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Bert Newton’s controversial Logies speech will be quickly forgotten in the name of protecting his legacy as a warm bubbly old gent, says industry insiders.
The Australian television icon is facing a social media backlash over comments he made when presenting the Graham Kennedy Award for most popular new talent at the 60th annual Logie Awards.
The speech started with Newton paying tribute to the late Florida-based soundcloud rapper, XXXTentacion who was laid to rest during a private funeral on Thursday – after being killed in a drive-by shooting last week.
“RIP X” said Newton.
“Y’all killed X and let Zimmerman live, streets is done”
However, while touching, Newton has come under fire for acknowledging the life and death of an allegedly abusive icon of the arts.
“OMG I can’t believe an old as shit media personality could misread such a politically correct room like the 2018 Logies” said one Twitter user.
“Oh my God. Bert is the new Louis Theroux” said another.
Police appear to be working diligently to solve the rapper’s murder. They have already arrested one suspect, Dedrick Williams, and charged him with first-degree murder in the June 18 killing. Authorities are looking for two more suspects and have also named a person of interest in the believed robbery turned slaying.
Sources close to the Newton says that, due to the fact that he is eighty years old, a ‘social media backlash’ doesn’t really bother him.
