Sean Plunket appears to blame Kanoa Lloyd for the Dancing with the Stars controversy. Photo / Paul Estcourt/File
Sean Plunket appears to blame Kanoa Lloyd for the Dancing with the Stars controversy. Photo / Paul Estcourt/File
Controversial broadcaster Sean Plunket has accused fellow MediaWorks host Kanoa Lloyd of being responsible for the dismissal of Hannah Tamaki from the Dancing in the Stars show.
In a tweet, Plunket accuses Lloyd of standing for diversity but says she achieved the exact opposite, by getting a "Māori grandmother" fired, as well as a gay man.
"Well done @KanoaLloyd you've managed to get a Māori grandmother off prime time TV and have a gay man fired. That's a win win for diversity right there," Plunket tweeted.
Well done @KanoaLloyd you’ve managed to get a Maori Grandmother off prime time tv and have a gay man fired. That’s a win win for diversity right there! #nzpol
The gay man Plunket refers to is Jevan Goulter, Hannah Tamaki's former campaign manager, who was fired after a raging tirade on social media, wherein he insulted Lloyd.
In an online tirade against The Project's Kanoa Lloyd, Goulter, who had acted as a spokesperson for the Tamaki's Vision NZ, called Lloyd "rancid rotton [sic] stuffed pig with blood pouring out of her eyes" and said she should "show NZ what voluntary euthanasia looks like".
The stoush began when the Herald on Sunday revealed that Tamaki was tipped to appear on the next series of MediaWorks' Dancing With the Stars.
The Herald on Sunday revealing that Tamaki was tipped to appear on the next series of MediaWorks' Dancing With the Stars. Photo / File
On Monday evening's The Project, Lloyd said that Tamaki should not be on the programme.
"I love Dancing with the Stars, and I don't really think I want to see a homophobic paso doble or a xenophobic cha-cha," she said.
"It was originally planned for Hannah to take part in the show. We now recognise this was a mistake and we apologise," a spokesperson said.
"We have seen a very strong reaction, some of which has been extreme and concerning and MediaWorks does not condone bullying. We would be failing in our duty of care to everyone if we continued as planned."
Plunket's tweet on Wednesday reignited the debate on social media. While a few followers took his side, many pointed out that it was Goulter's words, not Lloyd's, which led to those consequences.
Sean Plunket appears to blame Kanoa Lloyd for the Dancing with the Stars controversy. Photo / Paul Estcourt/File
"Hmmmm all about the spin isn't it, gay man got himself fired, the same way the grandmother had dancing shoes removed by her words and actions. Diversity is not tokenism Mr Plunket," one person replied.
"Its disappointing that you can't separate their values by other identifies. Being Māori or gay is not why these people had consequences. Being vile humans did that," someone else said.
Contacted by the Herald, Mediaworks says it has no position on Plunket's tweet.
"Our talent are entitled to use their platforms to share their opinions and feelings on matters that are important to them. At Mediaworks we encourage healthy debate on the issues that are important to New Zealanders," a spokesperson said.
