Mel McLaughlin, take a bow

Too often we criticise and complain about what we don’t like. I’m guilty of it and we all are from time to time. With this in mind I’d like to say “Melanie ‘Mel’ McLaughlin, take a bow.”

As many readers would know, Mel McLaughlin has been a regular part of the Channel Ten team covering the Big Bash since 2013. As most readers would know she was at the centre of considerable controversy when Chris Gayle made a number of inappropriate comments during a live interview with her.

Right of the bat I’d like to put to bed any doubts around the validity of Gayle’s remarks. They were completely inappropriate.

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Those who would defend Gayle suggest that the comments were intended as a joke. They suggest that it’s political correctness gone mad. Some particularly short sighted people try to equate Gayle’s behaviour with asking a female colleague out for a drink in the lunch room.

As a strong advocate of free speech I’d encourage those people to continue to express their poorly thought out views so that balanced, responsible individuals can debunk them.

Gayle’s behaviour is not the same as asking a female colleague out for a drink in the lunch room because staff lunch rooms are not usually broadcast on national television. Gayle’s behaviour can be more accurately compared to asking a female colleague out for a drink when she is in the middle of delivering a presentation to the company’s board.

Who in their right mind would think that’s appropriate, or even a good idea?

For those who still harbour doubts just imagine that you’re up there in front of the board. You begin your presentation, and as your trying to communicate all the hard work you’ve done to the board, a board member interrupts to say “nice tie mate”.

Once again who in their right mind would think that’s appropriate or a good idea?

Now that we’ve clarified all that, let’s talk about Mel McLaughlin. She could have responded to this incident in a number of ways. She could have organised interviews with breakfast TV all of who would have lined up to have her on the show and publicly flagellate Chris Gayle.

Perhaps she might have started a regular column on Daily Life to talk about the incident.

Those types of behaviour would have turned her into a ‘victim’. She didn’t fall for that trap. I’d suggest that’s because she’s not a victim. She’s a strong, intelligent broadcaster. So she did the responsible, adult thing. She simply accepted Gayle’s apology, declared that she wanted to move on and then did move on.

For this reason, the incident with Chris Gayle will not define her career. Her continued good work will do that. I sincerely hope that the folks at Channel Ten recognise this and give her a shot in the actual commentary box.

Given the discipline she’s shown so far in what she hasn’t said, I’m confident that she wouldn’t just fill the airwaves with meaningless chatter. It’s a trap so many sports commentators, and almost the entire Channel Nine commentary team falls into.

I’d really like to hear what she does have to say. Am I the only one?