Don Burke has been targeted by a black comedy sketch just a week after dozens of women accused him of sexual harassment.
The former Burke’s Backyard host’s alleged misconduct, and the environment that allowed it, was lampooned in parody gardening show sketch on the ABC.
Gardening With Greta followed comedian Greta Lee Jackson give viewers tips of home to grow their own ‘sexual harasser’ in a cheery, Burke-like tone.
Don Burke’s alleged misconduct, and the environment that allowed it, was lampooned in parody gardening show sketch the ABC, giving viewers tips on ‘how to grow a sexual harasser’
Screening on Monday night’s first episode of Tonightly With Tom Ballard, she began by describing the ideal environment for the ‘plant’ to grow.
A sexual harasser would thrive in a position of power in an industry that’s hard to get into, with easy access to young women who want to get in, and a climate of denial.
Greta then dealt with the issue of rumours and reports piling up about the harasser’s behaviour, advising viewers to simply bury them.
‘Then I add an extra layer of topsoil just to make sure that those pesky journalists won’t be digging those stories up until years later,’ she said.
‘Gardenith with Greta’ said a sexual harasser would thrive in a position of power in a hard to get into industry with easy access to young women who want to get in, and a climate of denial
Greta then dealt with the issue of rumours and reports piling up about the harasser’s behaviour, advising viewers to simply bury them
Next was how to ‘weed out’ troublemaking women who speak out, using ‘industry standard’ phrases like calling them ’emotional’, ‘overreacting’ and ‘victim mentality’.
The last of those was invoked twice by Burke in his widely panned A Current Affair interview a week earlier.
‘I think this whole Harvey Weinstein thing reinforces the victim mentality of women,’ he told Tracy Grimshaw as he denied all the allegations.
Greta said her personal favourite was ‘can’t take a joke’ which she sprayed on to the ‘infestation’ from a bottle labelled with the phrase.
‘This is particularly effective because not only is the woman now plagued by painful memories, she’s also paranoid about her sense of humour,’ she said.
Next was how to ‘weed out’ troublemaking women who speak out, using ‘industry standard’ phrases like calling them ’emotional’, ‘overreacting’ and ‘victim mentality’
Greta said her personal favourite was ‘can’t take a joke’ which she sprayed on to the ‘infestation’ from a bottle labelled with the phrase
But if the accusations spread too far, as was the case with Burke, more drastic measures were needed to make the harasser feel better about themselves.
Greta showed a series of potting mix bags labelled with useful tactics like ‘it was ok in the seventies’ – referring to comments by Harvey Weinstein.
Others were ‘I choose to live as a gay man’ by disgraced actor Kevin Spacey, and ‘I have Asperger’s’ in reference to Burke’s claimed self-diagnosis first mentioned in his ACA interview.
Greta then showed off the finished product – a bearded man standing in a pot of mulch with the scientific name ‘grossus fiddleus’.
Greta then showed off the finished product – a bearded man standing in a pot of mulch with the scientific name ‘grossus fiddleus’
‘Oh would you look at that,’ Greta said, finding a wad of $50 notes in his back pocket. ‘It’s making so much money for me right now. Why would anyone cut this down?’
The actor portraying the harasser twitched his eyebrows and licked his lips in creepy fashion and spontaneously grabbing at things with his hands.
‘Oh would you look at that,’ Greta said, finding a wad of $50 notes in his back pocket.
‘It’s making so much money for me right now. Why would anyone cut this down?’
Greta finished the segment advising viewers that these were just tips for the film and TV industry, but could be used in any other workplace.
‘Join us next week, where we show you how to weatherproof you cardinals for a national inquest,’ she said, signing off as the ‘harasser’ stalked her off camera.
Burke’s alleged misconduct included grabbing multiple women’s breasts and poking one woman’s bottom, and telling an aspiring actress she could audition if she showed up topless
Burke’s alleged misconduct included grabbing multiple women’s breasts and poking one woman’s bottom, and telling an aspiring actress she could audition if she showed up topless.
He also allegedly tried to take off her bra and top on bus and made her watch a video of a woman having sex with a donkey.
A former crew member also claimed Burke bragged about touching a teenage girl’s nipple three times while showing her how to hold a puppy.
Burke denied every one of the claims on the grounds that they never happened, or weren’t things that he as a person would say or do.
Tonightly with Tom Ballard airs 9pm Monday to Thursday on ABC Comedy.