Footage has been leaked of Seven West Media’s infamous ‘sexy Santa’ dance amid growing criticism which has been dismissed by a top boss as ‘over the top’.
The Seven Network company faced severe backlash for the inappropriate performance by female dancers at its Perth town hall meeting last Friday.
What was meant to be a celebration of the company’s first appointment of a female editor, Sarah-Jane Tasker, and LGBT editor, Adrian Lowe, was quickly overshadowed by the four dancers.
Deputy news director Ray Kuka was discussing what laid ahead on Seven West’s agenda, including the airing of Perth’s annual Christmas Pageant on December 7, when Mariah Carey’s classic Christmas hit All I Want for Christmas began playing.
Footage showed a group of scantily-clad female dancers dressed in Santa hats, short red dresses and high heels making their way onto the stage.
They then did a dance routine which involved high kicks.
The uncomfortable clip was leaked on Tuesday massive criticism to photos of the performance with one commenter likening the dancers to ‘sl***y elves’.
Female staff who watched on were said to have been ‘dumbstruck and horrified’ by the bizarre scene and reportedly walked out in disgust.
A Seven West Media meeting on Friday featured a performance from scantily-clad Christmas dancers (pictured)
Footage of the performance (pictured) leaked on Tuesday with reports claiming some female workers walked out of the meeting in disgust
The leaked photo and footage has since gone viral overseas and reported on by global outlets.
The latest incident comes at a time when the network has been in the spotlight over allegations of inappropriate behavior and a toxic work culture.
‘OMG – if they thought that was even slightly appropriate given everything we’ve found out about them, the cultural makeup of that organisation is badly broken,’ one commenter wrote.
Another added: ‘How is this real!
A third wrote: ‘That will help fix the culture issues which have been uncovered.’
One unnamed staffer was shocked that the event was hosted by a woman.
‘I mean, technically a woman does run the West and she drove the whole presentation session,’ they told The Guardian.
Ms Tasker, The West Australian’s new editor-in-chief has since branded the furore as ‘way over the top’ as she dismissed the criticism as industry rivalry.
She described last Friday’s event as ‘an upfront-style presentation’, complete with fireworks and sizzle reels.
‘I understand the focus from Nine, clearly they want to score points against Seven and will do so in any way possible,’ Ms Tasker told The Guardian.
‘But I take this personally because what these stories are describing is not the workplace I love and am proud to work in and now lead alongside Chris Dore.’
A Seven spokesman told AFR the dancers were part of the Christmas Pageant, which is considered a ‘Perth institution’.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Seven for further comment.
Sarah-Jane Tasker (pictured), The West Australian’s new editor-in-chief, dismissed criticism of the provocative midday performance as ‘over the top’ and pinned reporting on the event as industry rivalry
A Seven spokesman said that the dancers (pictured) aimed to promote the network’s upcoming Christmas Pageant, which is considered a ‘Perth institution’
The controversial meeting comes just weeks after veteran Sydney reporter Robert Ovadia launched legal action in the Federal Court against the network.
Ovadia was stood down on June 21 following an investigation into allegations of unprofessional behaviour.
Those allegations include lewd messages with a female colleague and sending a photoshopped photos of a female coworker as a ‘pole dancer; in a catsuit, brandishing a whip; sitting in a cocktail glass’ on Four Corners.
Ryan Stokes, the managing director of Seven Group Holdings Ltd, recently called improper behaviour in media an ‘industry-wide problem’.
He made the comments in reference to allegations against Nine Entertainment for the mistreatment of women and the ABC’s review into racism directed at staff.
Stokes said it was ‘disappointing that there is a perception [that] inappropriate behaviour’ was tolerated at Seven because ‘we don’t tolerate any inappropriate behaviour’.
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