Journalist puts man who calls her 'hysterical' on live TV back in his box
Word of blatantly obvious advice: In a conversation about domestic violence on TV, don't call a woman "hysterical."
Things can get pretty heated on ABC's Q&A, an Australian current affairs panel show, but an incident Monday evening left many viewers shocked.
During the episode, audience member Tarang Chawla asked how the media can help change cultural norms around domestic violence.
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Chawla, whose sister was murdered in a domestic violence incident, referred specifically to comments made by Australian media personalities Eddie McGuire and Sam Newman. McGuire had "joked" about drowning sports journalist Caroline Wilson during a radio show in June, while Newman defended him in the days after.
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The first panellist to answer was conservative radio announcer Steve Price, who emphasised that "far too much was made" of the incident and that McGuire and Newman had apologised. "If you listen to that broadcast in context, it was a bunch of blokes laughing about things they shouldn't have laughed about," Price said.
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That didn't sit well with panellist Van Badham, who called out Price for making "apologies" for the two men (1:27 in the clip).
"What you see as jokes made by a bunch of blokes, you know, from the position of being one of those blokes who has probably in on some of those jokes, I see as a woman who is part of a social world where violence is," Badham said, before being interrupted by Price.
"I hope you're not suggesting I was part of those jokes," Price said. "Don't tar me with their brush. Please. Don't tar me with their brush."
Badham tried to continue making her point about cultural attitudes toward women, but Price couldn't help but make it all about him.
Then came this humdinger: "I think you're just being hysterical," Price interjected. Yes, the word "hysterical" was used to dismiss a woman in 2016. A visibly shocked Badham at least saw some potential for humour in the stinker of a comment.
"It's probably my ovaries making me do it, Steve," she replied.
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In an interview with ABC Radio Central Victoria Tuesday morning, Badham said she thought Price would never understand the issue.
"I don't think Steve Price is ever going to get it, and I think that's a tragedy," she told the station. "I think it's very obvious on Q&A last night that people like Steve Price are not listening."
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