Neil Mitchell: In defence of The Footy Show (and political incorrectness)

If you don’t like it, don’t watch it.

An exasperated Neil Mitchell has defended The Footy Show, saying calls for censoring are undemocratic and political correctness gone mad.

The Channel Nine program is under siege today after the mother who Billy Brownless called a ‘stripper’ wrote an open letter to AFL boss Gillon McLachlan demanding he step in clean up the controversial program.

Neil couldn’t believe it.

‘This is a democracy. Part of a democracy is free speech and free expression, within guidelines.

‘I find it quite a dramatic misunderstanding of the way this society works that anybody would recommend banning something on the grounds of political correctness.

‘Yes, the Footy Show is dramatically politically incorrect – I don’t enjoy it much any more … but I don’t have to like it!’

Listen: Neil Mitchell fires up

3AW Mornings TV correspondent Jane Holmes agreed: At some stage we just have to relax a little bit. They do get a bit naughty and a bit smutty, but if you don’t like it don’t watch it.

But Neil met strong opposition from caller Mandy, who said McLachlan should tell Channel Nine to hire a ‘sensible woman to help the producers’.

Click play to hear their fiery debate