Journalist exploses Tim Ferguson's ‘vile and obscene campaign of bullying’

Australian comedian Tim Ferguson has apologised for sending crude messages to a critic who gave him a bad review more than 25 years ago.

Journalist Candace Sutton described the series of faxes as a ‘vile and obscene campaign of bullying’ and ‘psychologically debilitating’.

The letters, which she felt were ‘abusive’ and ‘spiteful’, featured drawings of naked women and a man with a large erect penis, and featured sign-offs such as ‘love and breast cancer’ and ‘love and leukaemia.’

They were sent in 1990, after Sutton wrote a TV review critical of Ferguson’s comedy  troupe, The Doug Anthony Allstars, in Sydney newspaper The Sun-Herald, saying that he was ‘short on jokes.’

In response, Ferguson sent five letters – some from a fax machine at national broadcaster the ABC – full of expletives with their vowels removed, decrying her as an ‘armchair critic’.

One  said: ‘"Candace, Candace" we squeal, our buttocks flummoxing in uncontrolled agitation, small gaseous secrets flowing from our little brown parentheses. We have penned a slight tune in your name. We will be singing it in our live shows in Sydney.’

Sutton revealed the letters in an article today, including a drawing of a naked woman astride a man with a gigantic erect penis and the caption: ‘Ooh "Candace" lets scruff.’

She said: ‘I felt angry, sad, dirty, humiliated, ugly and for some strange reason, guilty and ashamed. I put the letters and drawings in an envelope, a bag of little explosives should the time ever come.

‘I am not comparing myself with victims of actual physical sexual abuse — like the women assaulted by Harvey Weinstein who began the #metoo campaign, or sexual assault victims in the community. But messages of hate are psychologically debilitating.’

In a statement, the members of Doug Anthony Allstars said: ‘Tim Ferguson, Paul McDermott and their former colleague Richard Fidler, express an unreserved apology to journalist Candace Sutton for behaviour towards her… that was both offensive and unprofessional.

‘Tim, who was responsible for the letter and drawing sent in 1990, says he deeply regrets sending them in response to a television review written by Candace, and acknowledges the hurt and offence caused by his actions. He apologises unreservedly.

‘Paul and Richard were only made aware of the letter and drawings after Tim had sent them, and they expressed their dismay and disgust to him at the time. It was an appalling and stupid thing to do.

‘However both Richard and Paul acknowledge that, having been made aware of their existence, they both should have urged Tim to retract these infantile messages and apologise for their content. They’re sincerely sorry for their failure to do so at the time.’

The ABC also issued a statement saying it does not tolerate abuse.

Ferguson, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, recently launched an exhibition of his artwork, some of it in the style of the drawings he sent to Sutton.

Published: 27 Feb 2018