Rudd starts redneck war with Alabama

Yas says:

03:19pm | 01/04/10

Hahaha! the whole thing is so hilarious! Robin Williams is making a bunch of unoffensive jokes we perpetuated with crocodile Dundee to begin with. I’ve seen skit where he has a go at the Scotts, and the English, and the French. It’s good to know our little country is now equal in terms of being stereotyped in popular culture (you’re no body until somebody bothers to stereo type you, just ask middle eastern people from 30 years back, and Russian from 20 years back).
“public booting” what a classic. Why didn’t anyone attack Matt Groening about defaming “us”?
“i see you’ve played knifey- spooney before” lol!

neilmc says:

03:36pm | 01/04/10

Today’s work morning tea conversation included a laugh at Robin WIlliams performance on Australian rednecks.

Was our PM really that hurt? Mr Rudd, please stop taking pointless swings at comedians and fix stuff like your nutty web censorship policy (and the many other things that need your attention).

PM, just embrace your redneckedness and get on with the job.

Mr Pastry says:

03:38pm | 01/04/10

This is great - I can openly show my hatred of Mr WIlliams well rehearsed and scripted, zany, madcap humour.  Fast delivery with a silly voice does not make up for cr@p material.  Please note this spontaneous, off the wall routine will be appearing verbatim on multiple talk shows (as long as the show has a mirror table in the green room).

Kim says:

03:43pm | 01/04/10

It’s all very “Yes Minister"ish isn’t it?  KRudd should have kept his mouth shut and accepted that this was a comedian calling us English Rednecks.

BTW, I resent the English part.

Good story Leo.  Had a quiet chuckle to myself.

luke09 says:

04:00pm | 01/04/10

This act of dumbness proves Kevin Rudd is not the messiah he pretends to be, in reality, he is just an immature little boy. 

WHR says:

04:04pm | 01/04/10

I for one thought it was comment was harmless, it simply poked at a stereotype of Australia.

Lee from WA says:

04:21pm | 01/04/10

I thought Robin Williams was hilarious The only thing I took slight at was saying that Australian Rules Football was Rugby Union. Here is WA (the home of the backwards lifestyle), we don’t appreciate such a slur on AFL. But what he said about scrum packs was pretty funny.

J says:

04:27pm | 01/04/10

Compared to the comic relief that America is giving the world at the moment, this jibe by Robin Williams is nothing.

Seriously, PM…. you’re out of your depth on this one…

Amanda says:

04:27pm | 01/04/10

Let me get this right…

There is a bloke named Kev. whos brother is Mal, Greg and Loreeee all lived on a dairy farm in country Qld, got booted off because they didnt pay the rent and there fore where squatters ( very OZ)  and lived on the side of the road eating who knows what. Grew up and goes to strip clubs getting so drunk that he cant remember, who got the nick name Dr Death and says thing like fair shake of the sauce bottle and has a best mate called Swanny.

thinks that Robin Williams has gone to far calling us redneck. I think that Robin Williams has a point. If he is looking at the PM.

Luke says:

04:43pm | 01/04/10

Won’t this just serve to keep that sterotype going? I much prefer the idea of Australians as generally having a great sense of humor and not sweating the little drama like this, rather than simply being “English rednecks”. Sadly, Rudd’s response perpetuates the latter.

Seano says:

05:02pm | 01/04/10

It was a dumb thing to say.

Perhaps Rudd needs media classes too

Markster says:

04:57pm | 01/04/10

From his admissions of being too drunk to know he was in a strip club, does Krudd remember if he ever visited Alabama?  His response was about as statesman like as sticking $1 bills down a g-string!

Louis McLennan says:

06:33pm | 01/04/10

Alabama and Australia rule. Rudd does not. Didn’t Kevin used to rock a short hair middle part/bum part?

Here is a photo from less than 12 months ago.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs015.snc1/4495_93016076183_587026183_2307548_7064051_n.jpg

Just so happens that there be no mullets in that picture.

Jonathan Appleyard says:

08:55pm | 01/04/10

Rudd has proved he’s not worthy of being a statesman. Obama will take notice of this.

I enjoyed this US-based blog:

Being a native Alabamian, I can but note that nobody from Alabama ever set up anything nearly as stupid as Rudd’s recent “global warming” plan that cost nearly $3 billion and led directly to over a hundred houses burning down and several deaths. That’s pretty impressive; my 100%-Alabamian grandad was an electrician, and in a 60-year career (he was still doing wiring in his 80’s), he never managed to burn down even one house.

I understand that “bogan” is Australian for “redneck.” Say, Tim, what’s Aussie for, “Rudd, you’re a tool?”

http://wcollier.blogspot.com/2010/03/kevin-rudd-tool.html

Fren says:

09:42pm | 01/04/10

Williams is a funny dude, I think a good sense of a country attitude is that they can they laugh at themselves.

Williams goes on to say that he thought Australians are lovely people!!!

look at the whole interview on U - Tube.

DD says:

09:46pm | 01/04/10

LOL @ REDNECK RUDD - Alabama governor hits out at Rudd’s ‘redneck’ jibe - “I’m not sure if Prime Minister Rudd has ever been to Alabama,” Riley responded in a statement. “If? he has, he would know that Alabamians are decent, hard working, creative people…..  Alabama is home to Australian companies like Austral which employs more than 1000 Alabamians at the world’s largest aluminium shipyard…”

Terry says:

10:17pm | 01/04/10

Hey there Im actually from Dothan, Alabama.

I wouldnt consider my self redneck nor any other folks from my part of the world redneck, in fact I think your Prime Minister has made a racist remark!!!

I will be seeking legal advice and get back to you all on that.

Jack says:

10:20pm | 01/04/10

Good to see Kev tackling the big issues.

Martin C says:

12:49am | 02/04/10

I saw the Williams interview and also found a couple of odd things “IF Darwin landed in Australia” ... ummm, he DID. 1836. Far from saying “I’m wrong”, what he saw here had a great influence on his masterwork Origin Of Species.

And then the reference to Aussie Rules football, but descriptions of it that show he actually meant one of the Rugby codes.

In addition, Williams tried a few one-liners that rather bombed with the audience. If the PM had left it alone, this story would just have been a standard “comedian has a bit of an off night”, frankly.

stephen says:

02:34am | 02/04/10

I think the Prime Minister was right, and you’re wrong Leo and so are the lot of yers.
This is Robin’s style of criticism : he’ll insert the barb (we’re rednecks etc) and cover his tracks (bad manners etc) with general comments.
In the end , we’re left with a funny after-taste, but we think it was humour.

(Don’t any of youse watch his films ? Watch an early one, Good Morn. Vietnam. He makes quite cutting and true comments about culture, and clothes in ad/lib,ad/hoc wit.) But, then, so what. we’re rednecks.

notsurprised says:

06:36am | 02/04/10

Ok people, you’ve had your popularity over substance vote on the back of Twit-book and.all the other Me generation self promotion techniques, can we now have a proper leader for this country?

peter says:

08:48am | 02/04/10

Surely this is a matter for our cultural ambassador, Sir Les Patterson.
If anyone can find common ground, between rapture rednecks and pommie rednecks, he would be more than capable.

Ryan says:

09:16am | 02/04/10

I loved Robin Williams’ apology, he and Rudd will make up again, Robin has promised to take Rudd to his favourite happy place in the whole wide taxpayer funded world, a New York strip club!

panic says:

10:30am | 02/04/10

Perhaps Mr Rudd attempted a little post modern satire. Comments here seem to lack any multidimensional insight into the Rudd comment. Is this bagging of Rudd another example of the average Australians inferiority complex?

Chris says:

11:20am | 02/04/10

Kevin rudd is australias biggest redneck. just look at what conroy is doing, look at what mr beds are burning has already done. This country is stuffed. Alabama atleast get decent insulation and open Internet…

Jan says:

11:27am | 02/04/10

Never did like the Williams act.  On the other hand, I sure don’t like the Rudd act either.  Both of them are probably more suited to a New York strip club.  One the local comedian, the other a taxpayer-funded patron.

Rudd should have kept his motorised mouth shut, but that would be asking too much wouldn’t it.

Peter says:

01:04pm | 02/04/10

Well George Bush said no other place in the world reminds him of Texas more than Australia.. Although, not having been to Texas, im not sure what that means..  I haven’t seen too many Aussies sipping their latte’s with guns hanging out of their holsters..

Miss Smack says:

04:36pm | 02/04/10

Oh good on ya Kev.  Taking on Robin William’s is akin to comedic suicide for you, mate!

You’re just NOT funny!  And you left yourself wide open for that strip club come-back. Cracked me up!

Sorry Alabama!!

TC says:

06:11pm | 02/04/10

Good on you Kev.

The big man tackling the big issues.

S.L says:

07:12pm | 02/04/10

Why is it when I read this article and comments I can’t get dualling banjos out of my head? I personally couldn’t care less what Mr Rudd said about the Williams comments and I bet Robin can’t either. Who’s trying to make a mountain out of a molehill? His subsequent apology would purely be out of politeness.

Anjuli says:

10:59am | 03/04/10

I have just read the full interview with Robin Williams by David Letterman in the West Australian and don’t know what all the fuss is about . I think Kevin Rudd should have read this article first before making such a stupid remark.Just show how much he just loves the lime light.

Chris Ho-Stuart says:

05:13pm | 03/04/10

It’s amazing how many people miss the fact that Williams was laughing at our accent with the “English redneck” joke.

It’s also amazing how many people are reporting on Williams “apology”. That one where he suggests a trip to a strip club and promises to send Rudd a transcript of all his routines that mention Australia. Hint. If a comedian offers you an apology, look again.

Perhaps it is William’s idea of comedy timing that has everyone so confused. He’s discovered it is funny (for some folks, at least, me included) to get your jokes out so quickly that you’ve already told the next three while your audience is still figuring out the first.

Front Row says:

06:02pm | 03/04/10

Williams was on to something.

Southern cross soldier says:

10:52pm | 04/04/10

Australia. Officially a redneck nation! Bogan Pride forever

HAha says:

10:54pm | 04/04/10

Loved reading all the bogan comments on the bogan news blog of the year!

ME says:

01:42pm | 05/04/10

Rudd waited until we had our “5 super hornets that put us on a war footing” before taking on ole Alibamiee!!!! I they are shaking in their reddy boots haha.

Syd Bourne says:

01:25am | 06/04/10

Since when did Australians lose the ability to laugh at themselves? How seriously do we take ourselves?
We good at dishing it out to e.g. Poms and others,
BUT not so good at taking it?
Lighten up Oz and have a laugh at a great comedian