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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 <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/i-felt-let-down-kamahl-s-open-letter-to-daryl-somers-after-hey-hey-smash-hit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">open letter</a> 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 <div class="media image" style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 24px; align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: column; width: 705.202209px; max-width: 100%;"> </div>

Singer Kamahl faces stalking charges

Singer Kamahl is facing stalking charges, after a woman 50 years his junior said she was stalked and harassed by the entertainer. The woman who has not been named, has applied for an apprehended violence order (AVO) against the 89-year-old singer. The accusations include one count of stalking with intent to cause fear, with the matter set to be heard at Sutherland Court in Sydney next month. The accusations stem back to May 2023, when Kamahl was invited to the woman's house to discuss business funding. As a result of their meeting, Kamahl deposited $2,000 into her account, and the woman allegedly agreed to repay this amount in $5 weekly instalments. The dispute arose when the woman began labelling her online banking transactions as "to the molester", despite Kamahl denying any inappropriate misconduct. Following the transaction, a series of text messages were sent between the pair, where the woman claims she was threatened by Kamahl. In one of the texts, the woman warned Kamahl about his behaviour being unacceptable, suggesting would go to the police if it were to continue. “I just wanted you to know that your behaviour is unacceptable and you’re lucky I haven’t gone to the authorities,” a text from the woman to Kamahl read. “You are a liar, and a failure, and most of all an ungrateful b****. The best is yet to come!” Kamahl responded. Kamahl has denied any misconduct, blaming his furious response on not taking his medication and said his actions were a response to provocation rather than unkindness. “I’m an 89-year-old man... I was not being unkind I was responding to a situation without all of my faculties,” Kamahl told 9News. “I’m not worried, meaning that it is what it is, any publicity is better than no publicity, I’m sure about that.” Despite the allegations and upcoming court date, Kamahl seemed unfazed about the public issue. “Any publicity is better than no publicity,” he said. Image credits: Nine News

Legal

"He backflipped on his backflip!": Kamahl's "train wreck" Project interview

Australian singer Kamahl has spectacularly reversed his position on the Voice to Parliament for the second time, just two days after <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/two-massive-music-icons-join-the-yes-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener">publicly announcing his support</a>. The 88-year-old initially stated on social media that he would vote "YES" in the upcoming referendum scheduled for October 14. He attributed this change of heart to a meeting with Indigenous comedian Dane Simpson and constitutional lawyer Eddie Synot. However, in a surprising turn of events, Kamahl later appeared on live television during an interview on The Project and announced that he would be voting "NO" on the issue. This unexpected shift in stance left both the hosts and viewers perplexed, with one viewer describing the interview as a "train wreck". During the interview, Kamahl expressed concerns that the proposed Voice to Parliament could potentially exacerbate racial divisions. He argued that it might segregate one racial group from the rest of the country. He acknowledged his earlier statement of support, apologised for any inconsistency, and urged people to disregard his previous position. “If you do the Voice this way, it becomes a racist issue. You’re putting a whole race of people separate from the rest of the country,” he said. “I apologise, call me a hypocrite or uninformed but I am informed now. Whatever I said before now, wipe it out, but start all over again and forgive me.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> What a train wreck of an interview. — Sue Roberts (@sueroberts7) <a href="https://twitter.com/sueroberts7/status/1705911143590756439?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2023</a></blockquote> Kamahl also raised the issue of government spending, claiming that the Indigenous community received $40 billion annually. When pressed for the source of this figure, he sparred with host Hamish Macdonald, who fact-checked the statement. Macdonald pointed out that the $40 billion figure was not accurate and clarified that the National Indigenous Australians agency's budget for 2022-23 was $4.5 billion, not $30 billion as Kamahl initially stated. Despite admitting the error in the figure, Kamahl maintained his decision to vote "NO". Before publicly declaring his support for the Voice to Parliament, Kamahl mentioned that he had spent sleepless nights weighing the pros and cons of the issue. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Wow! He backflipped on his backflip on live TV. — Rex Goulevitch (@goulevitch) <a href="https://twitter.com/goulevitch/status/1705878944766181694?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2023</a></blockquote> After the interview concluded, The Project panel, who had anticipated Kamahl discussing his "YES" vote decision, appeared taken aback and momentarily speechless. Viewers on social media reacted strongly to the interview, with one labelling it a "train wreck" and others suggesting that Kamahl had manipulated the program's discussion. Following the airing of The Project episode, entertainment reporter Peter Ford said during a 3AW radio interview that he had been giving Kamahl advice all week over how best to interact with the media on this topic. “It was a pre-recorded interview and he was not happy with the way it was cut,” Ford said. He also went on to explain that he had repeatedly implored Kamahl to steer clear of the Voice debate in public, but that his advice was ignored “every single time”. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> This interview was not live. Kamahl believes it was heavily edited to make him look foolish. He wants a public apology from Hamish Mc Donald. <a href="https://t.co/OXaLiQWxVR">https://t.co/OXaLiQWxVR</a> — Peter Ford (@mrpford) <a href="https://twitter.com/mrpford/status/1706082373933383900?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2023</a></blockquote> According to Ford, Kamahl was not happy with the exchange with Project host Macdonald, and that he “wants an apology for making him look like a fool”. Images: The Project

Two massive music icons join the Yes Campaign

With three weeks to go before the nation votes to decide on whether the constitution should be changed to establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, two music legends have joined the Yes campaign. Australian singer Kamahl has flipped his initial No vote to a Yes within a week, after “sleepless nights weighing the pros and cons." The singer took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share the reasons why he had a change of heart. “I'm damned if Vote YES and I'll be damned if I Vote NO ! Having spent sleepless nights weighing the pros and cons, I'll be damned and I'll Vote YES !” he wrote. “Coincidentally I was in ‘Journey out of Darkness’ in 1967 as the Aboriginal prisoner, just before THE Referendum”. Just last week the music icon encouraged his followers to vote No in the referendum by changing the lyrics to John Farnham’s song You’re the Voice to “What’s the Voice, I just don’t understand it. It’s just noise and it’s not clear. Vote no-o-oh-oh, o-o-o." “We’re not going to vote Apartheid. We don’t want one race privilege. Vote no-o-oh-oh," he sang. The 88-year-old flipped his vote after meeting Indigenous comedian Dane Simpson and constitutional lawyer Eddie Synot and listening to their arguments. “I’m embarrassed, until Monday or Tuesday I didn’t realise they (Indigenous people) were considered not human,” he said, after Simpson and Synot explained the voice to Kamahl. “I can’t …For me, it is a heart and mind thing,” he said, while breaking down into tears. The singer explained to Simpson and Synot that he was hesitant to speak up because he had "insufficient knowledge on how the whole thing works”. In a sensational backflip on the issue, the singer also added that he hoped that "the right people with the right mind, heart, ability and knowledge make it a reality," and wished that there was a way of "doing it without looking like a race of people were being advantaged.” “At the end of the day, I am here to help rather than hinder. If the Yes vote helps, then so be it,” he said. “It is a positive thing to do. I don’t think I would achieve anything by voting No … if there is good I can do, I would rather do it than regret it another time.” The Sounds of Goodbye singer is not the only one backing the Yes campaign. On the other side of the world, American rapper MC Hammer – famous for his number one hit song U Can't Touch This – has shared his support for the Yes campaign ahead of the Voice referendum. “I’m with you. Australia it’s time. Repair the breach. #Yes2023,” the rapper tweeted. The 61-year-old admitted that he didn't know what the Voice referendum was until one of his followers brought it up in a post shared on the platform. “Australia has no treaty with its Indigenous people, and has done little in comparison to other British dominions like Canada, New Zealand and the United States to include and uplift its First Nations people,” he said. He then quoted human rights lawyer Professor Megan Davis, one of the most central figures of the Yes campaign. “A successful referendum will set a precedent that will be “really useful for other indigenous populations around the world in relation to recognition,” he quoted the human rights lawyer. This comes just days after<a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/cathy-freeman-reveals-her-stance-on-the-voice" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Cathy Freeman</a> shared her stance on the Voice and asked Aussies to "stand together and to show our support for Australians who need it the most." Images: Getty

Music

Kamahl demands apology over racial tweet

Singer Kamahl has demanded that radio host Philip Adams issue him a public apology over the racial tweet he made in December where Adams dubbed Kamahl an “honorary white” over his relationship with the late cricketer Donald Bradman. Adams claims to have contacted Kamahl, who says he has been “humiliated” by the incident, but the Malaysian-born singer claims the apology never made it to him. “My understanding is that Mr Adams has written to Kamahl apologising for that,” ABC boss David Anderson said of the situation. “Privately written to him, apologising for that.” As reported by The Australian, Kamahl had plenty to say in response to Anderson. “I resent the fact that you have used the incident on public record as a defence of how you and your management have effectively dealt with this issue,” he wrote. “You stated on the public record that Adams had in fact reached out to me to apologise personally for his highly inappropriate comment. “Mr Anderson, let me clarify, the only action that Adams has taken to date in dealing with this issue is to block me on Twitter and double down on his initial slur in which he referred to me as an ‘honorary white’.” “Bradman refused to meet Mandela?” Adams posted in a now deleted tweet. “Why do you think Sir Donald Bradman refused to meet Mandela?” Kamahl responded. “Why do you think the greatest ever 'spotsman' welcomed me at his home from August 1988 every year, till he left us in 2001?” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Why do you think Sir Donald Bradman refused to meet Mandela ? Why do you think the greatest ever 'spotsman' welcomed me at his home from August 1988 every year, till he left us in 2001? He also left me letters he wrote every year. Why Phillip ?<a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialKamahl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OfficialKamahl</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PhillipAdams_1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PhillipAdams_1</a> — Kamahl AM (@OfficialKamahl) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialKamahl/status/1607369967628095489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2022</a></blockquote> “Clearly, Kamahl, he made you an Honorary White. Whereas one of the most towering political figures of the 20th century was deemed unworthy of Bradman's approval," Adams fired back. Kamahl went on to tell Adams that responded he “may be white, but oh your soul is black!” The term ‘honorary white’ is said to have originated during South Africa’s Apartheid regime in the 1960s to grant the rights and the privileges of white people to those who would otherwise be considered ‘non-white’ at the time. Many share Kamahl’s belief that Adams’ apology should be as public as his initial words. As reporter Peter Ford said on 6PR Breakfast, “you get the feeling that they told him to write this apology and send it to get him off our backs and it’d all go away, and I don’t think that’s good enough.” Kamahl and his followers have been vocal on Twitter about his desire for an appropriate apology, and the impact of Adams’ words, but only time will tell if Adams is to step up and offer one. Images: Twitter

News

Kamahl opens up on "secret addiction" that ended his marriage

For the first time, Kamahl has opened up about his separation, and the addiction that he believes contributed to it: his addiction to social media. The singer was married to wife Sahodra for 55 years, before <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/she-really-is-my-everything-kamahl-splits-from-wife" target="_blank">announcing their separation</a> earlier this month. Kamahl made the announcement in an interview with New Idea, and admitted that he’s “praying” for a reconciliation. Now he’s opened up about what he believes contributed to the breakdown of his marriage, his social media addiction. Appearing on A Current Affair, the 87-year-old said that he blames himself for letting himself be distracted from what really matters. He revealed that he was spending up to five hours a day scrolling social media, saying, “I was isolated with my computer. I think she was sick and tired, I’m consumed with politics. I’m tweeting from morning to night … I’m paying a terrible price for it.” The singer also revealed that he has gifts waiting for his former wife, but isn’t sure if she’d want them, saying, “She might throw it back at me, but I’m going to give it to her anyway. She really is the wind beneath my wings. I now realise I probably wasn’t the most attentive husband. “Fame can do that – it can distract you from what really matters. But I’m keeping everything crossed we can work through this rough patch, as she really is my everything. “At the end of the day, I am the sinner. She is the saint.” The couple have two children together – son Rajan, 52, and daughter Rani, 50 – and Kamahl said that despite the split, they remain close. “Thankfully, things are convivial – we see one another regularly. She still cooks me her unbelievably delicious lamb shanks every fortnight.” Earlier this year, Kamahl <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/music-legend-kamahl-opens-up-about-terrible-experience-on-hey-hey-it-s-saturday" target="_blank">opened up about his treatment</a> on Hey Hey It’s Saturday, after videos of his appearance on this show resurfaced online. Appearing on Studio 10 earlier this month, he said of the episode, “There is a reason why they did what they did. The reason is that I was successful … They couldn’t understand it … It’s a form of envy, jealousy, hate. It was their form of cutting the tall poppy down. “It hurt, of course it hurt. It’s terrible to be humiliated. I know they wouldn’t hit John Farnham or Jimmy Barnes in the face with a powder puff, but the root of it was I was too successful for them … If I was a nobody, they wouldn’t have done anything.” Image: Hanna Lassen/WireImage

Relationships

"She really is my everything": Kamahl splits from wife

Australian singer Kamahl has announced his split from his wife of 55 years, Sahodra. In his latest interview with <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.newidea.com.au/kamahl-sahodra-marriage-split" target="_blank">New Idea</a>, the 87-year-old revealed the news but said he is “praying it is a temporary split”. “My beautiful wife, Sahodra, and I have been together for 55 years before quietly separating earlier this year,” he told the publication. “We remain close. Thankfully, things are convivial - we see one another regularly. She still cooks me her unbelievably delicious lamb shanks every fortnight.” <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845651/kamahl1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/10969a54842e4e0c8aaf24e83cf12973" /> Image: Getty Images He <a rel="noopener" href="https://celebrity.nine.com.au/latest/kamahl-split-wife-after-55-years/39abcf6c-82c1-48ff-8713-20524150041e" target="_blank">said</a> that the pressure of fame had contributed to the couple’s separation, adding that it had been a long time coming. “I think over time I took Sahodra’s graciousness for granted. In hindsight, I should have given her more hugs,” Kamahl said. “She really is the wind beneath my wings. I now realise I probably wasn’t the most attentive husband,” the entertainer said. “Fame can do that - it can distract from what really matters, and that’s family. But I’m keeping everything crossed we can work through this rough patch, as she really is my everything.” Kamahl currently lives alone at a country club in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, after he and Sahodra sold their longtime home last year. The couple were married on June 29, 1966 and share two children, musician Rajan, 52, and singer Rani 50, as well as one granddaughter, Isabelle Flynn. The singer is also working on a book with author Keith Cameron called The Kindness of Strangers. Image: Getty Images

Relationships

“I felt let down”: Kamahl’s open letter to Daryl Somers after Hey Hey smash hit

After Hey Hey It’s Saturday raked in views once again with the airing of the show’s <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/huge-twist-in-hey-hey-it-s-saturday-ratings-smash" target="_blank">50th anniversary special</a>, singer Kamahl has shared an open letter to host Daryl Somers. The show was recently hit with criticism after a compilation of vintage clips went viral earlier this year, with many of them revealing the mocking and belittling treatment Kamahl received. Somers publicly apologised to Kahaml in March and stated that all of the show’s team “do not condone racism in any form”. Kamahl released his open letter to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/flashback/kamahl-pens-open-letter-to-daryl-somers-one-unanswered-question/news-story/1f1038f0559bc7df8a1151c760958454" target="_blank">news.com.au</a> several days after the anniversary special, saying that he has “one unanswered question” for the host. The singer opened with the “warmest congratulations” to Somers and the team that produced the anniversary show. “The accolades that you received within the program were well-earned and rightly acknowledge your place in Australian TV history,” he wrote. “As an Australian entertainer, my being part of that history for a number of years is truly humbling.” Kamahl went on to describe a particular incident in an episode from 1984, where he was ambushed while singing and hit in the face with a white powder puff. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844801/kamahl-somers1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5f07f1a4e6ec47fdbc956b0a60e90414" /> Image: Hey Hey It’s Saturday The stunt came a week before Kamahl was due to perform for the second time at New York’s prestigious Carnegie Hall. He said it was “puzzling” to him that the show “decided on setting me up as the butt of a rather crude joke in preference to acknowledging my achievement”. “The fact that I had poured my heart and soul into making that concert a success made the stunt on Hey Hey that evening an incredibly dispiriting experience,” he said. “As a supporter of Hey Hey, I have to say that at the time I felt let down by your show and it is a disappointment that still remains with me today.” With that moment in mind, the singer had one question for Hey Hey’s host. “If I had been any other Australian artist about to embark on such a massive venture would I have received such treatment?” he wrote. “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.” In a reference to the original clip, Kamahl concluded the letter with the question, “Why are people so unkind?”. <img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844802/kamahl-somers2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a8359af51cbc4f1c82f15de1fdd0323c" /> Image: @johnpatterson / Twitter The cartoon was one of several that flashed up on screen during his 1984 appearance, which shocked many as it circulated on social media. Image: Getty Images

Daryl Somers issues apology to Kamahl

Former Hey Hey It's Saturday host Daryl Somers has issued an apology to Kamahl after the Malaysian-born singer opened up about the "humiliation" he endured on the once-beloved variety show. In the statement, Somers says he “deeply regret(s) any hurt felt” by Kamahl and that he “never set out to offend anybody.” Unearthed skits from the show - including one in which Kamahl was hit in the face with white powder and told "you're a real white man" afterwards - have been making the rounds on the internet recently, with Kamahl commenting on the racial abuse he was subjected to on the show. “They wouldn’t hit John Farnham or Jimmy Barnes in the face with a powder puff,” <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/AngelaBishop/status/1376658568858923015" target="_blank">he told Studio 10 on Tuesday</a>, adding it “hurt” to be humiliated on live national television. Responding to the uproar in a statement to 3AW, Somers - who is gearing up to host Channel 7's Dancing with the Stars: All Stars - apologised to Kamahl and others who found the show's content "offensive". “I want to make it very clear that I and all members of the Hey Hey team do not condone racism in any form,” Somers said. “I have always considered Kamahl a friend and supporter of the show, so I deeply regret any hurt felt by him as a result of anything that took place on the programme in the past.” He went on to say he supports diversity in the entertainment industry, claiming the show “never set out to offend anybody but always strived to provide family entertainment”. He added that he is “proud” of the long-running show’s contribution to Australian television, but added that “in the context of modern society” the material was “plainly inappropriate” and “would not go to air today”. The “long overdue” apology — which begins with Somers asserting that he is “currently in the middle of recording Dancing With The Stars: All Stars” — has been slammed by some social media users. “Just say sorry. No need to contextualise. It was vile then and remains so now,” <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/JaniceKPetersen/status/1377039408143036416" target="_blank">one said</a>. “The Daryl Somers “apology” to Kamahl … the good old “these things were ‘appropriate’ in the past & we are so much more evolved now” defence. Yeah nup; it was racist back then & it’s still racist now,” <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/TracyWesterman/status/1377055382451855363" target="_blank">another wrote</a>. “At no point in Daryl Somers’ ‘apology’ did he apologise. He does fit in a hell of a lot of flexing though,” <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/thebigjohnnyd/status/1377043262377132034" target="_blank">one more quipped.</a> <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/AdamNBednarczyk/status/1377062331776036864" target="_blank">Another chimed in</a>: “I see this more as a PR-written “apology” than a Daryl Somers’ apology but anyway, let’s move on.” Kamahl, however, has accepted the apology, writing: “To whom it may concern, “This is to say that I, Kandiah Kamalesvaran, AKA Kamahl, accept and acknowledge the apology from friend Daryl Somers, unreservedly”.

Legal

Music legend Kamahl opens up about "terrible" experience on Hey Hey It's Saturday

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Hey Hey It's Saturday has been under fresh scrutiny as of late after music legend Kamahl has opened up about his "terrible" experience on the show. He spoke to Sarah Harris, Tristan MacManus and Angela Bishop on Studio 10 and said that it "hurt" being subjected to racist jokes on the variety show, pointing out that other white musicians wouldn't have been subject to the same treatment. “They wouldn’t hit John Farnham or Jimmy Barnes in the face with a powder puff,” he said in reference to one of the show’s most shocking resurfaced skits. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> "It hurt, of course it hurt. It's terrible to be humiliated. They wouldn't hit John Farnham or Jimmy Barnes in the face with a powder puff." <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialKamahl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OfficialKamahl</a> on <a href="https://twitter.com/Studio10au?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Studio10au</a> this morning, talking about his time on Hey, Hey It's Saturday. <a href="https://t.co/zeJHKOKPy6">pic.twitter.com/zeJHKOKPy6</a> — Angela Bishop (@AngelaBishop) <a href="https://twitter.com/AngelaBishop/status/1376658568858923015?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2021</a></blockquote> The skit in question depicts Daryl Somers and off-screen partner John Blackman hitting Kamahl in the face with white powder during the show. "You're a real white man, Kamahl," Blackman joked after the prank. “Daryl, it’s lighting here - could you ask Kamahl to smile so we can see him?” Blackman had asked via voiceover before the performance. Malaysian-born Kamahl, 86, said he knows why they picked on him. “There is a reason why they did what they did. “The reason is that I was successful … They couldn’t understand it … It’s a form of envy, jealousy, hate. It was their form of cutting the tall poppy down.” He continued: “It hurt, of course it hurt. It’s terrible to be humiliated. I know they wouldn’t hit John Farnham or Jimmy Barnes in the face with a powder puff, but the root of it was I was too successful for them … If I was a nobody, they wouldn’t have done anything.” “I tried not to complain, but at the end of it all, 34 years later, I’m still here, I’m still laughing.” He also slammed John Blackman's defence of the show, explaining why he never came forward until now. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialKamahl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OfficialKamahl</a> John Blackman wants to know why I did not make any complaints then ! Mr. Blackman, you of all people know that it's all about TIMING! There's a time for everything ! "Why are so many people so unkind ?" — Kamahl AM (@OfficialKamahl) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialKamahl/status/1376135643844075520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2021</a></blockquote> > "John Blackman wants to know why I did not make any complaints then !," Kamahl tweeted. "Mr Blackman, you of all people know that it's all about TIMING. "There's a time for everything ! "Why are so many people so unkind ?" </div> </div> </div>

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Kamahl lifts the lid on "disrespectful" Hey Hey, It's Saturday feud

Singer Kamahl faces stalking charges

"He backflipped on his backflip!": Kamahl's "train wreck" Project interview

Two massive music icons join the Yes Campaign

Kamahl demands apology over racial tweet

Kamahl opens up on "secret addiction" that ended his marriage

"She really is my everything": Kamahl splits from wife

“I felt let down”: Kamahl’s open letter to Daryl Somers after Hey Hey smash hit

Daryl Somers issues apology to Kamahl

Music legend Kamahl opens up about "terrible" experience on Hey Hey It's Saturday

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