Akmal sorry for Rocky attack on TV

Kieran Campbell | 5th November 2009

AUSTRALIAN comedian Akmal Saleh claims he was only joking when he unleashed a volley of foul-mouthed insults at Rockhampton on national TV.

Aussie comedian Akmal Saleh is questioned by Good News Week host Paul McDermott where he tells Rockhampton people to "go get f-----".

Channel 10, Good News Week website

Poll

Should Akmal come back to Rockhampton?

This poll ended on 01 January 2010.

Yes, he was just joking.

59%

No, he obviously hates Rocky.

15%

Who's Akmal?

24%

This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.

AUSTRALIAN comedian Akmal Saleh claims he was only joking when he unleashed a volley of foul-mouthed insults at Rockhampton on national TV.

Akmal yesterday told The Morning Bulletin he had been “carrying around the anger” of being punched in the face by a woman when he visited the city earlier this year.

The Egyptian-born comedian appeared on Channel 10’s comedy program Good News Week on Monday, saying he hated Rockhampton and claiming he was “no longer welcome” in the city after being clobbered by a woman who accused him of being a pedophile.

“Bloody Rockhampton, I hate it,” he told a laughing studio audience with almost 900,000 people tuning in at home.

“We should remove Rockhampton from Australia and put it in Afghanistan.”

Watch the video here. WARNING: COARSE LANGUAGE.

Yesterday, the comedian answered phone calls from The Morning Bulletin and reassured the city he was only trying to be funny.

He said he wouldn’t return to Rockhampton for a while for fears he would “be killed” and said he’d learned his lesson not to judge a town by one person.

“I might have to leave it a few years before I come back,” Akmal said.

“I should be a bit more careful about what I say on television.

“My intention was just to get some laughs and there’s got to be a victim in the joke.

“I don’t think anyone really believes I would like (Rockhampton) removed and put in Afghanistan.”

Akmal said his anger stemmed from being punched in the face by a woman who didn’t enjoy his Arab joke at the Rockhampton Show.

The funny man had three days off in Rockhampton and decided to take a camera to the show with his two mates.

The friends dressed in traditional Arabian outfits and did a Borat-esque skit.

The trio was lining up for a ride in sideshow alley when an angry mum confronted them.

“Listen here mate, you’ve got to have permission before you video people’s children,” the woman said.

Akmal said he tried to tell the woman she had it wrong and offered to show her the tape.

“Bulls---, you’re f---ing taping people’s children and you’re a pedophile, you dirty wog (expletive),” she said.

“Go away you idiot,” Akmal said before she punched him in the nose.

She whacked him again, “full-on punches” to his face.

“We just bolted,” Akmal said.

“I thought if we stayed we’d be lynched.”

Akmal and his mates went to a pizza shop to chill out and there they saw two guys who had been at the show.

“We were just sitting in the car and they were giving us really aggressive looks,” Akmal said.

“They were both staring at us and we got so scared that we just started the car and drove away without getting the pizza.

“We were just like, let’s just get out of this town as soon as we can!”

Akmal said his show at the Pilbeam Theatre the next night was one of the highlights of his tour and said Rockhampton was one of his favourite places to perform.

The comedian yesterday conceded he had learned a lesson in judging a town.

“There’s a lesson in not judging the town by one or two incident. It’s stupid and unfair but it’s good for comedy to generalise and make sweeping statements, as long as people don’t take them seriously.

“I have no idea about what the people of Rockhampton are really like. I only made that sweeping generalisation from being punched in the head.

“It could have happened anywhere in the county. That woman, or a clone of her, could have been anywhere.”

If the people of Rockhampton will have him back, Akmal said he would return.

“I definitely would love to come back to Rockhampton if I don’t get killed.”

----------------------

What Akmal said...
Paul McDermott (host): I’ll say a word and you say the first thing that comes into your head. Aussie.
Akmal: (In bogan accent) ‘Ow ya goin’? You want a kick in the teeth (expletive)?
(Laughter)
I don’t want you to think that’s what I think of Aussies. That’s an incident that happened in Rockhampton...
McDermott: Not doing any more gigs there?
Akmal: No, I’m not welcome. I got punched by a chick in the face.
“You want a kick in the teeth, (expletive)?” I said: “I beg your pardon.” She said: “You want a kick in the teeth?” And then she punched me in the face.
Bloody Rockhampton, I hate it. We should remove Rockhampton from Australia and put it in Afghanistan.

McDermott: Touring.
Akmal: Touring is great because you get to go to places like Rockhampton where people say, “You want a kick in the teeth, (expletive)?”
Oh man, what a place, what a place.

McDermott: Can you give a big shout-out to Rockhampton again?
Akmal: How you going Rockhampton? If I offended anyone from Rockhampton ... “Go and get f-----!”

Recent Comments

Add a Comment »

Posted by leethal from Ironpot, Queensland

05 November 2009 9:48 a.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »

So what, he was just joking. I happen to think he is a painfully unfunny man, possibly my most despised comedian, but who cares if he pays out Rocky? There ARE a lot of bogans in this town, he's not far from the truth. Besides, that stupid moron who punched him in the face is the one who should be apologising, not Akmal.

Posted by debra1234 from Bangalow, New South Wales

05 November 2009 9:51 a.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »

Akmal was joking. Comedy is a serious everyday situation shoved in your face. That's what makes it funny. If he'd have said the same about my town I would have still thought it was funny...and probably thought 'I know that chick'! If people are offended by anything on Good News Week - DON'T WATCH IT! I get tired of people complaining about everything. Be responsible for yourself, your actions and what you watch.

Posted by cqtiger from Kunwarara, Queensland

05 November 2009 11:18 a.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »

2 bit comedian trying to be funny and copying a chaser script.
Maybe the lady was trying to knock his teeth out so he'd be more like the locals :)

Posted by StevoExRocky from Yarrambat, Victoria

05 November 2009 12:16 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »

I think Rocky deserved everything he said. I'm european & unfortunately have to visit Rocky occasionally & get sick of the glaring looks every time I visit. I have been called a "wog" many a time by complete strangers in Rocky, never elsewhere. I've never met such racist, bigoted, small town people anywhere else but Rocky Suck it up Rocky!.

Posted by D1234 from Brisbane Adelaide Street, Queensland

05 November 2009 12:51 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »

Sad to say I used to live there and it's a hole, full of redneck's, who have never travelled, who honestly believe rockhampton is great, and have no concept of the rest of the world..

Seriously ever wondered why people from Yepoon always say their from Yepoon, not rocky? Because although most people don't know where Yepoon is they'd still rather not let people know they are so close to Rockhampton.

Posted by happypeople from Barton, Australian Capital Territory

05 November 2009 2:09 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »

I normally don't watch GNW but this was one of the funniest things I have ever heard and I was born and raised in Rockhampton.

Posted by NeyNey from Frenchville, Queensland

05 November 2009 3:07 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »

RE: D1234 - I live in Rockhampton, I have travelled, I love Rocky because my family live here - even Akmal said you can't judge a town based on one person so seriously you can't then turn around and base such derogatory comments on a small group of people. Most of us are friendly and I have to say I have more problems with people in Brisbane than I do here, maybe you just aren't a nice person?

Posted by slippery671 from Gladstone, Queensland

05 November 2009 4:33 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »

It was a joke you rednecks. That's what comedy is.

Posted by Deanny from Gracemere, Queensland

05 November 2009 5:14 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »

Lived in Europe/UK for 3 years, travelled around the world for 9 mths and still came back to live here. Home is what you make of it, if you can't laugh at yourself and the bogans next door then you need to get over yourself. Akmal has every right to do what he does - comment on life through comedy. To the "lady" who had an issue I bet your children show their respect to their fellow human beings the same way in the playground, nothing like a bogan cycle.

Posted by BSfrenchy from Frenchville, Queensland

05 November 2009 7:34 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »

Akmal is funny, I've seen him live in Rocky. He obviously spoke without thinking but he wouldn't mean anything by it seriously.

And - for those dissing Rock-Vegas, we're glad you left. I moved here a few years ago from Brissy. I've travelled, been to a lot of places, and I love it here. The people are warm and friendly, and the town is a great place to live.

Posted by polantics from Frenchville, Queensland

06 November 2009 3:49 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »

He isn't funny, just a try hard. D1234, you obviously know nothing.. most of us complain about rocky being a hole. we dont talk it up. and if you lived in rocky you must be a redneck too according to your logic. Alot of us just cant be bothered moving. Doesn't mean we love it

Posted by phantomskippy from Rockhampton & Region, Queensland

11 November 2009 9:58 a.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »

I decided never to go anywhere near Rocky ever again when I saw a woman doing a #2 in the middle of the road.

Posted by grandcentral76 from Rockhampton City, Queensland

11 November 2009 1:14 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »

Hey funny how redneck actually originated from some one that worked hard 4 a living..and bogan has been known to really refer to those of us who are "proudly un-fashionable or 'rough around the edges"...... Akmal wasJOKING and to those who continue to run down Rockhampton; travel around Australia and the world and there are places where you see and experience worse than what you are whining about... We may not abound in the polished edges, fancy shops and sophistcation! of other places but we can still mostly say hi to a neighbour, buy a stranger a beer and send our kids to school with the knowledge we know who is looking after them.. So if we are not your cuppa tea, Don't have a cuppa!!!!