Radio shock jock Kyle Sandilands recently made a disparaging comment about Natalie Barr's legs on his new subscription show, days after a tense interview with the Sunrise host. The remark followed a confrontation last Tuesday on the breakfast television program, where Barr questioned Sandilands about controversial comments he has made throughout his radio career and their potential impact on his young son.
Sandilands, 55, stated on Tuesday that he had considered critiquing Barr's physical appearance during their interview but ultimately decided against it out of "respect for women." He then described Barr's legs as "scaly" and suggested they needed moisturizing.
During the interview, Sandilands responded defensively when Barr asked if he would be comfortable with his three-year-old son, Otto, listening to his past broadcasts. "Yeah, I don't care. Have you ever heard the show?" Sandilands retorted, suggesting Barr had a "dramatised imagination" of his program.
Barr pressed further, inquiring about genuine regrets Sandilands might have regarding past comments about women, disability, remarks referencing the Holocaust, and broadcasting private conversations. Sandilands characterized these incidents not as regrets but as learning experiences. He explained that some comments were genuinely mistakes or foolish, while others could be misinterpreted or "twisted" when broadcast.
"Sometimes it's fake. Sometimes it's real. But I just take it as a learning lesson," Sandilands said. "You take, you learn, you realise who you've offended. You realise what you've said and why it was offensive."
He added that he has been in radio for 35 years, and while some things have offended people, "[The Kyle & Jackie O Show] was really a comedy show" with "just jokes." He concluded that in the current climate, "It only takes one person to be offended... and then the whole world has to stop."
Following the interview, Sandilands was heard ranting about the segment as he left the Sunrise studios, dismissing Barr's questioning as an accusation that he was "horrible to women, and handicapped people, and anyone with any sort of sadness."