The heated moment between Tracy Grimshaw and Don Burke: “Why would women make this up?”
Just one day after allegations of sexual harassment and bullying were laid against Burke’s Backyard host Don Burke, the TV star has fought back in a fiery interview with A Current Affair’s Tracy Grimshaw.
Upon being asked why women would possibly make such serious accusations up, Burke claimed that, while he had made mistakes in the past, indecent assault was not one of them. He alleged that “all that sleazy sexual stuff” described by his former colleagues who “bear grudges against me” were their way of getting back at him for being a perfectionist on the show.
“It’s the social media, the Twittersphere thing,” he told Grimshaw. “I guess they’ve stirred this up, the Harvey Weinstein thing, and we’ve got a witch hunt.”
"In part I deserve this, but not for all that sleazy, sexual stuff," says Don Burke. #9ACA | WATCH THE FULL STORY: https://t.co/TJfiooQfHh pic.twitter.com/LSFV0AXoXP
— A Current Affair (@ACurrentAffair9) November 27, 2017
“I’m prepared to cop the fact that I terrified a few people… and that I shouldn’t have done that and so on.
“These sort of things bear no relationship to who I am and what I’m about. There are plenty of people who were there at the time and are furious, because these things didn't happen.”
Shockingly, when referring to the Weinstein scandal, Burke tried to place the blame onto the victims. “I think this whole Harvey Weinstein thing reinforces the victim mentality of women,” he said, sparking outrage on social media.
Don Burke: “I think this whole Harvey Weinstein thing reinforces the victim mentality of women” – WHOA WHOA WHOA WHAT EVEN #donburke
— Joana Partyka (@joanapartyka) November 27, 2017
Wow. Don Burke just said there is a ‘victim mentality’ in women. 🙄 #ACA9
— Dale Roberts (@ozdale) November 27, 2017
Sickeningly, Don Burke says what #MeToo does is “reinforce the victim mentality in women” #ACA
— Sean Mulcahy (@seanamulcahy) November 27, 2017
It’s so nice of @ACurrentAffair9 to give Don Burke a prime time platform to explain that women suffer from a ‘victim mentality’ and exaggerate things.
— Nathan Wind (@Dura_Ace) November 27, 2017
“I am happy to say to the people of Australia: This is my story, make up your mind if I’m the most evil person that’s ever lived, that’s your decision."