Thursday 16 April 2009

Diagnosis: dickhead

For the second time in recent history, Paul Henry has shown he's more interested in what a woman looks like that what she says or does.

Interviewing Josh Kronfeld about Rachel, his Dancing with the Stars partner, Henry said, 'You obviously got very close to [Rachel's] outfits, and some of them were stunning. Was it hard to keep your mind on the moves?".

Kronfeld succinctly said what many of us have been thinking, calling Henry a 'dickhead' on live TV.

He added later, "Well, the guy was being a dickhead ... It was just a cheap shot, and cheapened what dancing means to Rachel."

Good on you, Josh. It's a sad irony, though, that Paul Henry is indifferent when the ladies point out his mindless sexism - but now that an ex-All Black's done it, there's a chance he'll notice.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I watched that video and it made me want to barf. Paul Henry is like a little baby. He giggles at his own jokes and he thinks he's hilarious.

Lex said...

Eep. Even though it does suck that the cache of the outburst is increased by his status as one of the gods of NZ's masculine hegemony, relative to if it was say, I who had said it, I think that anyone challenging this crap is a good thing.

In fact, sad as it may be, it's that very cultural weight that he carries that may actually set an example of the plausibility of being a thinking, respectful, non-violent man to the rest of The Oafs, like ol'Pauly, who still think they can get away with such facile bullshit. But of course, we all see it everyday: they can.

So yeah, nice to see someone from The Other Side pulling out a good one.

Good onya Krozza.

Azlemed said...

if it takes an all black to make him grow up then I arent bothered too much.. he is a dickhead and good on Josh for calling him one.

Unfortunately dickheads like henry probably will respond better to superior males than all the outcries in the world from women, because he doesnt seem to realise that women are actually people too...

Emma said...

Sorry, I thought from reading the article that Josh came across as a bit of a dick himself.

"Well, the guy was being a dickhead. I thought he was being disrespectful to me."

Good scores from judge Craig Revel Horwood had continued to elude him, he said.

"I think he must have secret feelings for me or something and his only response is to be horrible to me."
A gay joke. Wee.

Anonymous said...

Interestingly enough, Josh also said he supported much of what Paul says and does - so this is pure clutching at straws.

Paul said...

Hello World. This is our state broadcaster at work. Sorry.

A Blogger said...

I predict Josh will do what all the other Z grade celebs do, and have a career in reality tv.

Anna said...

It's too soon to celebrate Josh as a feminist icon. But I do think it's valuable when he and others of his ilk speak in favour of respectful treatment of women, for the simple reason that they have more influence over the people whose behaviour feminism would like to change.

I was profoundly relieved when Matthew Ridge immediately denounced Tony Vietch when that news broke (even though I detest Ridge) - and given all the misogynist crap that's been propogated since, Ridge's denouncement sadly sounds quite strident.

Unknown said...

Anna: I too was relieved (and pleasantly surprised) by Matthew Ridge's denunciation. My first thought was that his teenage daughter was probably less likely to end up like poor Millie Elder. Why is Paul Holmes still allowed to go on about gangs and drugs without examining how his daughter's apparent lack of self-worth may be related to his own misogyny? Here's a guy who very publicly leaves his wife for a younger woman and publishes the sordid details, who rants about female journalists being bitchy and hormonal, and (again, very publicly) supports his woman-bashing colleague, and he wonders why his daughter is so messed up.

Sorry, that was way off-topic. What is it with dickheads called Paul anyway?