Former footy star Dane Swan has hit out at critics who slammed him for joking about sexual assault on his podcast.
Swan and Hump Day co-host Scott Cummings came under fire after they were heard laughing on their 3AW show about performing lewd sex acts including masturbating next to an ‘unwilling woman’.
‘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,’ Swan said in a tweet on Tuesday.
‘If ya didn’t like it ya didn’t have to f**king listen to it. It’s that simple. Lot of haters and sad sacks in this country it seems,’ he continued.
During the June 18 episode, Swan, Cummings and producer Ralph Horowitz searched the ‘dirty’ definition for each of their names on website Urban Dictionary.
‘A ‘Dirty Ralph’ occurs when you try and sneak up on a girl who is on all fours throwing up,’ Cummings, 45, is heard saying.
Former footy player Scott Cummings has come under fire after joking about sexual assault and performing lewd sex acts on women on his Hump Day with Scotty and Swanny (Dane Swan, right) show on June 18
Dane Swan responded to ‘sad sacks’ saying they shouldn’t listen to his podcast if they don’t like it
‘That’s not that too bad,’ Swan, 35, replied, prompting laughter from the hosts.
He then reads out the more vulgar definition of a ‘Dirty Dane’ which states: ‘After a frustrating evening involving a lack of sexual activity a man is forced to pleasure himself through masturbation while the woman sleeps.
‘He retaliates at the unwilling woman by spreading his love on her face, thereby causing her to wake up and mumble like a Danish person,’ he says.
The trio are then heard roaring with laughter.
The men’s reactions sparked outrage from some listeners and domestic violence groups who claimed such comments could promote violence towards women.
‘Flippant comments degrading women are often dismissed as trivial, harmless and even funny, however the evidence tells us that these attitudes contribute towards the social conditions that allow family violence and violence against women to continue unabated,’ Alison Macdonald, the Acting CEO of Domestic Violence Victoria, told the Herald Sun.
A defiant Swan, a former Collingwood premiership star who won the Brownlow Medal as the AFL’s best player in 2011 before retiring in 2016, continued his Twitter rant saying he did not feel the need to apologise.
Cummings addressed the controversy in a tweet Tuesday morning explaining the comments were taken out of context
Swan retired from the AFL in 2016 and now hosts Hump Day with Scotty and Swanny on 3AW
Swan pictured with his girlfriend Taylor Wilson
‘If we had of ever said anything wrong or offensive we would of (sic) apologised but the fact is we never have and I’ll debate anyone anywhere arguing that point.
‘When written down words can look horrible I get that, but f**k me People need to get a grip,’ he added.
Cummings, who was the AFL’s leading goalkicker in 1999, first addressed the controversy in a tweet on Tuesday morning.
‘I abhor violence against women,’ Cummings said. ‘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,’ he tweeted.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted 3AW for comment.
The episode, called Sewerage Awareness Officers, also drew criticism after the hosts ridiculed the Love etc podcast hosted by Michelle Andrews and Zara McDonald.
The men were heard making fun of the two female hosts before suggesting they ‘lay together.’
‘The segment on Love etc was absolutely disgusting. To see grown, 40 whatever year old men ridiculing and laughing at the success of two brilliant young women is so disappointing and archaic,’ one woman said in a comment.
‘We aren’t in the stone ages. As women our interests are not any less legitimate than your interest in sport and sex. The women behind Love Etc deserve an apology.’