have ever had anyone treat me so badly whilst trying to do my job. Political opinions aside…from one human being to another…Mr Abbott, you win hands down.”
Fontana has since taken down the post, saying she regrets making the remarks.
While Fontana is a freelance make-up artist her employer for the event this morning issued a statement saying:
“Sky News has been made aware of comments posted on social media by a freelance make-up artist used at the Broncos Leagues Club last night.
“The individual is not a Sky News staff member.
“The comments posted were extremely unprofessional and we do not agree with them.
“We understand the post has now been removed and she has expressed her regret over the matter.”
Stories about how politicians behave in private can have a dramatic impact on public perceptions. In 2009, Rudd was forced to apologise to an air stewardess he had been rude to after losing his temper over the catering. A leaked video emerged while he was exiled from the leadership showing him swearing as he attempted to record a difficult video message in Chinese.
In the last British election, a key point of the campaign was when PM Gordon Brown forgot he was still wearing a microphone and privately described a woman he had spoken to on the campaign trail as a bigot.
Nic Christensen
Good on her for posting it. The best people are the ones who are the same in and out of the spotlight. This is more evidence that Rudd is 2 faced.
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Whoever Sky News management employed to hire the makeup artist needs a boot up the arse, and exposure for their attempts at censorship.
This was not “unprofessional” – it’s legitimate commentary and insight into the political debate. It’s also very revealing about the contempt Rudd has for people he regards as his “menials”
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Gee I hope that Sky News pay her invoice.
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You can debate whether it was professional or not all you like, but the fact is that she will get less work because of this.
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Another instance of social media making headlines unnecessarily. This girl was perfectly entitled to express her opinion on her personal Facebook page. She shouldn’t have to apologise and Sky shouldn’t need to issue a statement.
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Rudd is a power-hungry, megalomaniac of the worst type. The guy’s ill and if the electorate ain’t worked that out after all this time then we deserve another three years of horror. I would also like to stress Hitler was a power-hungry, megalomaniac of the worst type too and he did get the trains running on time…
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Fontana knows what to do with the guy next time she makes him up.
Put a big long wooded Pinocchio nose on him.
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I find it difficult to trust anything I read this election – this will be the subject of a commission in coming years.
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I don’t see any issue with Lily’s post, it is what it is and not exactly news to anyone!
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Why is Rudd now saying ‘no hard feelings’?….his brush-over account seems to wildly differ from the make-up lady’s. Surely he should be the one apologising? His reasoning about ‘being in the zone’ is only a partial explanation…Abbott is under identical pressure. To be honest I’m no fan of either but there appears to be clear evidence of two-facedness by Rudd…and not only with members of his own party. Concerning to say the least….
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What a beat-up but sadly for the make-up artist, I hope it isn’t career suicide. Will anyone trust a hairdresser etc if they think they might tell the whole world about a client?
Do people really actually believe our politicians don’t swear and have ‘off’ days ?. Time the media concentrated on policy instead of personality.
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She deserves to get less work because of this! Don’t post on facebook about your clients, no matter who they are. Seriously, it’s not rocket science.
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Instead of everyone criticising the makeup artist why doesn’t everyone focus on yet another extremely bad behaviour examply by our PM?! If he behaved like a normal decent person there would have been nothing to post!
Sky News should back right off. If someone is very rude to a service provider they have every right to comment publicly.
Rudd hasn’t changed, he’s gotten even worse.
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Lily is entitled to comment on the treatment she received as we are a country that defends free speech. It sounds like the treatment was not unlike the little Korean boy who had his hand squeezed and the air hostess who was abused mid flight. A culture of bullying is clear in certain segments of society and here we see clear evidence of that culture in this behavour.
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Lily has become an instant well known artist
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Ann #15, I can guarantee that being well-known won’t pay her bills!
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Based on what Rudd said later, it seemed to have been a misunderstanding. It seems that people are jumping to conclusions about an encounter about which we have no details. We don’t know what Kevin said or what conversation they had. What was his body language? Obviously Kevin didn’t feel like socialising at the time. He said so himself.
How many company directors have felt that way, where they were too busy preparing for meetings and presentations to be friendly?
If the woman removed her own Twitter comments, that doesn’t mean it’s censorship and nor does it mean there was some conspiracy to force her to do that. She may have removed it because she decided it was inappropriate. Maybe she thought people had blown it all out of proportion and that she had influenced people’s opinions too much. She decided it was better to keep her opinions to herself.
It’s easy to see why Tony is more relaxed than Kevin because he isn’t in government. It’s no surprise that people in government would have a much more tight schedule than those in Opposition. I remember when Tony Abbott turned up 35 minutes late for a televised presentation with Nicola Roxon.
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Totally agree Louise. Seems with this guy you can’t even do your job without receiving abuse.
Tough job to make this guy look good.
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Good on her! No one needs to be treated with no respect.
The true man comes out eventually!
Sky news support your staff and contractors .
When was it bad to tell the truth?
Well done Lilly !
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Any makeup artist will tell you that the best clients are the ones that sit down in the chair, shut up, and let you quickly and efficiently do your job. Them stopping to chat and moving their face around does not make the job any easier, and often holds up production.
Any professional will also tell you it’s poor form to post about your clients on social media, regardless of who they are.
When did all the telegraph commenters end up here?
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