Former West Coast Eagle Scott Cummings and Collingwood premiership player Dane Swan have responded to critics accusing them of enabling sexual harassment against women.
The pair's Humpday podcast, produced by Ralph Horowitz and followed by over three thousand accounts on Twitter, gained traction and notoriety Tuesday morning following a segment involving the pair searching their names on Urban Dictionary preceded by the word "dirty".
Swan was heard replying "That's not too bad" when the description of a 'Dirty Ralph' was read as "when you try and sneak up behind a girl who is on all fours throwing up."
It was once they read the 'Dirty Dane' out on air that trouble ensued among listeners, however, defined by Urban Dictionary as the process of ejaculation onto a sleeping woman's face, resulting in laughter from the presenters.
Cummings was the first to respond to allegations labelling both the hosts and the show itself as, among other things, "misogynistic and uneducated" before the decision was quickly made to end production of the podcast.
I abhor violence against women. Only twisted cowards would commit such a gutless crime. They are not getting the idea however from 3 blokes quoting urban dictionary on a podcast and to be so knowingly taken out of context and have reputations tarnished for clicks is reprehensible
— Scotty Cummings (@ScottyCummings_) July 1, 2019
An irate Swan also took to Twitter later in the morning with a series of tweets decrying the "germs" who removed context from their comments.
Wow, just wow. The carry on about a stupid podcast and the things people are trying to attach to it is one of the most absurd things I’ve heard. If ya didn’t like it ya didn’t have to fucking listen to it. It’s that simple. Lot of haters and sad sacks in this country it seems.
— Dane Swan (@swandane) July 2, 2019
Swan's rant would continue, urging those who took offence to the podcast comments to "get a grip".
Because there are germs out there who just wanna see you fall and just trying to get clicks for their fucked articles so they take shit out of context and make up an article about it to justify there insignificant existence. How’s that? https://t.co/cqQB3LOfoC
— Dane Swan (@swandane) July 2, 2019
If we had of ever said anything wrong or offensive we would of apologised but the fact is we have never have and I’ll debate anyone anywhere arguing that point. When written down words can look horrible I get that but fuck me People need to get a grip
— Dane Swan (@swandane) July 2, 2019
And eventually, the official account of the show decided to chime in as well, mirroring much of the statement that producer Horowitz's Twitter has been echoing through the entirety of the day.
Fairness is now irrelevant https://t.co/7CRfuAjgFs
— @scottyandswanny (@scottyandswanny) July 2, 2019
But although Humpday reached an abrupt conclusion in the wake of the controversial remarks, many of their followers and listeners have been quick to defend both the joke and the nature of the show itself, arguing that political correctness has claimed another unnecessary victim.
In the short-term, they lose entertainment. Their reward? Potentially forthcoming...
Wanna start a podcast when I get back from holiday @rtralphy ? Got some things I wanna get off my chest and this time I may seriously offend some people
— Dane Swan (@swandane) July 2, 2019