Popular Australian comedian Charlie Pickering has walked back his recent criticism of Grace Tame after she was hired by the ABC to host a new podcast series. Pickering was approached by far-right commentator Avi Yemeni outside the ABC’s Melbourne office on Tuesday, where a ‘Defund the ABC’ protest was taking place following the first episode of Tame’s podcast.
The four-part series, called Autistic AF, delves into Tame’s experiences as an autistic woman and includes interviews with experts and other women. The podcast was slammed by critics, who accused the national broadcaster of being “tone-deaf” after Tame faced recent controversies about her attendance at a pro-Palestine rally where she was filmed chanting “globalise the intifada”. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese controversially labelled her “difficult” in response.
During the exchange, Pickering was asked about the ABC working with Tame, particularly in light of her comments at pro-Palestine rallies. “I do actually think it’s problematic, that’s my personal opinion,” the TV star and ABC radio host said. “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. 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.”
The clip, which has attracted over 500,000 views across social media, sparked fury among viewers, who branded the comedian “ignorant”. “He’ll never be funny again. Genocide is not funny business,” wrote one. “Pickering says that Grace Tame, a victim of sexual abuse, Australian of the Year, a genuine leader is ‘problematic’ due to her support of Palestinian victims,” said another. “This was an extremely ignorant thing to say,” said a third.
Speaking on ABC radio on Thursday, Pickering said the conversation unfolded unexpectedly and didn’t reflect how he actually feels about Tame. “I was ambushed by a known provocateur and pressed into conversation that was not planned and that I definitely had no intention of being part of,” he said. “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 not true. 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.”
The comedian also claimed his comments had been interpreted more broadly than he intended. “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. “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 particularly issue, it cannot be said that I have a problem with or would in any way have gone after Grace Tame.”
Yemeni has since taken to social media to criticise the radio star’s backflip, accusing him of backing down from his earlier comments. “Pickering’s account conflicts with video evidence showing him agreeing to the interview with Avi Yemini and freely speaking his mind, including calling the hiring of Grace Tame by the ABC ‘problematic’,” he wrote.
Tame, who has become one of Australia’s most recognisable advocacy voices in recent years, is hosting a four-part podcast focused on autism – a space where she has long been active, drawing on lived experience and campaigning. The podcast was launched months after Tame lost speaking gigs around the nation in what she described as an “ongoing national smear campaign”. Tame has since defended her actions in an interview with ABC radio host Hamish McDonald, saying she was a human-rights activist who advocated for the safety of all human beings, no matter their background.
