Laws sorry for 'fat Indian' remarks

Michael Laws. Photo / Wanganui Chronicle

Michael Laws has this afternoon apologised for comments he made last week about the Governor General, despite previously stating he would not do so.

In a statement on the RadioLive website, Mr Laws apologised for calling Sir Anand Satyanand a "large, fat man" who has "never left" the buffet table.

"I apologise to the Governor General for comments which were, upon reflection, uncharitable and inappropriate," Mr Laws said.

"I reserve the right to be controversial and outspoken.

"But my off-air comments, in particular, crossed the line from puckish to insulting, and although that was not my intent, it was still inappropriate.

"I also apologise to MediaWorks for any embarrassment that may have been subsequently caused."

On his talkback radio show on Monday last week, Mr Laws laid into Sir Anand, saying he was an "unusual-shaped man" who reminded him of the impossibly obese Monty Python character Mr Creosote.

He also likened him to a British actor who played the Agatha Christie creation Hercule Poirot on UK television.

"That reminds me of Anand Satyanand, but Anand Satyanand could never move that quickly. He is a very large, fat man," he said.

"I don't know why but just on an Indian it seems slightly incongruous.

"I mean, we don't all expect Indians to be begging on the streets of New Delhi, but it's like Anand discovered the buffet table at, like, 20 and he's never really left it."

Mr Laws comments followed those of Breakfast Paul Henry, who questioned whether the next Governor General would "look like a New Zealander".

Yesterday Prime Minister John Key called on Mr Laws to apologise, but Mr Laws said he should "stop being so PC".

"He's the Prime Minister, he's not some pussy that the Labour Party decided to plant in the National Party so I'd say to the Prime Minister get back to watching the rugby and worry about being so overtly politically correct when the rest of the country needs you to show some real leadership around the economy."

The comments followed Laws' remarks to the Herald on Sunday at the weekend, when he said he stood by everything he'd said.

De Bres' opinion "is so out of touch with mainstream New Zealand", Laws said, and the uproar about Henry was exaggerated by the media.

"I didn't realise weight was a racial issue," he said. "I just said he's a fat Indian man, which is true. He's a fat Indian.

"It's not personal opinion, it's an observation that anyone with eyes and half a brain could actually work out for themselves - that Anand is a bit of a patron saint for obesity."

- NZ Herald staff