Kamahl lifts the lid on "disrespectful" Hey Hey, It's Saturday feud
Kamahl has lifted the lid on his many years as a regular co-host on Hey Hey, It's Saturday, calling out the show's "disrespectful" actions.
To celebrate his 90th birthday, Kamahl has shared the highs and lows of his career in his newly-released biography, Kamahl: The Triumph of Hope.
In the book, the musician and TV presenter criticised the popular Australian variety show for constantly using him as the butt of many jokes, despite his popularity on the program.
Hey Hey stopped airing in 1999, but in 2021, Channel 7 showcased a special episode of the show to celebrate its 50 year anniversary.
Despite being a regular fixture on the show for many years, Kamahl wasn't invited to participate, even though he said at the time he would've gladly joined in the celebrations if they had asked.
Instead of Kamahl appearing in person, they acknowledged his many years on the show with a split-second image amongst a montage of pictures of hundreds of other artists who had appeared on the show during its history.
Kamahl wrote in his book that while the snub was ungracious, it was consistent with a lot of the treatment he received on the program over the years, so it wasn't unexpected.
Kamahl said, “You know, I have never been capable of being disrespectful, so when on the receiving end of such treatment, it genuinely confuses me. However, the resurrection of the show in the 50th Anniversary special just made me reflect once again on some of the things that had involved me on the show over the years. A number stood out for all the wrong reasons."
“It was obvious that they had got me on the show as some kind of comic foil. It was hardly subtle nor clever, but it appealed to a segment of their audience, so they milked it for all it was worth. I thought that by taking such treatment in my stride in good grace may show that I could rise above it all by not overreacting."
“I thought that by going along with it, by being a good sport, the audience may understand that we can laugh at ourselves and that we aren’t all that different. I now realise that in doing so I may have been seen to be supportive of such treatment, which is wrong."
“When the 50th Anniversary special aired and it was being lauded by all and sundry within the business, I felt compelled to seek an answer as to why my career milestone was treated with such disdain. I wrote an open letter to Daryl Somers so that he could be given an opportunity to publicly explain his actions.”
The open letter to Somers, that was published on many news sites in the days after the anniversary special aired, Kamahl stated, “In a week where you are deservedly receiving such plaudits for your career milestone, I am left wondering why when you had the opportunity to acknowledge mine you chose not to.”
Kamahl's open letter remained unanswered.
Image credits: Getty Images / New Holland Publishers