A popular Australian comedian has taken back his criticism of Grace Tame and the ABC after his employer hired her for a four-part podcast series.
Radio and TV host Charlie Pickering on Thursday claimed that his comments calling Tame’s new job ‘problematic’ were ‘taken out of context’.
Pickering had been confronted by right-wing YouTuber Avi Yemeni on Tuesday during a protest outside the ABC’s Melbourne office following the premiere of the first episode of Tame’s podcast.
He was asked for his thoughts on the ABC’s hiring of Tame for the new venture, given his family is Jewish and she made controversial remarks during pro-Palestine rallies.
Those statements included leading a chant to ‘globalise the intifada’ – interpreted by some as a call for Palestinian resistance against Israel and others as inciting violence against Jews.
Tame has also claimed that reports of sexual violence by Hamas during its attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 were ‘debunked’ despite the United Nations finding they were credible.
‘I think, as a Jewish Australian, there’s a complete misunderstanding of a lot of the words that are said and what (the) true meanings of them are,’ Pickering said on Tuesday referencing the intifada chant.
‘A lot of people are using words and phrases that have meaning well beyond what they think they do. I think you could argue that a lot of people who jump on protest bandwagons are ignorant a lot of the time.’
ABC radio host Charlie Pickering (above) claimed his criticism of Grace Tame was taken ‘out of context’
The comedian on Thursday walked back his criticism and instead claimed that he was a ‘big fan’ of Tame.
‘I was ambushed by a known provocateur (Yemeni) and pressed into a conversation that was not planned and that I definitely had no intention of being a part of,’ he told drivetime radio listeners.
‘I would never have agreed or planned to be interviewed by that person, and to say so misrepresents me and the full context of the situation.
‘More importantly than that, I am very disappointed that there is a suggestion I am against Grace Tame, or that she is not an appropriate host of a podcast about autism. This is simply untrue.
‘I’ve always been a big fan of Grace Tame. She’s an outstanding advocate for those on the autism spectrum, for survivors, and for women, and for all of us.’
Pickering added he ‘admired’ Tame’s work as an activist and said ‘reasonable minds will differ’ on the issues around Palestine and Israel.
‘I spoke on this occasion on behalf of myself and no one else. From that, all manner of beliefs and positions have been projected onto me that are not true. But that’s on me,’ he said.
The first episode of a four-part ABC podcast hosted by Tame (above) premiered on Tuesday
ABC star Charlie Pickering (pictured with his Jewish-American wife Sarah Krasnostein) gave a brutally honest opinion about Grace Tame’s new podcast
‘Context is in short supply these days and I should have known better. I forgot the immortal words of Jay Z: ‘A wise man told me don’t argue with fools because people from a distance can’t tell who is who’.
‘I was a little naive and I will learn from that … but whatever beliefs I may hold on any particular issue, it cannot be said I have a problem with or would in any way have gone after Grace Tame.’
Outspoken Yemini on Thursday night hit back at the apparent turnaround and accused Pickering of ‘cowering’ to the ABC.
An ABC spokesperson said Pickering’s comments did not breach the broadcaster’s code of conduct.
