Ash London and Ed Kavalee are the faces of the 2DayFM Breakfast show in Australia. Photo / Supplied
Australian radio star Ash London has become embroiled in a heated live radio altercation surrounding the latest developments in the NRL's series of sex tape scandals.
Penrith's Tyrone May was on Tuesday charged under revenge porn laws and stood down by the NRL in another blow for the game in its summer from hell.
May was charged with two counts of recording an intimate image without consent and two counts of disseminating an image without consent, and there are rumours the NRL the could be rocked by more sex tapes being released.
The sex-tape scandals follow the NRL's decision to stand down Dragons star Jack de Belin after he pleaded not guilty to a charge of aggravated sexual assault, and Manly's Dylan Walker after he was charged with common assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm after an alleged domestic violence incident.
The 2DayFM Breakfast show wanted answers from the NRL on Wednesday morning when they welcomed Channel 9 rugby league reporter Danny Weidler onto their show to explain the scandals surrounding the Panthers.
Instead, it turned into an awkward, heated argument between the Nine star and the breakfast trio of London, Ed Kavalee and Grant Denyer.
Weidler was accused of defending the NRL's culture of disrespect towards women — and that's when things kicked off.
The veteran reporter accused some NRL critics of being "delusional".
It came after London began the segment by admitting she had watched one of the lewd videos allegedly involving NRL players and broke down in tears.
Widespread reports on Tuesday claimed the NRL remains fearful that more lewd videos of NRL players will leak into the public domain.
"I was on a phone and I watched a little bit and I threw up in my mouth and then started crying," London told 2DayFM.
"As a woman, as a human being, I felt so heartbroken for these girls. I felt demeaned and degraded as a woman. The whole night I just had that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that grown men thought this was an OK, acceptable thing to do and then share."
Here's an edited transcript of the live radio exchange on Wednesday morning.
Danny Weidler: I spoke to Phil Gould, the Panthers boss, about it yesterday, and he was close to tears a couple times. We were talking about what he's experiencing at his club and how it impacts him. He's saying it's a problem in football obviously, but it begins in schools, it begins with young kids who are feeling they have to video everything they do and share it with friends for some kind of validation.
Ash London: It seems to be happening more in the NRL.
DW: You don't know that though. We don't know that. It hasn't been exposed elsewhere.
AL: It seems like everyone's blaming everyone else (she said talking over the top of the journalist).
DW: Honestly, can I speak for one sec? I think if you look throughout society, if you can say you don't have any friends who have filmed themselves or if you haven't ever received a picture of some sort, I would say you're lying because I'm a grown man and I talk to people all the time and they say that this sort of thing goes on, not just in sport, but throughout society.
AL: But these men are in a position of privilege where young men look up to them and they should know better.
DW: As are CEOs. As are CEOs. I'm not defending it...
AL: But this is different, mate. They are sport players. Little boys aren't growing up saying they want to be CEOs. They are growing up saying they want to be footy players.
DW: I would say some do.
AL: And they look at their behaviour and they look at these boys sharing these videos of women and they think that's OK. They have ownership. I'm not blaming you, I'm saying they have ownership.
DW: You're screaming at the wrong person. You're yelling at the wrong person because unfortunately, I think what they're doing is wrong. Totally wrong. Don't get my views confused. I'm saying it's not limited to footballers and poor behaviour towards women isn't confined to rugby league players or rugby union players or AFL players. Like Phil Gould said yesterday, this is going on everywhere. This is going on in schools, universities, work places. If you think it's not, I think you're delusional.
Ed Kavalee: Who cares? That's completely irrelevant, Danny. That's completely irrelevant because that's why we're talking about this.
DW: It is actually quite relevant.
EK: It's completely irrelevant because that's why we're talking about this situation. To say something's going on that's happening in other places makes it irrelevant...
DW: No, I'm not defending their actions.
EK: You are.
DW: I'm not.
EK: You're defending them because you're saying everybody does it. As soon as you say, everybody does it...
DW: No, I'm not. I don't do it.
EK: I don't either. I don't do it and I don't watch them.
Grant Denyer: You hold yourself to a higher standard. These guys aren't and the NRL is in trouble. I don't know if they can recover.
DW: Absolutely. Phil Gould is the general manager of football at Penrith. He is more experienced at life than probably most of us. He was on the news last night saying this is a wide spread problem. I'm repeating what he said. And I do think this is an issue elsewhere. Footballers are doing bad things at the moment and they've done bad things and I'm totally against it, but if you think it's just footballers, you've got rocks in your head.
EK: Well no one's saying that. No one here is saying that. OK, Danny Weidler, Channel 9 NRL reporter, thanks for coming on.
Weidler went on social media to respond to one fan who praised the way he handled himself during the tense interview.
Thanks Brad. I thought my phone was not working because they were not listening. Maybe listen to another station? I do agree with @PhilGould15 that phones, filming and sharing unacceptable images is a widespread problem in league and in society. I don’t understand or condone it. https://t.co/33VBzjpR8n
— Danny Weidler (@Danny_Weidler) March 5, 2019
Weidler did interview Gould on Tuesday at the Channel 9 NRL season launch — and the clearly emotional rugby league guru needed to take a few moments to compose himself as his club continues to deal with allegations three players have featured in widely circulated lewd videos.
While Gould backed the NRL stance on player behaviour issues, he said the revelations had left him feeling let down by the playing group.
"I think that's the bare minimum I feel at the moment," Gould told Nine.
"I'm shattered that this has happened to our club but we will get through it."
The NRL's sex tapes scandal is now headed for the courts, with Penrith Panthers young gun Tyrone May today arrested and charged. @Danny_Weidler #9News pic.twitter.com/jnkMs5L90e
— 9News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) March 5, 2019
The NRL later issued a statement saying May was subject to its new no-fault stand down policy that was given the green light by the ARL commission last week.
NRL CEO Todd Greenberg said the NRL was making no judgment on his guilt or innocence.
"That is a matter for the courts," Greenberg said.
Penrith also issued a statement saying the club supported standing May down.
"Panthers acknowledges the seriousness of the charges and agrees the decision is in the best interests of the game," chairman David O'Neill said.
"May will continue to train with the club and we will work closely with the NRL and the RLPA to ensure his wellbeing."