James Mathison has opened up about the backlash to his now-viral tweet about Ash Barty drinking a beer with Channel Nine’s Australian Open commentary team.
The former Australian Idol host appeared on Hit NSW Breakfast with Maz & Lakey on Wednesday to defend himself against online attacks.
‘It’s been mischaracterised as if I am having an attack on Ash, who I love and adore and I think is an extraordinary role model,’ said the 44-year-old.
Response: James Mathison has opened up about the backlash to his now-viral tweet about Ash Barty drinking a beer with Nine’s Australian Open commentary team. Pictured here in 2008
Mathison had previously accused Barty and Nine of ‘glamorising’ and ‘glorifying’ booze after the world No. 1 drank beer with the network’s commentators to celebrate her Australian Open win on Saturday night.
He told radio hosts Maz Compton and Danny Lakey that people were angry at him because they don’t like anyone criticising Australia’s drinking culture.
‘I was watching this with my kids and then the only way that is culturally or societally accepted to celebrate is with booze?’ Mathison explained.
‘Part of the reaction has been surprising because people don’t want their relationship with booze ever questioned.
‘The tweet was more about that, putting her [Barty] in a situation where she had to participate [in drinking] or be “un-Australian”.’
Lightning rod: The former Australian Idol host appeared on Hit NSW Breakfast with Maz & Lakey on Wednesday to defend himself against online attacks. Barty is pictured with the Channel Nine commentators drinking beers following her Australian Open victory
However the media personality seemed resigned to facing the fury, admitting: ‘The outrage machine needs to be fed and today it’s me.’
Mathison’s original tweet said the ‘glamorisation of alcohol in this country is normalised to the point where we can’t even celebrate success without booze on live TV’ after Barty encouraged the Nine commentary team to have a beer with her on air.
His comments infuriated many Australians, with one writing on Facebook: ‘Crawl back into your hole, James. She’s an adult that worked her guts out to win a Grand Slam tournament.
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‘If it was a Gatorade, you’d complain about the sugar intake.’
Scold: Mathison (left in 2017) called out Channel Nine and Barty (right, on Saturday) for ‘glamorising alcohol’ after Barty’s Australian Open triumph on Saturday
Several agreed, with one critic writing: ‘Leave the poor girl alone… if she wants to neck a beer after working her a**e off to win then let her.’
However, Mathison defended himself on Twitter, writing: ‘This is not an attack on Ash, who I adore and is an incredible role model.’
‘Channel Nine foisted the beer on her. This is about our lionisation of alcohol and how that seeps into everything.’
Not having it: Aussies leapt to Barty’s defence after the perceived slight against the 25-year-old tennis superstar
Clarification: Former TV presenter Mathison defended himself on Twitter, writing: ‘This is not an attack on Ash, who I adore and is an incredible role model. Channel Nine foisted the beer on her. This is about our lionisation of alcohol and how that seeps into everything’
Barty had encouraged the commentary team, including Casey Dellacqua and Alicia Molik, to have a Corona with her after her win against America’s Danielle Collins.
In September, it was revealed Mathison is now working at an Amazon distribution warehouse after stepping away from the spotlight.
The married father of two was pictured pushing trolleys at the warehouse on Sydney’s Northern Beaches – a stark difference to life in the early 2000s when he co-hosted Australian Idol for six years with Osher Günsberg.
Commentary: Mathison (pictured in April 2019) used to host Australian Idol for Channel 10, but has stepped away from the spotlight in recent years
His view: He tweeted that the ‘glamorisation of alcohol in this country is normalised to the point where we can’t even celebrate success without booze on live TV’
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