A new Sportsbet campaign has cashed in on disgraced former NRL star Todd Carney’s infamous ‘bubbler’ scandal.
The commercial, which was released on Sunday, pays tribute to the leaked 2014 photo that appeared to show the former Cronulla Sharks player urinating in his own mouth in a public bathroom.
Outrage has already mounted online following the controversial advert’s attempt to make light of the vulgar act to promote its new iPhone betting app.
That’s got to be a new low!’ Outrage over Todd Carney’s new Sportsbet campaign that references his ‘bubbler’ scandal – as his girlfriend Susie Bradley is filmed kicking and screaming at a rugby game
The Sportsbet ad shows Carney standing next to a sculpture (believed to be based off the Manneken Pis) of a boy urinating into his own mouth.
Referring to the new app, the Sportsbet voiceover says ‘Even whizz kid Todd Carney can use it’, to which he replies: ‘Yeah piece of pi**.’
‘Betting ads really are bottom barrel garbage’, ‘that’s got to be a new low, even by Sportsbet standards’, and ‘how to reach a new #High in #Disgusting?’ were some of the Tweets referencing the new campaign.
Others claimed it wasn’t clever or funny, and were baffled as to why the advert was allowed during prime-time television commercial breaks.
‘Imagine actually getting to cash in on the fact you pi**ed in your own mouth,’ a Twitter user posed, as another added: ‘Todd Carney being sponsored by Sportsbet for pis**ng in his mouth sounds like 2019 in a nutshell.’
Sportsbet’s GM of marketing Tim Hernadi said in a press release: ‘Everyone knows someone who has committed foolish acts or have found themselves in foolish situations. Who better than Todd Carney to help us launch our new iPhone app and we’re confident punters will agree.’
‘Not clever, not funny’: Outrage has already mounted online following the controversial advert’s attempt to make light of the vulgar act to promote its new iPhone betting app
Pictured: The Sportsbet ad shows Carney standing next to a sculpture (believed to be based off the Manneken Pis) of a boy urinating into his own mouth
The infamous ‘bubbler’ incident: The leaked 2014 photo (above) appeared to show the former Cronulla Sharks player urinating in his own mouth in a public bathroom
‘Sounds like 2019 in a nutshell’: Some were baffled at Sportsbet using the star for the campaign, but also weren’t overly surprised by the decision
While poking fun of the ‘bubbler’ scandal in the advert, Todd denies the incident ever happened in his upcoming autobiography Hard Truth.
The 33-year-old disgraced footballer claims the image was simply an ‘optical illusion’ and he never actually performed the disgusting act.
The Kyle and Jackie O Show obtained an advance copy of the book on Monday, and host Jackie ‘O’ Henderson read an extract live on air.
She said, quoting the book: ‘The next morning I got a text with a photo of myself from Trent with the words, “What the hell?” I looked at the phone and was horrified.
‘I saw a picture of myself doing “the bubbler”, an optical illusion where it looks like you’re drinking your own urine, in the men’s room at Northies [Northies Cronulla Hotel in Sydney].
‘It’s an optical illusion, where it looks like you’re drinking your own urine’: While poking fun of the ‘bubbler’ scandal in the advert, Todd denies the incident ever happened in his upcoming autobiography Hard Truth
Backlash for the controversial advert comes after shocking footage emerged of his girlfriend and former Married At First Sight star Susie Bradley, 25, being escorted by security out of a rugby league game in Byron Bay on Sunday.
The reality star had been watching Todd play in a special Ladies Day match when all hell broke lose.
The video, which was taken by a fan watching the game, shows Susie screaming while being dragged through the crowd by several security officials.
Clad in a white smock and flat sandals, the mother-of-one appeared distressed and irate as she struggled to free herself from the grips of the officials hauling her away.
She eventually broke free and used the opportunity to kick an unsuspecting woman in the backside.
Shock couple: Backlash for the controversial advert comes after footage emerged of Todd’s (L) girlfriend and former Married At First Sight star Susie Bradley, 25, 9(R) being escorted by security out of a rugby league game in Byron Bay on Sunday