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Gordon Ramsay gets a roasting from Aussie PM over pig slur at show
Jonathan Prynn, Consumer Business Editor09.06.09
Gordon Ramsay was dragged into a diplomatic row today after an exchange of insults with one of Australia's most respected TV journalists.
The chef infuriated Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd by making offensive comments about Tracy Grimshaw, the host of Nine Network's A Current Affair programme.
Ramsay was also facing further allegations about his treatment of women with new footage of him taken before the interview with Grimshaw.
In makeup, he was filmed telling staff: "Christ almighty. Your f*****g breath stinks. F*****g caffeine. Turn round the other way."
In another shot, speaking about the station's weathergirl Lavinia Nixon, he said: "She doesn't know her arse from her elbow. She said it would be p*****g down with rain and it isn't."
He told another female reporter that if she ran a marathon she should rub extra-virgin olive oil into her nipples, saying: "Having run 10 marathons, extra-virgin olive oil is good for the nipples. Hot tip."
Ramsay today issued an apology in an attempt to contain the controversy.
A statement said: "Gordon was giving a live cooking demonstration at the BBC Good Food Show in Australia last weekend in front of a large and boisterous audience.
His comments relating to Tracy Grimshaw were off the cuff and in response to heckling from the audience.
"His intention was to make a joke and indeed he did raise a big laugh at the time.
"However, with hindsight he realizes that his comments were inappropriate and offensive to Tracy Grimshaw, and he has unreservedly apologised both to her and anybody else who may have been upset."
A friend of the chef said: "He shows this image of the pig to make a joke about swine flu, but someone in the audience shouted out that night 'It's Tracy Grimshaw'.
That's what kicked it all off. But he realises that what raises a laugh in front of 3,000 people, in the cold light of day is not appropriate.
"Comparing a woman to a pig is not cool. He is trying to get in touch with her to apologise in person and he is going to do a TV interview to explain himself."
Ramsay was also alleged to have suggested that Grimshaw was a lesbian, although he has denied using the word.
The interviewer hit back on her programme, describing the F-Word TV star as "an arrogant narcissist bully".
She added: "How many people would laugh if they were effectively described as an old, ugly pig?"
Mr Rudd waded into the storm today, praising Grimshaw. He said: "I think I can describe his remarks as reflecting a new form of low life.
"I just drew breath when I saw the sort of stuff which was said about her, I just think that's off and offensive. Good on Tracy Grimshaw for coming out and giving him a left uppercut."
Ramsay's live show followed an interview he gave the presenter on Friday, when he demanded that she not ask any questions about his private life.
During his show the chef put an image of a woman on her hands and knees with multiple breasts and the facial features of a pig on a big screen behind him.
He told the laughing crowd: "I'm not going to tell you the name but it begins with a T."
Responding on her programme, Grimshaw said: "How is that funny exactly? And worse it's not even witty.
"We all know that bullies thrive when no one takes them on. I am not going to sit meekly and let some arrogant narcissist bully me.
"Obviously Gordon thinks that any woman who doesn't find him attractive must be gay. For the record I don't and I am not."
Watch Tracy Grimshaw's response...
Reader views (35)
I have been under the impression that the admonition "sticks and stones can break my bones but names can never hurt me" was taught by (a near unanimity of) American moms and dads to their children ONLY because this bit of cultural wisdom originated from English heritage (including a heritage shared by the Scot Ramsay and the Aussie Grimshaw).
1. My mother taught me just out of the crib that when you pay too much time and attention in response to put-downs and insults from others, it means that you fill up undeservingly a part of their empty lives. Better to ignore them.
2. Unfortunately I now live in a culture (a Turkish one) which is very Old World, and it considers a mild insult to be more outrageous and felonious than a punch to the solar plexus or the proboscis. In a culture that is more likely to arrest someone for the use of his mouth than of his fists you are more likely to see governments deny free speech and oppress their people.
In my AMERICAN culture, we regard those who let themselves be hurt by the childishness of others as childish themselves. If Grimshaw really wanted to return the hurt, the most awful thing she could have done to Ramsay is to (pretend to) ignore it and not to give this nobody-whose-15-minutes-are-about-up the attention he craves.
- Mitch, Ankara, Turkey
Never in history of celeb chefs has there been such a media craze of a foul mouthed, disrespecting chef. Manners maketh the man Gordon - remember that. Forgetting the looks (you have a face like a dried up prune) but he is a verbal bully. His success could also be his downfall. His food isn't all that either - I know, I have eaten in 2 of his resturants and left disappointed.
- Food Lover, London, England
Gordon Ramsay and his cookery shows typify an extremely unedifying trend in TV today to revel in watching people being bullied, belittled, and sneered at. The same thread runs through shows like The Weakest Link and the Jeremy Kyle Show. Don't TV bosses realise that with enough exposure to this sort of 'entertainment', people will start to see such behaviour as acceptable and even normal? How is this helping build the fair, tolerant, and supportive society that we all claim we want to live in?
- Ben, London
Tracy Grimshaw - "one of Australia's most respected TV journalists." - hahahahaha - anyone who has ever watched A Current Affair will know that the quality of journalism is poor at best. The sensationalism this program lives off has defamed a lot of good people without any repercussions. Personal insults aside Ms Grimshaw gets what she deserves.
- Chris, Sydney, Australia
There is nothing subtle about Ramsay, he is crude and rude. That is why some people here like what he does. Cant stand him myself.
But I have to say the Aussie PM has been known to come out with a few howlers himself.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Saw him on the news last night and boy does he look ill. Is he alright, never seen him look so thin and gaunt.
- Anon, uk
Message to all Australians,Hit the bully where it hurts..........In the Pocket.
Ive eaten at a Gordon Ramsay,and trust me I've had better at Burger King.He's over rated over priced and seemingling over sexed for a kitchen jocky.Send him back to where he belongs............the swill bucket
- Mick, London
He has to get noticed somehow, but doing this at the expense of others is a low trick. Remember that people who swear have a poor command of a language. So I suppose we can actually call him an uneducated yob! Feel sorry for him.
- Anne, Durbanville, RSA
Well he did better than expected, a few choice remarks and even more free publicity. Just a pity that the cuisine in his eateries would imrove with embellishment of the swine flu condiment.
- William, Red Hill UK
Gotta laugh, this mental midget Ramsay thinks he is good looking and Tracey isn't. Has the buffoon ever looked into a mirror, he's dead dropped ugly. That combined with the fact that he's only got about two brain cells makes him look like the stupid one.
- Len, Perth, Australia
I was the Good Food Show and saw this foul mouthed bully. He is a loser and needs to learn how to treat women. The things he said weren't funny and no-one laughed. They were in fact, in shock at his comments - and rightly so.
Let's kick him out of Australia!
- Kathy, Melbourne, Australia
Has he looked in the mirror recently? Brad Pitt he certainly isn't !!!!!
- Yvonne, Cardiff, Wales
When is Britain going to get over its addiction to celebrity chefs? It's time to cut off the publicity for these clowns.
- Mark, Venice, Italy
Strange reactions. Some love him, some hate him.There seems no middle ground. I must be one of the few in the middle. My biggest disappointment with him is his recipes. I love to cook and have watched his creations intensely. Many are extremely bland and most are VERY unhealthy. Far too much use of butter, double cream, sugar etc etc.
As for the Aussie, he was using her and trying to be a comedian. It was not great comedy so she should let it go for what it was.
Ray, expat in USA.
- Ray, Marlborough USA
Ramsay's foul language and arrogance has been excessive for a long time. Thank goodness for Rudd daring to hit this oaf back. I like Oz anyway, but this makes me realise they have standards that we USED to have 20 years ago.
What is happening to the UK?
Nothing seems to be taboo now!
It is really depressing just like his TV show with more swearing than I have had hot dinners.
- Mikey, Guildford
Tracy, don't take these comments to heart.
- Dereck, London, England
Why this Aussie woman did not laught it off, which is the best response to some one like Gordon Ramsay.
- Gary, LONDON
Ramsay is a national embarrassment: fouled mouthed and uncouth
- Alan, London
Lighten up girl!
- Reay, london
It is not surprising from this neanderthal,but i want to know how much lower can the media will get ??
- Mike B, Lincoln UK
For god's sake where's your sense of humour woman? Think you're in the wrong job love. (From another woman).
- Busylizzy, Italy
This is the same Aussie PM that threw a complete hissy fit on two occasions: Bullying a flight attendant until she cried and throwing a wobbler because he couldn't get a hair dryer during a visit to troops in Afghanistan.
Gordon should be very worried!
- Carl, London
Is there a more disgusting, mysogymixtic, mealy-mouthed idiot who carried a British pasport than this man ? I think not
- Keith Price, Luton, England
You know you have really messed up when an Australian has a go at you for cussing a Shelia mate.
Mary, London I suspect he would treat it as a joke if you did the same to him. Sticks and stones
- Gary, Brentwood 2
Ramsey is and always will be a verbal THUG much of his behaviour would be deemed to be threatening behaviour if it happened on a street.
- Mike M, Bedford England
WOW! Tracy you need to lighten up a bit...and whats with the botox...way too much!
As a journalist you should take this in your stride, as Gordon is not know for being PC. Lets hope you dont get to meet BORAT !!!
- Sam, London
You shouldn't worry about Gordon Ramsey; Ethan,UK.
Just smack him in the mouth; that will shut him up.
- Mickyinlondon, london
An Australian complaining about Gordon Ramsey's rudeness? NEVER!
- Napoleon Blownaparte, London
About time someone stood up to this foul mouthed bully. He makes good television for peoplw who like that sort of thing. For the rest of us he is just a bore.
- Peter Haldane, London
The tabloid media here help breed monsters like Ramsey. If we stop eating at his restaurants and watching him, the nasty little boy will go away.
- Jim, london
Ramsey is an ignorant oaf. The main problem is that the people who produce his shows and the people who watch them are also ignorant oafs.
If the viewing public refused to watch him, and the eating public refused to patronise his cafe where would he be?
- Anil Chatterjee, Manchester
A Grimshaw butty, yummy. Nice picture
Tracy should not have said anything Ramsey is walking the Woss tight rope; his restaurants are critically under-performing. Ramsey needs to look after his customers and cut the world tour.
- Ge, Kernow
Thats the Gordan Ramsey that made him famous, what do they expect? In all fairness the Aussie PM should stick to politics and stay out of small matters on TV.
- Brandon Thomas, SW7, London
I despise Gordon Ramsay. He's a bully who would go crying to his mummy if the same was done to him. He also wouldn't do it if it was a big bloke standing opposite him, for fear of getting his face smashed. Typical coward and bully. Oh and did I mention I find him bloody ugly too?
- Mary, London
Fairly watchable TV but there's no doubt Ramsey is a terribly rude bully. He's usually right on culinary matters but even so I wouldn't like to meet him or live near him.
- Ethan, UK
