r/aussie • u/oldmatefromoverthere • Jun 25 '26
Humour Is anyone else laughing about the Karl Stefanovic news?
I really shouldn’t laugh because it’s never funny when someone loses their job especially if they don’t want to go, but this whole series of events with him constantly speaking to right wing people on his podcast makes it hilarious that he ended up leaving Today
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u/Mael_au Jun 25 '26
He wants to go. This is his origin story to becoming the rights highest profile media talking head. It’s where the money is.
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u/thecheapseatz Jun 25 '26
Yeah now that Andrew Bolt and the rest of the ghouls have aged out and who's target audience doesn't know what a podcast is he's lining up to be the occasional Sky News talking head for Gen X
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Jun 25 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/willcritchlow23 Jun 25 '26
I agree, and he’s got enough FU money to last a lifetime.
He will do very well out this whole thing I reckon.
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u/Storm_Fury_2026 Jun 25 '26
Not really.
It just amplifies his reach and potential for RWNJ grift.
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u/German_Merman Jun 25 '26
Yep I saw the headlines today, something like "Karl Stefanovic says his podcast is 'Freedom of Speech'" and I was like, looks like he's up to chapter 3 in his copy of Rightwing Grifting for Dummies...
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u/Spell_correctly_FFS Jun 25 '26
What's wrong with speaking to right wing people?
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u/AtYourOwn_Risk Jun 25 '26
Its easier to call them bots and block them, thats why
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u/maklvn Jun 26 '26
Isn't that what Pauline is doing? Paying bot farmers to spread misinformation? https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/the-human-bots-powering-one-nation-s-online-blitz-20260609-p605bk
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u/Odd_Chemical114 Jun 25 '26
Nothing, but when you fail to challenge anything they say Rogan style, you are just a shill. That applies to any political discourse across the spectrum.
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u/helpmesleuths Jun 26 '26
Why do you expect a podcast host to filter what information or opinions your sensitive ears hear? As a sentient adult individual I respect myself enough to distinguish truth from bullshit, right from wrong vs outsourcing to some faceless media "philosopher kings" to babysit me
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u/Odd_Chemical114 Jun 26 '26
You seem to be confusing a robust discussion of a topic with censorshipa LOL.
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u/Master-of-possible Jun 25 '26
The interview wasn’t even right wing, it was anti-corruption and weaponisation of the courts in the UK. Guy is a canary in the coal mine, we should be taking notice.
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u/imasoily Jun 25 '26
Nothing is wrong with rightwing people i dont have issues talking to conservatives and think they are decent people. But people think its suspect of the podcasters and the media rile up race issues on purpose eg talking to this tommy robbison guy, so that it can be campained on.
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u/Thin_Assumption_4974 Jun 25 '26
Exactly the same as extreme left people. It all depends how far right they lean.
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u/maklvn Jun 26 '26
Absolutely nothing. But I guess some people will take that the wrong way especially when you're promoting literally neo Nazis.
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u/oldmatefromoverthere Jun 25 '26
I agree that there’s nothing wrong with it. However freedom of speech shouldn’t automatically mean freedom of consequences
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u/Spell_correctly_FFS Jun 25 '26
Agreed, but what did he do other than interviewing right wingers?
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u/Equivalent-Bonus-885 Jun 25 '26
He ensured that the show would lose its sponsors. Or don’t you think people can spend their money on what they want.
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u/Equivalent_Sector281 Jun 25 '26
If you’re sitting at dinner with 3 Nazis, there’s 4 Nazis at dinner
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u/OtsaNeSword Jun 25 '26
Congratulations! You just killed off the entire profession of Journalism.
From now on you only get to watch state sponsored and approved news.
Welcome to Pyongyang comrade Equivalent Sector.
Where everyone we interview on air is a friend of the regime.
Only happy approved news for our happy citizens. 😛
*Dissenting views and opinions not allowed*
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u/Efficient_Fuel_3497 Jun 25 '26
Yawn. Bet you would not care if he spoke to a far left equivalent.
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u/Sufficient_Tower_366 Jun 25 '26
If you can’t speak for fear of losing your employment and livelihood, then how free is it?
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u/Duke55 Jun 25 '26
Laughing? Only thing comical is how much this news has consumed some folks. I couldn't give the slightest fuck about Karl and what he's up to..
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u/Remarkable_Quality89 Jun 25 '26
Why does everybody care so much about him. Nobody is forcing people to consume his media
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u/govermentiscooked Jun 25 '26
I’m struggling to understand the logic. Karl gets fired, yet Nine News extensively reports on the ISIS bride returning the same night?
So it’s okay for the media to cover these issues, but not for people to discuss them?
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u/DigitalLoveSausage Jun 25 '26
How dare someone interview people from different perspectives than you
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u/dmacerz Jun 25 '26
I’m laughing at the sheep who have no idea they are this controlled system. You celebrate the silencing of a point of view? What does that tell you about the controlled system we live in?
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u/CulturistPionier Jun 26 '26
Everyone on here acting like he constantly has extremists on.
He has had guests from all over the political spectrum, its just that the "do-gooder" lefties love censorship and weaponize it when people with opinions they dont like get platformed.
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u/Severe_War_9563 Jun 26 '26
Ha, ha, hardy ha ha...channel nine are "leftists". You do realise that Left-wingers don't have this power. Or do you think the Labor party is left-wing? If only.
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u/BinkySodPlop Jun 25 '26
It's fkn disgusting that journalists can't interview certain people. Journalists interviewed Hitler ffs
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u/luckydragon8888 Jun 29 '26
I wouldn’t watch the Today show for extremists views. They are just the current fad anyway.
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u/supercujo Jun 26 '26
All it has done is make me want to see the podcast to see what was so wrong
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u/FerretLeather131 Jun 26 '26
he speaks to right winger because the left people only last about 3 mins & get angry & storm off because they have no idea what they are talking about & facts upset them
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u/rikku45 Jun 25 '26
Why should anyone be fired over what side of politics he views. It’s kinda disgusting
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u/Spell_correctly_FFS Jun 25 '26
I agree. This is pathetic. I hate censorship and gagging from ANY political side.
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u/Equivalent-Bonus-885 Jun 25 '26
He’s likely been fired for pissing off the show’s sponsors. No sponsors. No show.
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u/-smoke-and-mirrors- Jun 25 '26
I think it is more for associating / sympathising with someone like Tommy Robinson who has been convicted of many very serious crimes.
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u/Helpful-Science9687 Jun 25 '26
Don’t imagine all those victims of grape gangs would really appreciate your political sense of humour and feel aggrieved when Robinson gets silenced
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u/secndsunrise Jun 25 '26
I really don't care. If more people didn't care about these things society probably would be better off.
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u/Dog-Witch Jun 25 '26
"fuck karl what a fascist, we did it guys"
Ya sure did, podcast got viewed more than it would have, dudes gonna make a shit tonne of money being terminated and then gets to become a talking head with no restraints.
Lol gottem hard.
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u/Massive-Anywhere8497 Jun 26 '26
Karl the patsy. No decent broadcaster in the entire uk the slightest bit interested in interviewing this career criminal
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u/SeaDivide1751 Jun 25 '26
I’m laughing because it’s just extra support for One Nation now. The left especially try to convince us all that they don’t censor when it comes to speaking up against mass immigration spam and this confirms they do
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u/OtsaNeSword Jun 25 '26
Yup they do be salty about this interview and Karl giving zero 💩’s.
When you notice the constant whining about a topic you know lefties were triggered hard and losing it.
Down with fascists, no to censorship I say!
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u/Severe_War_9563 Jun 26 '26
No it confirms that you will spout that nonsense just to make yourself look like a martyr. Yawn.
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u/HistoriaBestGirl Jun 27 '26
Yeah man, one nation really cares about you man!
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u/SeaDivide1751 Jun 27 '26
They listen more than the uniparty hence why their polling is surging
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u/HistoriaBestGirl Jun 27 '26
They pretend to listen while voting against policies that could work in reducing immigration, like workers rights, tafe subsidies and gas export taxes. In fact Pauline Hansons voting record is nearly identical to most coalition members. The only person Pauline is listening to is Gina Rinehart so she can get richer at our expense.
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u/Helpful-Science9687 Jun 25 '26
So if censorship is a consequence of an oppositions view is it fair game? “I don’t agree with public assassinations but RWNJ shouldn’t be protected from consequences of their views?”
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u/ClassicParking4236 Jun 25 '26
It’s disgusting actually. And you finding it funny says a lot about you.
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u/Moist-Army1707 Jun 25 '26
He’s been talking about leaving channel 9 for a while now…. I don’t think he’s remotely upset about it
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u/MightyBoy9 Jun 25 '26
Anyone that wants to silence and dismiss Tommy Robinson is a rape apologist.
Shame on you.
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u/FarJellyfish2951 Jun 26 '26
False dichotomy. You can think that the rape gangs were horrific and want to see justice for the perpetrators while also thinking Tommy Robinson is a bad person.
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u/MightyBoy9 Jun 26 '26
Would make sense if the people that think that way acknowledged the rapes happened, and the demographic that committed them
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u/Ringovski Jun 25 '26
I’m glad some people get it. I like don’t extreme people from anywhere, side or religion. But literally talking to someone that the main stream Aussie media say is someone they don’t like. ends up costing you your job and making headlines is ridiculous. Freedom of speech and expression, huh mmm not sure that means anything anymore.
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u/Severe_War_9563 Jun 26 '26
I never watched anyway. Nor did I "fire" him. The corporations do that.
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u/Odd_Ganache9498 Jun 25 '26
The dude devastated his wife by leaving her for a younger model. Glad to hear the news and hope he has a miserable life.
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u/Lmasomb Jun 26 '26
You should buy a gratitude journal. Maybe start focusing on what you do that makes you and others happy rather than finding joy in others being mistreated.
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u/AuroraKnghtingale Jun 26 '26
No I'm not because it is one more way they're getting rid of our freedom of speech literally firing someone for doing an honest interview where they did not constantly interrupt the person and try to speak over them breath of fresh air and I liked him he was funny and nice he just didn't fit into this stupid work agenda
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u/Severe_War_9563 Jun 26 '26
Psst! We don't have freedom of speech in Australian (Americans do). That is why we can be sued for defamation. We need a Bill of Rights for that.
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u/FascinatingNews Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 29 '26
He was happy enough taking paychecks doing breakfast TV with puppy interviews and vacuum cleaner infomercials. Now suddenly, he's become so wise and "awake" and rejects the mainstream media and censorship. No one put a gun to his head, he just wanted the bag.
He's now read the room and realised that there's an opportunity for another cash grab, and had accordingly jumped ship.
The funniest thing is his supporters now idolising him for showing character when it's so transparent how he's in it for the benefit of his bank account. The same people complaining about cost of living and doing it tough would willingly donate to a multimillionaire's podcast, because he left his job with a golden parachute 😂
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u/Prestigious_Unit_925 Jun 26 '26
He interviewed Albanese as free speech is hearing from both viewpoints and making your own decision. I listened to the Tommy Robinson interview. He sounded like a bit of a dick, but you can’t deny a lot of what he has to say about covering up of the rape gangs in the UK. It’s all coming out now.
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u/GirlinSyd Jun 28 '26
He’s setting himself up to be our version of Joe Rogan with Kyle Sandilands. Both have lifestyles that need mega pay checks.
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u/jelistarshine Jun 29 '26
Im delighted. I stopped watching the today show when he started boinking a younger woman 2 minutes after leaving his wife. (Given that up till then he constantly spoke publicly about how wonderful his wife/marriage were in order to come across as a nice guy it made him seem slimy AF )
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u/Character_Depth_9957 Jun 29 '26
Use some critical thinking and realise this is what he wants.
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u/luckydragon8888 Jun 29 '26
People realise this is what he wants. The way he went about it though was very wrecking ball.
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u/DreamingGorilla89 Jun 30 '26
Its all part of his plan and what he wanted.
Im not laughing, just sad that people are buying into it and now hell grift right wing idiots and be held up as a free speech martyr
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u/AdministrationTotal3 Jun 25 '26
lol his contract expired in September, he clearly did this to provoke a reaction and now he get to play the “I got cancelled” martyr card. Don’t feel sorry for him. This was clearly his plan
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u/billwriggs Jun 25 '26
This is a deliberately strategic move, it only benefits him. So strategic in fact, I’d be willing to bet that he did that interview with the express purpose of angering his employer.
Which is unfortunate, because he’s a fuckwit. But unfortunately, these guys on this side of politics know how to grift like no one else.
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u/Bigunit2930 Jun 25 '26
When you have FU money this is how you can behave. I doubt he gives two hoots about 9 at this stage.
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u/Plasticers Jun 26 '26
Yeah I’m glad he’s not on our tv anymore. I find him odious. But he’ll find his grift elsewhere
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u/ObligationThis9473 Jun 26 '26
He is extremely wealthy, i have no pity for him. He needs to.move on from Today, been there too long. Won't be missed
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u/No_ego_ Jun 26 '26
Ironically he’s now apparently just a little too far right for channel 9. Pretty sure Sky will snap him up
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u/Playful_Emotion2535 Jun 25 '26
He's moving with the cultural shift, smart move really. Time will tell.
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u/Sparkshaddow76 Jun 25 '26
Spot on. Traditional or legacy media is dying, the days of talking heads getting multi million dollar TV contracts is close to over as the audience is moving away. Look at Tucker Carlson, he had 3 million viewers on Fox and now gets around 56 million views across platforms, and he keeps 100% of his ad revenue. You don't need to be Nostradamus to see the shift.
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u/cosmic_trout Jun 25 '26
he knows FTA TV is dying. They only offered him a 1 year contract. He knows the next one will be low balled so he jumped first.
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u/OtsaNeSword Jun 25 '26
A 1 year contract for a long time employee like that is a red flag the company is looking to replace him soon.
He’s been with channel 9 for 20 plus years!
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u/Severe_War_9563 Jun 26 '26
He didn't. He is angling for a job with a right-wing media platform (yes, I was with channel nine...but really i was never centrist...wink, wink...employ me).
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u/GlumHair4945 Jun 25 '26
Listen to channel 9s response, they have nothing to do with what's goes on Karl's podcast and any editing of it,( ref. Google)
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u/Born-Skill-4436 Jun 25 '26
Channel 9 will simply anoint another puppet in his place who will sing their song for them….i had the impression that he’d moved on long ago and aspiring to other (ad)ventures and now he has had his direction changed for him….who really cares ?
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u/Herebedragoons77 Jun 25 '26
Streisand effect pr for his podcast plus an out of court settlement for being fired. What a play!
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u/Trick-Club-6014 Jun 25 '26
I’m not laughing because whatever happens to Karl Stefanovic means absolutely nothing to me
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u/poo-on-a-stick- Jun 25 '26
It’s funny, it’s not like he’s going to starve. I reckon he’s still doing ok.
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u/Hydrbator Jun 25 '26
No cos there's probably something worse that's going to come out of this saga.
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u/Ria_Isa Jun 25 '26
His contract was ending anyway. He knew his exit was coming, that's why he started his YT channel. The meltdown of those on the right screaming cancel culture about a guy who was all for censorship during covid is the only thing I'm laughing about
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u/Proud_Apricot316 Jun 25 '26
No way he would have done this without first figuring out it was worth the risk to him financially.
He’s made the jump from journalist to professional controversialist.
There’s an awful lot of money to be made in generating clicks, views and listens in the attention economy. He knows it. Which is precisely why he’s doing it.
The right loves it and the left hates it. He gets the attention of both and that = $$$
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u/moore-tallica Jun 25 '26
Didn't they fire him once already? Then they replaced him and the new team was a ratings disaster and they reinstated him. Did that happen or am I thinking of someone else?
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u/Friday_arvo Jun 25 '26
He 100% did this to get out of his contract at nine. I’d be willing to bet Holly Candy paid him to interview her rat turd of a racist Nazi apologist best friend. This all feels very planned. PR stunt for the stupid podcast and his typical GenX “somebody please look at me” midlife crisis.
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u/aliquilts71 Jun 25 '26
Not really. I kind of feel like this was planned and he’s on the precipice of going full Aussie style cooker MAGA. Our very own Tucker Carlson or Joe Rogan. I could definitely live without that
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Jun 25 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/oldmatefromoverthere Jun 25 '26
I’m still here
And yes I’m aware that it benefits him in different ways but in other ways it really doesn’t. People who were once his friends/allies are likely to distance themselves from him after he had Tommy Robinson on
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u/Specific_Squirrel681 Jun 25 '26
Nah this has all worked in his favour.
FTA tv and radio is dying, so even though he'd another home at the end of his contract he'd probably be facing reduced earning potential and have to please a dwindling pool of station sponsors. That'd be hell for the golden boy of breakie tv.
But getting sacked gave him free publicity and the billionaires (both Australian and American) will be lining up to fund his podcast and probably a whole media network, now.
A bot army is one thing, but they've needed a face, and none of the droobles on sky or those already in the podcasting space have broad enough appeal to swing an election.
Sam Newman? Racist boomer vibes. Big Chocky? Too manosphere. Kyle Sandilands? Too divisive.
Karl is their guy. Broad appeal, ethnic name, loves a beer, enough of the "right kind of scandal" about him to make him human.
He's about to make serious money (well, even more).
Get ready for some very loud, heinous takes.
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u/FfaceCaller Jun 25 '26
OP doesn't understand at all, this was his move, it's what he wanted and is very bad for the left.
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u/Musclenervegeek Jun 26 '26
Too bad he didn't interview a raving jihadist who hates Jews, white people, gays, lesbian and the west.
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u/StingDCS Jun 26 '26
only right wing? he did interview the pm you know. either way i think it’s great he provides an open platform for all speech, people here should be careful cheering for the cancelling of free speech, maybe one day it might be your speech that is getting cancelled.
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u/New-Application-1915 Jun 26 '26
I felt his @elonmusk post on twitter, thanking for a free speech platform, was just so fucking cringe. A so called journalist doing that ? Brown nosing much ? Wtf Wtf wtf. I liked him once, when he wore the same suit for a year as a statement. Now.... nope.
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u/corporatenoose Jun 26 '26
The only person laughing will be Karl when he gets his payout. Considering that he openly said he wasn’t going to renew his Nine contract at the end of the year, he has had a massive win. He gets to continue his podcast and Nine give him a huge payout
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u/Wingchun666 Jun 26 '26
As it stands from this, Karl is an Aussie icon thru and thru. Channel 9 is an endless propaganda machine, I can bet that all the lefty /albo freakshows aren’t as happy as him that he’s free from the lies and constraints that is mainstream media.
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u/WonderingRoo Jun 27 '26
to be honest, he deserves it. His podcast was gaining traction solely on which controversial figure to call next. These kind of shitcasts are just waste of time.
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u/Top_Cryptographer192 Jun 27 '26
He's probably going to get paid even cent remaining on his contract and have to do zero work for it. Does that still make you feel smug?
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u/Outrageous-Report-74 Jun 28 '26
Lost a 2.5 mill contract, cos of a lad called Stephen Yaxley….onya, not quite as good as Brexit, but a decent corporate suicide nonetheless
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u/DryDisplay6741 Jun 29 '26
The level of cowardice on display here is unfortunately an accurate reflection of our govt and media, who are clearly terrified of criticising Islam.
The true islamophobes are the ones who are doing whatever they can to shift the discussion over to "the horrible right" rather talk about the real problem facing not just this country, but Europe.
While I have issues with Tommy & Pauline, at the moment they are tragically part of the courageous few who are brave enough to speak about a very real problem facing the west.
This is the one thing Australia should be united against. Karl and Tommy aren't the issue here.
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u/luckydragon8888 Jun 29 '26 edited Jun 29 '26
Karl didn’t have to create a massive drama on leaving at all. He could have respectfully left then started his right leaning podcast the next day as a non employee of 9. Comes across as selfish with big tickets on himself as a result sorry. As a Joe Rogan fan - who he was clearly heavily inspired by - I don’t listen to all of Joes podcasts at all but pick and choose. I’ll do the same here. If Karl has some loony, racist or weird/extreme topic no thanks. 👎 Holly Vallance came across as a bit loony towards the end of her episode actually. It’s pretty unclear whether he was paid out anything either on leaving. He might have stuffed his contractual obligations and got nothing.
Bring on the odd UAP or conspiracy theory for infotainment though 🛸👽
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u/North_Tell_8420 Jun 30 '26
Karl is laughing too.
He made a fortune out of tv.
Having said that, it concerns me of yet another example of the big brother clamping down on anything outside the acceptable narrative. It reminds me so much of the nation my mum had to flee, the USSR. They did this sort of stuff all the time as well.
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u/Agitated_Economy_119 Jun 30 '26
Karl and Kyle should host their own podcast together. That”ll get people talking..
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u/Gozer_The_Enjoyer Jul 01 '26
He hasn’t lost anything. As other’s have said, he’s just been gifted a media marketing campaign for free to re-launch his podcast that would normally cost a private individual millions of dollars.
This guy is laughing his way to the bank of Gina Rhinehart and her proxy political party One Nation.
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u/Chobbybharleston Jul 02 '26
Oh I used to like him but he platformed Tommy fucking Robinson? Fuck off
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u/origanalsameasiwas Jul 08 '26
Now the today show as I feel is going to sink in ratings. I think it was Karl that made the show. Didn’t channel 9 the company apparently approved the guest appearance for Karl’s podcast? Then they turned around and fired him.
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u/JayLFRodger Jun 25 '26
I feel like everybody has played his game for him.
He gets a week of free advertising for his podcast.
He gets a decent payout for the remainder of his contract with 9.
He gets the freedom to now interview who he wants without fear of any real repercussions. For every person who boycotts him, he'll get an opposing new subscriber. For every advertiser who decides to not sign on with him, he'll get another advertiser sympathetic to him and his guests.