Doofus of the Week – April 20, 2018

Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, April 21st, 2018 - 73 comments
Categories: doofus of the week, Media, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, tv, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags:

This week we have a clear winner.

It is someone whose claim to fame was that they were a cricketer.  His nickname was Rigor, as in rigor mortis, such was the electrifying effect he had on the game.

He somehow made it into television and then onto talk shows where he gets to exercise his skills as a very slow batsman to talk about politics.

He reached the pinnacle of his career when he was torn to shreds by Jacinda Ardern before the last election after he asked her about her pregnancy plans.  He clearly thinks that employers should have complete access to all employees’ biological plans and impulses.

Jacinda crushed him.  Here is the video with her finger wagging skills on show.

Clearly he has not forgotten this and he has this deep seated resentment at how he was publicly humiliated.

Yesterday morning he had this outrageous meltdown on live TV. Newshub records what happened.

Mark Richardson has launched a blistering attack at the “sanctimony” over Jacinda Ardern, saying she’s “not a pioneer when it comes to women holding successful roles”.

It comes as Ms Ardern was chosen as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine during what has largely been seen as a successful European tour.

“Can we all just settle down a little bit?” The AM Show sport host asked on Friday morning.

“Yes, she’s a pioneer when it comes to maybe being the Prime Minister of a country and having a pregnancy. She’s going to have a baby. That’s great.

“But I don’t think she’s a pioneer when it comes to women holding successful roles, having babies and still doing a fine job of it. That’s been going on in this country for some time now.”

“I’m sick the sanctimony that’s coming out of our disgraceful written media at the moment. They’re the ones that are leading this charge and they should be ashamed of themselves.”

Yep we have had lots of Prime Ministers having babies while they are in office.  And Richardson clearly yearns for days gone past when the previous Prime Minister made sports jocks proud to be men.

Then the real reasons for Richardson’s response came out.

“Perhaps I’m still annoyed by the way my words in the first place were so badly twisted out of shape. Words were put in my mouth that did not exist at the time and I’m still pissed.”

He was referring to his infamous clash with Ms Ardern prior to the election last year, when he said people deserved to know whether or not she was planning to have a baby.

Mark let it go.  Either you thought that we all should know what Jacinda’s breeding plans were or even worse you thought that employers should have the right to know what their employees’ breeding plans are.

And why do the media think that their feelings are more important than what is happening in the world?  Give me red radio any day.

But Mark Richardson for belittling the Prime Minister because your feelings were hurt by her you are this week’s doofus of the week.

73 comments on “Doofus of the Week – April 20, 2018 ”

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  1. dukeofurl 1
    21 April 2018 at 9:35 am

    Hilarious take down of Richardson by Spinoff

    https://thespinoff.co.nz/media/20-04-2018/in-tv-outburst-mark-richardson-announces-he-is-sick-of-mark-richardson/

    “The Oxford Dictionary defines sanctimony as “The action or practice of acting as if one were morally superior to other people.”

    Richardson does sanctimony like none other in the media

    “Or his recent sanctimony in dismissing those who suggest being a mother is tantamount to a job. “It is hard work being a mum, but you can’t call it a job, it is a fact of life. We raise children on this planet. Don’t call it a job,” he said, sanctimoniously.”

    he should try it!

  2. Anne 2
    21 April 2018 at 9:43 am

    Actually I’m going to be a little contrary here. I accept Mark Richardson is a bore and some of his comments are racist and sexist (not a lot different to many male NZers including a few of my own relatives) but it is the media he has in his sights, and, imo, much of what he says is true.

    I think anyone who has been through the wringer because of something stupid they have said or done knows what it can be like. Their detractors won’t leave it alone and it can follow them around for months even years. He’s probably not being allowed to “let it go”.

    • Tracey 2.1
      21 April 2018 at 12:13 pm

      I agree with his statement about the media but his lack of self awareness that he only has the roles he does because media has gone to hell in a handbasket overrides any point he has… because it was clearly accidental 😉

      As a cricket and sport commentator he has besmirched people regularly who have no right of reply. TV3 foubd themselves a Hosking.

      A stopped clock and all that

      Mark Richardson is representing the white male group that considers equality oppression.

      • Anne 2.1.1
        21 April 2018 at 3:50 pm

        …his lack of self awareness that he only has the roles he does because media has gone to hell in a handbasket overrides any point he has… because it was clearly accidental.

        Never thought of it that way and you’re probably correct. Needless to say he got it right even if it is for the wrong reason. 🙁

  3. Ed 3
    21 April 2018 at 9:54 am

    Richardson could be doofus of the week every week.
    He and his co presenter Garner.

    Proof that you don’t have to be intelligent or informed to front news and media organisations.

    • Unicus 3.1
      21 April 2018 at 2:09 pm

      Cricket bitch is a name which rests easily on Richardson’s shoulders.

      And oh yes the print media is indeed despicable – for refusing to even acknowledge the Prime Ministers presence in Europe – let alone her huge achievements there

      • Ed 3.1.1
        21 April 2018 at 2:14 pm

        Yes – despicable.
        A good word to describe them.
        Tools.

      • Stunned mullet 3.1.2
        21 April 2018 at 2:58 pm

        “And oh yes the print media is indeed despicable – for refusing to even acknowledge the Prime Ministers presence in Europe – let alone her huge achievements there”

        That’s a fine alternate reality your living in unicus – what print media are you reading these days ?

        • Ed 3.1.2.1
          21 April 2018 at 3:14 pm

          Yesterday you barely find a word online from Stuff and New Zealand Herald about the PM’s visit to London.

        • Unicus 3.1.2.2
          21 April 2018 at 6:42 pm

          I get most of my Adern news from overseas publication because of the refusal of. NZME and Fairfax to offer anything but critiques of. Adern and her government

          Example : two papers here in the north today the Saturday Herald and the Northern advocate . Both offered only grudging reference to Aderns stunning London debut
          A corny cartoon in the Herald and a page five rant about her scandals back home in the Advocate .

          Twinned with this in the Advocate was a pic of Obama and Key when they were both somebody’s – on the opposite page glowing story and pic of Simon and Sweaty .

          It’s real alright – these companies are subverting democracy in New Zealand .

  4. Chuck 4
    21 April 2018 at 10:19 am

    “Mark let it go. Either you thought that we all should know what Jacinda’s breeding plans were or even worse you thought that employers should have the right to know what their employees’ breeding plans are.”

    MS, Jacinda opened that line of questioning up all by herself…

    “And if they don’t, the next leader won’t be her. She doesn’t want to work the ridiculous hours, she doesn’t want the acute spotlight of media scrutiny and having recently moved in with her partner, Auckland media personality Clarke Gayford, she wants to have kids.”

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701114

    Jacinta Ardern = I want to have kids

    Jacinda Ardern then a short while latter = how dare you ask me if I want to have kids.

    Australian Women’s Weekly NZ – 2018-02-01- “Jacinda has always been open about wanting a family”

    • You_Fool 4.1
      21 April 2018 at 10:32 am

      Jacinda (actual comment): it is ok to ask me because I opened up about it, but you can’t say it is an employer’s right to know…

      Good try at rewriting history though..

    • Tracey 4.2
      21 April 2018 at 12:15 pm

      And he said employers have a right to know if a woman is going to get pregnant… not a right to know if a man has or intends to impregnate a woman.

      Nice editting as noted below by the aptly named

      You Fool

      • Chuck 4.2.1
        21 April 2018 at 1:00 pm

        “And he said employers have a right to know if a woman is going to get pregnant”

        I agree in general terms that an employer has no place in asking that question.

        However, does a prospective employee have an obligation to inform a prospective employer that they are pregnant?

        • tracey 4.2.1.1
          21 April 2018 at 1:30 pm

          Er… you agree an employer cannot ask but think an employer should have an obligation to tell the employer?

          Do you know why men arent asked this? They can take parental leave? I know Mark would probably NEVER consider giving up his well paying job to talk out of his arse but men do. Bridges wasnt asked if he is having another? He wasnt asked how he would handle being a Leader with a 4 month old and 2 others under 5. Be under no illusion chuck, this isnt really about employers having a right to know an employee might go on leave

          • chris73 4.2.1.1.1
            21 April 2018 at 7:59 pm

            Interestingly one of the things that was always thrown in Sir John Keys face was his education, or lack of

            “Hes only got a commerce degree” as if to suggest hes not smart enough to be PM yet Cindy has an even less impressive education yet no ones suggesting shes not smart enough to be PM, double standards maybe?

            • Incognito 4.2.1.1.1.1
              21 April 2018 at 9:39 pm

              Since when do we measure education solely by degree? Having a degree does not make one smart and lack of a degree does not make one stupid. At the same time, there are a lot of degree snobs around, e.g. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/84691054/Nigel-Latta-Time-to-end-education-snobbery

              • chris73 …
                21 April 2018 at 9:51 pm

                As I said: “one of the things that was always thrown in Sir John Keys face was his education, or lack of”

                • Incognito …
                  21 April 2018 at 10:08 pm

                  Yes, same with Brownlee and Joyce’s Zoology degree (and his marks for an economics paper), for example; it’s pathetic. Politicians should be judged on their political merit & achievements; everything else is a sideshow or distraction (that includes comments about looks & appearance).

              • Unfknblvble …
                22 April 2018 at 7:27 pm

                A pointless tangent. Ones education has no similarity to ones choice to raise a family.

            • solkta 4.2.1.1.1.2
              22 April 2018 at 7:34 am

              Is there a less impressive degree than a Commerce degree? I wouldn’t think so.

              • tracey …
                22 April 2018 at 1:45 pm

                A law degree when only 25% can find jobs in a law firm?

              • chris73 …
                22 April 2018 at 2:45 pm

                A commerce degree from Canterbury is probably considered more impressive than a communications degree from Waikato

            • tracey 4.2.1.1.1.3
              22 April 2018 at 1:42 pm

              I dont recall people saying that about Key. About Brownlee and about Joyce’s triple economics failure when made Finance Minister but I dont recall criticisms of Key around his Comnerce Degree

              I recall I said that he was a curreny trader which is not of itself useful for overseeing the multiple areas a PM must cover including the extensive environment and social “contracts”. The notion that being a currency trader meant he could run a country economy well is slightly off base. Financial literacy is useful of course but a country is NOT a business, despite how many times some say it is.

              A MP in my view must be adept at listening, at understanding information from all sides, at knowing when to seek expertise and communicating well with others. These skills can be gained from a variety of life experiences.

  5. Chuck 5
    21 April 2018 at 10:25 am

    “Mark let it go. Either you thought that we all should know what Jacinda’s breeding plans were or even worse you thought that employers should have the right to know what their employees’ breeding plans are.”

    MS, Jacinda opened that line of questioning up all by herself…

    “And if they don’t, the next leader won’t be her. She doesn’t want to work the ridiculous hours, she doesn’t want the acute spotlight of media scrutiny and having recently moved in with her partner, Auckland media personality Clarke Gayford, she wants to have kids.”

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11701114

    Jacinta Ardern = I want to have kids

    Jacinda Ardern then a short while latter = how dare you ask me if I want to have kids.

    Then back to this: Australian Women’s Weekly NZ – 2018-02-01- “Jacinda has always been open about wanting a family”

    Jacinda has had no problem talking about her baby plans since at least 2016, but it depends on who asks her it seems.

    EDIT: I seem to have posted twice…

    • Tracey 5.1
      21 April 2018 at 12:16 pm

      And even when posting twice you still left out the most important part. Now, try for a 3rd post and give us the entire transcript

  6. Incognito 6
    21 April 2018 at 10:51 am

    Seems to me that Mr Mark Richardson is suffering from Fragile Ego & Androgyne Regression (AKA FEAR) because he knows the male sex chromosome (X) is shrinking and disappearing. This puts into question his identity as talk show cricket and reason for being. Or maybe he’s just a Doofus.

    • Koff 6.1
      21 April 2018 at 2:19 pm

      FYI The male sex chromosome is Y! Males have 1 X and 1 Y while females have 2 X’s!

      • dukeofurl 6.1.1
        21 April 2018 at 3:00 pm

        The other issue with (young) males is testosterone

        Males 19+ level is 240- 950

        females 19+ level is 20-75

        • Incognito 6.1.1.1
          21 April 2018 at 3:17 pm

          The other issue with Doofi (M/F) 19+ is that their flatulence levels cause acute and lasting brain fog that impairs normal brain function (AKA thinking and speech control).

      • Incognito 6.1.2
        21 April 2018 at 3:11 pm

        I never was any good at karyotyping nor at algebra and I always got those X’s and Y’s mixed up – I wonder whether I’m dyslexic and how I got as far as I did 😉

        My whole comment was a poor attempt at trying to be funny, as is this one. Maybe I need to do some exercise outside …

  7. gsays 7
    21 April 2018 at 11:18 am

    I would have thought someone like Richardson would have to display meteoric doofusery to win this award.
    These outbursts are par for the course for this mouthpiece.

    Unfortunately, like folau, these opinions have a constituency, they are shared by a significant number of people.
    After all the National party got approx 40+% of the vote last election.

  8. Bewildered 8
    21 April 2018 at 1:49 pm

    As with every thing there is some truth in what Richardson says and many would agree with him, so to a degree perception is reality In defense of Ardern it’s not her fault, she can only be who she is, In this regard I don’t think Richardson was attacking her but more so the the media infatuation with Ardern celebrity than rather is she a good pm and critiquing her so called goals for nz and the policies, plans or lack of to achieve such beyond grand slogans In this regard you could argue the media not Richardson should be accused of belittling Arden and her office with their mush and carry on

  10. Chris T 10
    21 April 2018 at 2:08 pm

    Seems to be a lot of dragging up his past questions about Jacindas baby plans, which she actually said he could ask her.

    And very little criticism of his latest comments.

    I’m guessing because there is little to argue against.

    She isn’t the first woman have a baby while keeping a career going. And there does seem to be a massive amount of media hype over it.

    • Descendant Of Sssmith 10.1
      21 April 2018 at 2:26 pm

      Can’t wait for the shots of Jacinda planking with her new born, having a secret cup of tea in a cafe with loads of press outside, wearing a butchers apron by the royal barbie, run-walk modelling the next rugby world cup uniform, hanging out with the All Blacks in the dressing room, three way hand-shake photo-op …….

      Ah the opportunity to replicate and parody all those classic John Key photo moments – it should be done!

      • joe90 10.1.1
        21 April 2018 at 2:57 pm

        Ponyboy couldn’t buy Ardern’s class.

        At Buckingham Palace, where I guess she would’ve had a choice of designer coats, she chooses a Korowai 😍 @jacindaardern can’t buy that in Milan or Rodeo Drive pic.twitter.com/6vjPbof1GY— Mat-Nat McMat (@EssDotBlack) April 20, 2018

      • Bewildered 10.1.2
        21 April 2018 at 4:04 pm

        Agree and Key got a lot of flak for It so no one should really complain Ardern getting flak for simply aping key But again Richardson was not having a go at Ardern but media, much of flak against key however was highly personal and just plain hate,I have not seen such hatred scorned on Ardern beyond odd nut job on kiwi blog

        • tracey 10.1.2.1
          21 April 2018 at 4:25 pm

          Then you need to look around a bit more. Facebook comments on tvnz newshub etc are full of posters calling her a horse, ugly etc etc. Some suggest Clarke is on a salary to be with her and so on.

      • Chris T 10.1.3
        21 April 2018 at 10:19 pm

        None of which addresses my point

  11. Fred H 11
    21 April 2018 at 2:36 pm

    Mark Richardson, subject matter expert in the field of: being good at hitting a ball with a stick across a field….and lately being shot down by the PM with a wave of her finger. He just needs to left under the bridge and ignored.

    • Bewildered 11.1
      21 April 2018 at 4:12 pm

      To be fair Jacinda cv ain’t all that flash either, as Chris t indicated pretty unreasonable if every Richardson comment is judged on one comment of his a long time ago He wasn’t even commenting on Ardern this time but media trivalisation of her and her office It’s all a bit sad that people will only hear a arguement if they think the person making a point is worthy in thier eyes not the merit of the arguenent itself Unfortunatly that’s where we are at as a Society and we are poorer for it

      • tracey 11.1.1
        21 April 2018 at 4:27 pm

        The man is a walking imitation of Hosking. That he berates the media for focusing on trivial things while failing to see he is paid hundreds of thousands to create trivial media is worse than ironic.

        He is filling a gap though. For all those white men who are finding the equality of others oppressive.

        To be fair, to compare Ardern’s CV and job to Richardson’s suggests being fair is not on your mind at all.

        • Bewildered 11.1.1.1
          21 April 2018 at 4:38 pm

          Yep he provides light entertainment that you can choose to watch or not, this does not preclude him from having an opinion as such what ever you do does not preclude you, Irrespective of your opinion of the richardson the point he highlighted yesterday has some merit, this is not saying you have to like him. Also my point on Ardern cv is not contrasting hers with Richardson but simply Fred binging experience into debate is a red herring and has nothing to do with the merit or lack of merit re the point Richardson made You seem to be falling into the same trap, playing the person rather than discussing the merit of Richardson point To a degee you take it even further adding a straw man arguement of old white guys

          • patricia bremner 11.1.1.1.1
            21 April 2018 at 5:06 pm

            Bewildered, Jacinda Ardern does not require our permission to have a family.

            Her appearances in the news and elsewhere is part of our appetite to know what she is doing.

            Richardson is still sour at being corrected about employers asking women their family plans. His outburst on TV3 showed that.

            AS to “Old white men” we “girls” get a bit tired of throw away statements as well.

            I have met her. She is genuine clever and really cares. She is doing well and making it look easy.

            Mark gets his opinions mixed with facts. He spends his time rationalising what he previously meant.

            • Bewildered 11.1.1.1.1.1
              21 April 2018 at 6:13 pm

              I am not questioning Jacinda although I have my doubts, Richardson point was about the media trivialising Ardern and her office with celerity mush, not an attabk on Ardern contrary most posts here are sttack in him not the point he made. As I siad in my first post Jacinda is who she is that’s all she can be, I have no problem with that, not do I dislike her, wether I think she is a good on that’s another question I dislike trump but I can’t argue as potus he has done some good stuff , North Korea, Syria , isil etc Been good pm Or potus is not about been nice Jacinda has not done anything yet, the hush from the media is similar to Obama’s Nobel peace prize earned after 5 minutes, again this was not Obama’s fault but the Nobel fawning committee as are some of our press acting as they should be writing for women’s weekly or Hello

              • tracey …
                22 April 2018 at 1:52 pm

                How did you feel about Richardsons silence on the devaluation of Keys office with all the celebrity mush? Let me guess, you didnt like that attitude toward Key either… just hadnt noticed Richardson never questioned it?

            • Bewildered 11.1.1.1.1.2
              21 April 2018 at 6:20 pm

              You don’t get it I am not questioning Jacinda although I have my doubts, Richardson point was about the media and trivialising Ardern and her office with celerity mush, As I siad in my first post Jacinda is who she is that’s all she can be, I have no problem with that, not do I dislike her, wether I think she is a good pm that’s another question I dislike trump but I can’t argue as potus he has done some good stuff , North Korea, Syria , isil etc Being good pm Or potus is not about being nice Jacinda has not done anything yet to warrant legacy status Thec rubbish from the media is similar to Obama’s Nobel peace prize earned after 5 minutes, again this was not Obama’s fault but the nobel committee fawning over obama as are some of our press acting as they should be writing for women’s weekly or Hello

            • tracey 11.1.1.1.1.3
              22 April 2018 at 1:54 pm

              And “old white men” was actually “some old white men” and has barely been in existence… the fact that word was left out in media and other retelling speaks volumes.

          • tracey 11.1.1.1.2
            22 April 2018 at 1:50 pm

            Not a straw man argument an opinion on what lies beneath some of his bizarre utterings. I did agree he had a point, which you ignored for reasons only you know.

            You can take Richardsons comments in isolation or you can observe a pattern. You choose the former, I the latter. He recently said being a “mother” is not a job. He has history.

            Opinions are like arseholes, everyone has them but those who get paid for them need to expect theirs to be analysed.

  12. AsleepWhileWalking 12
    21 April 2018 at 7:03 pm

    A little disappointed to see this week’s Doofus is the beige shirt of presenters.

    The vaguely controversial commentary is probably what I will remember him most by. This of course assumes he doesn’t Tony Veitch all over my Suzuki Swift.

  13. chris73 13
    21 April 2018 at 7:08 pm

    Really MS, this is what you add:

    “His nickname was Rigor, as in rigor mortis, such was the electrifying effect he had on the game”

    I’m going to assume that you know he was a test specialist (and with good reason, only four one day matchs) but since you’ve opened the door on his sporting ability lets see what his stats actually are:

    http://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/content/player/38251.html

    Test average of 44.77 sounds pretty decent to me, lets see how that compares to every other NZ cricketer:

    http://stats.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/engine/records/batting/highest_career_batting_average.html?class=1;id=5;type=team (Minimum of 20 innings)

    Gosh he has the fifth highest test average of all NZ cricketers and the highest test average of all NZ openers

    You couldn’t just stick to the comments he made, you just had to try and belittle his sporting career as well?

    • joe90 13.1
      21 April 2018 at 7:26 pm

      Yeah, he’s a cricketer and he’s done little to disabuse me of the notion that all cricketers are wankers.

      • chris73 13.1.1
        21 April 2018 at 7:37 pm

        Thats fine (and also a bit dumb really when you consider how many cricketers there are) but why try to make out something he was good at and noted for to be a bad thing

        “Ohhh Grant Fox he was only good at kicking” as an example when the reality is hes one of our finest first fives ever, easily top three of all time

        • joe90 13.1.1.1
          21 April 2018 at 7:44 pm

          I’ve attended more than enough senior grade after-match piss ups with the top end of the town to know that, indeed, all cricketers are wankers.

          • chris73 13.1.1.1.1
            21 April 2018 at 7:50 pm

            “all cricketers are wankers”

            Well I’ve met some NZ rep cricketers and some are pretty decent guys (Chris Cairns on the other hand…), some are aloof but if you’ve ever read any of Martin Crowes writings on cricket it might also have been them wearing masks due to insecurities and we could go back on forth on this but unless you’ve met every cricketer you can’t just say all cricketers are wankers

            Well I mean obviously you can say it but you’d be wrong

          • Bewildered 13.1.1.1.2
            21 April 2018 at 8:16 pm

            Going by your statement I assume you are an outstanding cricketer 😉

            Does your statement cover women and child cricketers as well

            • joe90 13.1.1.1.2.1
              21 April 2018 at 8:29 pm

              I was only ever there for the pavilion’s cheap after-match piss, my mother in-law was a rather odd woman who happened to be an Otago rep in her youth and age group rep cricket is probably why my one of brother’s boys turned out to be the petulant little shit that he is.

          • Hillary 13.1.1.1.3
            22 April 2018 at 8:45 am

            Thanks for calling me a wanker….

            What an insecure person you must be for labeling everyone that plays a particular sport as a wanker. I have played and coached cricket and there are plenty of outstanding players with great morals. Cricketers like any people are just a subset of our community with their good points and their bad points.

            • joe90 13.1.1.1.3.1
              22 April 2018 at 11:21 am

              Aww, you’ve taken my Saturday night piss take to heart and now your fee fees are all hurt.

              So soz, lotsa and lotsa of so soz’s.

              /

              • Gabby …
                22 April 2018 at 7:23 pm

                Passive Aggressive Boygenius Lends Credence to Cricketers’ Offspring Wankerism Theory.

    • KJT 13.2
      22 April 2018 at 8:55 am

      Pity his brain never developed beyond sport. Unlike some other sports people who have used their fame to do a lot of good.

  14. Cinny 14
    22 April 2018 at 8:34 am

    He’s not dealing with it very well, having tantrums on the telly, his ego has been displaying a public melt down since the nats lost.

    Makes him come across as an absolute arsehole on morning tv, funny thing is the lack of public sympathy, now that says it all really.

    PS never heard of him when he was a cricketer.

    • tracey 14.1
      22 April 2018 at 1:58 pm

      He had a very interesting career. Was a bowler who batted 10 or 11 for St Kentigern College ( with Adam Parore whose real story beggars belief). Mark reinvented himself as an opening batsmen and in my viewed served a good purpose in that role for NZ.

      His I Reckons on the other hand are Hosking V2 and represent a world view that in my view is a blinkered self serving one that presupposes the world is for others as it is for a privately educated professional sportsman.