Brian Wilshire
Encyclopedia
Brian Wilshire is a radio DJ for 2GB
. His show is currently the longest-running program in the city, and is also the highest rating at night, with (as of Dec 15, 2009) a 23.9% audience share. The signature of the show is the tune, "Hanky Panky", by Pete Fountain.
His radio career started in November, 1969 with stations in places like Tamworth
, Canberra
and Sydney
. His program averages twice the audience share of the station as a whole.
Wilshire has many interests including snow skiing, car racing (having won his class in 1993 at Bathurst
), writing books, and playing drums in bands "Stringybark
" and "Koala Soup".
and thus hard to educate.
"Many of them have parents who are first cousins whose parents were first cousins. The result of this is inbreeding – the result of which is uneducationable (sic) people...and very low IQ.”
His comments were greeted with outrage. "It reveals an uneducated comment on his part - they are disgraceful comments," then Premier, Morris Iemma
, said.
Stephen Stanton, spokesman for the Lebanese human rights organization Cedarwatch:
"One is [Sydney radio] 2GB and the moronic manner that gargling boofhead has been berating and denigrating you. The airwaves are useless if they are used by people such as that. The other is newspapers such as The Australian."
Following widespread condemnation, including by Premier Iemma, Wilshire has since apologized for his comments.
2GB
2GB is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia broadcasting on 873 kHz, AM. It is one of Australia's most popular talk-back radio stations, and is the number one station in Sydney.-History:The station commenced broadcasting in August 1926...
. His show is currently the longest-running program in the city, and is also the highest rating at night, with (as of Dec 15, 2009) a 23.9% audience share. The signature of the show is the tune, "Hanky Panky", by Pete Fountain.
His radio career started in November, 1969 with stations in places like Tamworth
Tamworth, New South Wales
Tamworth is a city in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Peel River, Tamworth, which contains an estimated population of 47,595 people, is the major regional centre for southern New England and in the local government area of Tamworth Regional Council. The city...
, Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
and Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. His program averages twice the audience share of the station as a whole.
Wilshire has many interests including snow skiing, car racing (having won his class in 1993 at Bathurst
Bathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
), writing books, and playing drums in bands "Stringybark
Stringybark
A stringybark can be any of the many Eucalyptus species which have thick, fibrous bark. Like all eucalypts, stringybarks belong to the Myrtaceae family. In exceptionally fertile locations some stringybark species A stringybark can be any of the many Eucalyptus species which have thick, fibrous...
" and "Koala Soup".
Controversy over racist comments
On 16 December 2005, Wilshire was forced to make a public apology, after saying on air that the Cronulla rioters were inbred as a result of consanguinityConsanguinity
Consanguinity refers to the property of being from the same kinship as another person. In that respect, consanguinity is the quality of being descended from the same ancestor as another person...
and thus hard to educate.
"Many of them have parents who are first cousins whose parents were first cousins. The result of this is inbreeding – the result of which is uneducationable (sic) people...and very low IQ.”
His comments were greeted with outrage. "It reveals an uneducated comment on his part - they are disgraceful comments," then Premier, Morris Iemma
Morris Iemma
Morris Iemma , is a former Australian politician and 40th Premier of New South Wales, succeeding Bob Carr after he resigned on 3 August 2005. Iemma led the Australian Labor Party to victory in the 2007 election before resigning as Premier on 5 September 2008, and as a Member of Parliament on 19...
, said.
Stephen Stanton, spokesman for the Lebanese human rights organization Cedarwatch:
"One is [Sydney radio] 2GB and the moronic manner that gargling boofhead has been berating and denigrating you. The airwaves are useless if they are used by people such as that. The other is newspapers such as The Australian."
Following widespread condemnation, including by Premier Iemma, Wilshire has since apologized for his comments.