Senator Hanson-Young has called out the AFL for booking “slur-merchant” Snoop Dogg for the Grand Final instead of an Aussie artist.
The AFL’s hopes of escaping controversy leading into the finals season have been dashed.
Last week, the AFL’s delay and amendment of Adelaide Crow player Izak Rankine’s suspension following a homophobic slur saw them make world news.
A move which saw a rise in homophobic comments online surrounding our national game.
And now they are under fire for booking Snoop Dog for the Grand Final entertainment following anti-LBGTQ+ commentary.
Monday, Senator Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson for the arts, has called on the AFL to dump “slur-merchant” Snoop Dogg in Parliament.
Highlighting that an Aussie artist without the colourful background would be a better choice for AFL Grand Final entertainment.
“The AFL is a cultural institution in Australia,” Senator Hanson-Young said.
“And cultural institutions should be backing homegrown talent.”
“The irony is not lost on many AFL fans that just last week they suspended Izak Rankine for using a homophobic slur,
“Yet Snoop Dogg is set to get $2 million to play his misogynistic, homophobic music on our turf.”
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Prime time spot for homegrown talent
“If it’s an Aussie game, it should be an Aussie artist playing.” Senator Hanson-Young said.
“At a time when Aussie artists are copping the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis,”
“We need proper investment in our music industry.
“With over 6 million people tuning into the AFL Grand Final year on year,
“This is a prime time slot to platform homegrown talent. It’s time to let Aussie artists rock the ‘G’.
“I urge the AFL to have the guts to dump slur-merchant Snoop Dogg,
“And let an Aussie artist rock the stage instead.”
Just hours before the AFL defended booking Snoop Dogg to perform at the Grand Final, the rapper appeared on a podcast ranting about a same-sex couple in a Disney movie.
Speaking on the It’s Giving podcast, the rapper recalled watching Toy Story spin-off Lightyear, which features a same-sex relationship, with his young grandson.
Snoop said his relative asked him, “Papa Snoop, how she have a baby with a woman? She’s a woman.”
He complained, “Aw s**t, I didn’t come for this s**t, I came here to watch the goddamn movie.”
“Y’all throwing me in the middle of this s**t that I don’t have an answer for … it threw me for a loop.”
Snoop Dogg went on to complain, “they putting it everywhere”, and he’s “scared to go to the movies now” for fear of having to acknowledge the existence of same-sex relationships.
“[Do] we have to show that [to children] at that age?”
“They’re going to ask questions. I don’t have the answer,” he said.
Images: AFL/X, YouTubeAFL is undermining its own inclusivity
A Change.org petition has been launched urging the AFL to reconsider Snoop Dogg as the Grand Final’s headline act.
Aaron L, who started the petition, said that the decision to book and pay Snoop Dog is at odds with their suspension of Rankine.
“By hiring an artist whose work has perpetuated harmful stereotypes and messages,” Aaron L said.
“The AFL risks undermining its own commitment to inclusivity and equality.”
“It contradicts the league’s disciplinary actions against players promoting hatred and bias.
“The allocation of significant funds to a performance that contradicts AFL’s core values could send the wrong message to fans, players, and communities alike.
“Choosing performers who echo the community standards of respect and equality is essential for continuing the positive cultural shift within the AFL.”
The petition urges others to sign so that “together, we can hold the league accountable for upholding its values.”
Source: change.org‘They’re going to axe him’
Two former AFL players, David Schwarz and Brendan Fevola, have criticised the move by the AFL in the press.
“Snoop will be cancelled this week and rightfully so.”
“You can’t isolate a minority group,” Schwarz said on SEN on Sunday
“Everyone has condemned Rankine, and then when you have our guest of honour making those comments, there will be big discussions.”
Fevola said on The Fox’s Fifi, Fev & Nick on Monday that “they’re going to axe him,”
“I think he will get the arse, and they are going to go for an Aussie artist to play at the MCG.”
“That will happen, take that to the bank.
“He will get the (arse), which he should.”
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon says that Snoop Dogg’s performance will be family-friendly.
“Today, he is a grandfather, a philanthropist, and he helps rehabilitate youth,” Dillon said.
“He’s a global entertainer who has performed at both the Super Bowl and the Olympic closing ceremony to audiences of more than 100 million people.”
“In those environments, his performances were appropriate and well-received,
“And his performance this year at our grand final will be fitting for the best sporting event in the country.”
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There is no way the AFL will cancel this cat from coming here….they simply do not have the guts to do it as they proved while dealing with Rankine.
I wonder if the grandson he was with was the child of one of his children with his wife, Shante, or of the son he had with someone else 1 year after marrying Shante? Since, non-traditional families are so hard to discuss, I wonder how he handled that conversation? Or the one about how he was a pimp and really proud of it and of how easily it came to him? I would have thought they’d be slighter more challenging conversations than how two women can have a child together.
AFL is meant to be family game event. Any choice of artist should consider those attending and watching the Grand Final.
Is Snoop really the best role model that AFL want to portray to Australia as representing family values? Are there really no home grown talent available?
Why not follow Dodgers inspiration for collaboration with artists like BTS, Kim Taehyung.
He has 69.2 million Army followers and put Dodgers on worldwide stage for millions of non baseball audience. A huge coup for Dodgers and baseball.
AFL is meant to be family game event. Any choice of artist should consider those attending and watching the Grand Final.
Is Snoop really the best role model that AFL want to portray to Australia as representing family values? Are there really no home grown talent available?
Why not follow Dodgers inspiration for collaboration with artists like BTS, Kim Taehyung.
He has 69.2 million Army followers and put Dodgers on worldwide stage for millions of non baseball audience. A huge coup for Dodgers and baseball.