Yahoo!7 Answers Blog Australia

Bono manages to use his celebrity to tackle serious issues

An interesting topic came up this week from the Canadian Answers team. They featured a celebrity question from Montreal based Associated Press reporter Amy Luft. She is asked the community What would it take to make people under 30 more interested in serious news issues than in celebrity gossip?

Many of the young people who have answered so far disagree with this statement. Adrymustdie says “I’m under 30 and detest celebrity gossip” and Jo confirms: “your stereotyping by saying people under 30. I am 18, and could care less about celebrity news!! I find it such a joke”

Perhaps it’s not just young people who are more interested in celebrity gossip? Having a look in the Celebrities subcategory (one out of the eleven Entertainment and Music subcategories), there are well over 700,000 resolved questions discussing things such as Who do you think is better Selena Gomez or Demi Lovato? and Do you think Kyle Sandilands should be sacked?

On the other hand, in the News & Events category, there are 400,000 resolved questions on everything from Will you stop buying clothes from Bonds & King Gee now they won’t be Australian made? and How will the Australian government stimulus package help?

Interestingly though, the most popular question in News & Events is from Bono, who asked What can we do to make povery history? 3 years ago. He got a phenomenal 26,000 answers to his question and, while he is a celebrity, his question also demonstrates that perhaps people do care about current events more than we think. It also confirms that combining the power of celebrity with serious news is definitely one way to get attention for the cause. On the flipside, the most answered celebrity question was What will you remember most about Michael Jackson? with 6,416 answers.

In fact, most of the News & Events questions have more answers, and those answers are well written and intelligent responses to some of the world’s biggest issues. It begs the question, do we actually care about more serious news issues but just don’t know what to do about them? Perhaps places like Answers is one of the few places where we get the opportunity to voice our opinions about important issues like World Poverty and is also a place where we can get advice about the more confusing aspects of serious news?

What do you think? Do you think we care more about celebrity gossip than serious news? And if so, how can we get more people to care about the big things in life?

Caitlin
Community Manager

You either love him or hate him – it seems everyone has an opinion about Kyle Sandilands. This shock jock co-host of the Kyle & Jackie O Breakfast show has been getting press for all the wrong reasons recently for a segment on his show about a 14 year old rape victim.

It’s definitely stirred up some controversy. We featured this question on the Yahoo!7 Homepage last week and incredibly, over 700 people have offered their opinion. Do you think Kyle Sandilands should be sacked?

Many agreed, saying they never liked the show or Kyle:

That entire show should be axed! Kyle is an absolute moron! Of course he should be sacked. At any time during the show, they could have stopped what was happening, but they kept on going. – Hart

Others agreed that Kyle is insensitive however didn’t think he was at fault in this particular instance:

I don’t like Kyle, and believe he should have been sacked long ago, but I don’t see him as the main problem this time, the mother should be ashamed of herself for publicly humiliating her daughter in this way. - Lucy G

Others were supportive of the show:

I honestly think that everyone should give Kyle & Jackie O a break, as it clearly states that they did not know that the answer they were going to get was that the 14 year old girl saying she got raped when she was 12. – Privacy

Although his future with 2Day FM remains in jeopardy, Channel 10 has taken the next step and has fired Sandilands as a judge on Australian Idol, saying their show is a family program that doesn’t fit with his increasingly controversial persona.

The thing is, shows like Kyle & Jackie O exist because of their shock value. They like to take things a step too far, their core audience loves the crazy stunts they get up to and everyone else votes with their feet and refuse to listen.

They’ve now officially gone too far and have been pulled off air, however it may not be for long. 2Day FM are reviewing their practices and may indeed launch a new version of the Kyle and Jackie O show with better measures in place to ensure such a mistake doesn’t happen again.

If they do return to our airwaves again, will you listen to Kyle and Jackie O or do you think what happened was unforgivable?

Caitlin
Community Manager

My goodness, what a morning.

We’re all shocked to hear about the passing of Michael Jackson, the ultimate King of Pop. For many of us born in the 70’s and 80’s, a Michael Jackson album was the first music we ever bought and most of us have special memories of his multitude of songs.

His 1982 hit Thriller became a world wide smash. It yielded seven top-10 singles and sold at least 27 million records worldwide. The year later, the moonwalk was released while performing Billy Jean in New York and we all spent hours trying to perfect this unique style.

We posted a great question on the Yahoo!7 homepage asking you What are your best memories of him and his music? There are so many great responses (keep them coming!) but I wanted to share a few with you.

HIS MOONWALK. I still remember all my friends trying to do it.. we’d fall down laughing when our teacher tried to do it, looked like he was constipated.. No one came quite as close to the King of Pop.
- Sydney =)

Billie Jean, 1983. His red suit, white socks and black loafers. I still think this song is his finest musical moment.
- R2R

My positive memory….he landed in Papua New Guinea in 1997 in search of fuel on while on his way to NZ from some place in Asia….I saw him from 20 mtrs away.. in less than 50 minutes more than 1000 fans gathered at the Jacksons Int Airport…
- Pontai

Running home around the corner from a friends place after dark at 8years old after just having watched his big sisters recording of the Thriller filmclip and freaking out,wondering if there were any grisly ghouls after me!
- Birds

So, So, many of them, where to begin. Which one? Everytime I stepped on stage (now retired professional dancer 27yrs) in OZ or OS! Having the privilege to perform to this icons works, but alas, seeing MJ @ Parramatta Stadium in 1987. Source(s): Yahoo of course! Thanks for your coverage on MJ.
- donna

For me, almost every one of his songs remind me of something in my childhood.  Blame it on the Boogie will always take me back to teenage discos and those hilarious dance moves, Bad reminds me of dancing around the living room with my brothers and I’ll always remember the feeling of hope and inspiration the first time I heard Heal the World.

What will you always remember about Michael Jackson?

RIP Michael Jackson and thanks for the wonderful memories.

Caitlin
Community Manager

A few weeks ago, a poll was conducted in the US asking which celebrity you’d choose as a babysitter for your kids. Comedienne Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia deRossi topped the poll as the most popular celebrity baby sitter, beating Brad & Ange, Oprah and even super mum Jennifer Garner. The Answers team wondered if Australians would choose differently… so we asked you guys, the Answers community, Which celebrity would you most feel comfortable leaving your kids with?

Although many of you said things like “I wouldn’t trust any of them with my kids. I don’t know them and I don’t leave the care of my kids with strangers.” (Nemo), as Kaihla mentioned: “It’s just a bit of fun. It’s not real. It’s hypothetical.” Exactly, you’re never going to drop little Timmy off at Britney Spears’ place and expect him to be fed, entertained and put to bed (not sure if even her own kids expect that).

So which celebrities did you think would be good at looking after your little monsters? It seems Aussie stars were particularly admired – Ellen & Portia (one half Aussie couple) were still a popular choice, closely followed by Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban, Hugh Jackman & Deborah Lee Furness and Cate Blanchett. Chimney said:

If I had kids (only 18) I would be more than happy to leave them with Ellen and Portia! I love those two! Not to add he/she would have fun from the minute they got there until the minute they didn’t want to leave because of how fun and hyperactive Ellen can be! I would be assured that my child would sleep great that night!

Hugh Jackman and his wife Deb. They are Aussie and definitely seem like grounded parents. – Jmketsy

Others thought more about the values some celebrities seem to uphold:

Reese Witherspoon–I’ve read some interviews and agree with some of her values regarding children - Naomi

Tom Hanks. He is a family man who has been happily married for 22 years and has 4 kids. He hasn’t received any critisism for being mentally challenged or for child abuse or anything along those lines. -Hornet

Jennifer Garner. I actually have met her once. She is very down to earth and very smart. She also has kids of her own. So she would be my first pick. – BrooklynS

Quite a few people said Michael Jackson and Gary Glitter, although I’m pretty sure they were joking. Jen had other reservations:

Well I wouldn’t leave them with Madonna or Angelina- they might try and adopt them!

Fur_shizzel seems to be having a bad day with his/her kids: None, I wouldn’t do that to any celebrity, even the ones I don’t like! Oh dear!!

Caitlin
Community Manager

Wow what a week. Water cooler conversations and news bulletins alike have been bouncing from discussions about paid maternity leave to the treatment of women by Rugby League players, from predictions about the upcoming job losses to the very high profile demotion of Matthew Johns.

Everyone seems to have an opinion about whether Matthew Johns should have been stood down by Channel 9 and Melbourne Storm. A question we featured on the Yahoo!7 Frontpage yesterday got an astounding 700 answers (and counting)! We hope the writer Mumkaren didn’t have get a notification for everyone of those answers… that would be one full inbox! She asked Do you think Matthew Johns should have been sacked for something that happened 7 years ago?

There are some pretty heated opinions on there, here are just a few:

NO!!! It was consensual, not illegal and had nothing to do with Channel 9 or Melbourne Storm. I’d like to see statistics showing how many people have had group sex – I bet you it would be a large percentage. – Altezza

If Johns has a daughter, and this happened to her, what do you think he would do to the guys who did it? – Anonymous

Apparently this was investigated by NZ police and he was not charged. Why does someone get to come back 7 years later and upheave his life. I think it was a publicity stunt on her part and she will probably be well paid for her story. – HJ

This was a 19 year old girl. One who could very easily be taken advantage of. And the police investigation? Hmmm 6 witnesses vs 1. What do you think the police can do? Turns into a “he sad she said” situation. – Karl

The thing is, this type of behaviour brings up wider implications that we’re not unfamiliar with. Remember the Brett Stewart incident? He is still waiting to face court in a few weeks for allegations of sexually assaulting a minor. Yet he was only banned for 4 weeks from the NRL, even though the reason he was inebriated on the night in question was because of a Manly Sea Eagles booze up.

As dogsoldier1962 asked the Answers community, have the NRL backed themselves into a corner? Should the NRL go back over all the incidents that have happened like the Bulldogs in Coffs Harbour, the 3 Broncos players from late last year and even Brett Stewart and start tearing up their contracts?

What is even more scary is what does this behaviour say about the football culture? Why have there been so many scandals like this? Lou asks, why are NRL players prone to pack sex? Is it a rite of passage? There’s certainly a lot of discussion in Answers about it and the NRL has a lot to think about. Furthermore, we have a lot to think about whether these are the type of people we want as role models, particularly in a media capacity like Matthew Johns.

So what happens to Matthew Johns now? Do you think he should ever have a TV career again or has he ruined his public reputation permanently?

Caitlin
Community Manager

What a week. It’s been fairly dour these past few days, with discussions about Australia’s lowering employment rate, wild weather and even the sporting arena has been filled with controversy and speculation.

Many of us are hanging out for the tax stimulus payments to pay of various bills or buy that new washing machine, although some still seem unsure whether they qualify. Unemployment is up to 5.2% and there is huge debate over whether the government is doing a good enough job.

In the north of Australia, residents of Queensland were in the grip of Cyclone Hamish, wondering whether it would reach shore. Although in the end it weakened, it caused a fair amount of concern about how bad it could really get.

Considering the league hasn’t even started yet, it’s been a pretty big week in the world of NRL. There was plenty of controversy and fervent discussion over Brett Stewart’s suspension and whether he deserved it.

Dean W is on the compassionate side:

I feel for this guy in this case. I have been that pissed before. You wake up and ask the question “what happened last night?” Not being able to remember what happened is the worst feeling ever. This is still no excuse for his actions. In that kind of drunken state you are capable of anything and for that reason alone I believe he is guilty of TRYING to rape the girl. For the record 17 is legal. Not morally ethical but legal non the less.

Whereas Michelle J doesn’t think there should be any excuses.

Yes he should definitely be suspended until these issues are sorted out by the courts. These guy’s need to learn to account for their behaviour both on and off the field.

Well after this week, it’s probably time for some R&R! What’s your favourite way of relaxing to forget about your troubles?

Caitlin
Community Manager

I’ve always enjoyed the excitement of the Oscars, however this year I enjoyed watching it more than usual. This year, instead of viewing it alone in my lounge room, I watched and discussed the ceremony with millions of Answers friends. When the boring bits were on, I turned to my computer to see the general consensus of the ceremony within Answers. I learnt more about the nominees and the films than any year before, plus I got to discuss outfits and celebrity relationships with other people who care about these things!

Want to know what I mean? Here’s my abridged account of watching the Oscars:

“Awesome red carpet fashion. Oh wow Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick. They look a bit uncomfortable, I thought they were having marriage problems? Didn’t they break up? Oh wait, I’ll have a quick search on Answers. Here it is:

kellie.annne: he cheated on her and it became very public knowledge. More

“Oh damn I missed Kate Winslet, she always looks so good. Hold on, I’ll go onto Yahoo!7 Red Carpet and check out what I missed.  Wow that’s a gorgeous dress.

“Ok ceremony’s starting. Oh that’s awkward; Jennifer Aniston is announcing an award and Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are both in the front row. Is she crying? No she just looks really really nervous. At least Brangelina aren’t all over each other. And speaking of the front row, who are those people next to Meryl Streep?

Regina Phalange: Her daughter is to her right and I believe it’s Amy Adams to her left. More

“Best Supporting Actress is Penelope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona! So that leaked email with the Oscar results wasn’t true as it predicted Amy Adams would win for Doubt.

“And of course Heath Ledger won Best Supporting Actor. His role in The Dark Knight was brilliantly portrayed, and it seems the Answers community agrees with me.

Air-Force Falco: I’m glad he won this award, he hit the persona of a psychotic and dangerous criminal right on the dot. He absolutely deserved and I am glad we can honour him one last time with his win. More

“That’s a shame that no Australians won for the production awards. Catherine Martin, Ben Snow, Kirk Baxter and Lee Smith all missed out. Oh well, good on them for getting so far! One Australian that certainly hasn’t been shy is Hugh Jackman. What a star! He’s actually funny, who would have thought? My fellow Answers users seem to agree –

Phoenix – I thought he saved the Academy Awards! Each year they seem to get more boring and I keep telling myself I won’t watch the whole thing but usually do hoping it will get better. This year I was actually able to look forward to the show. I was still disappointed in most of the categories but I thought Hugh did a terrific job! I loved the dance numbers and the opening jokes. Especially the part about downsizing to New Zealand next year.

“Ok we’re up to the best bit – Best Actor & Actress.

“That’s different, having five of the previous winners on stage. I recognise Nicole, Halle and Marion but who are the others?

reenchilada – Sophia Loren, Halle Berry, Marion Cotillard, Shirley Maclane, Nicole Kidman More

“Oh dear Sophia Loren’s outfit is horrible. Meryl Streep is ageing so gracefully but Sophia Loren looks like a swirly cupcake. I’m so pleased Kate won the Oscar! I thought her performance was amazing. Actually I’ve thought many of her previous performances were amazing. Has she won an Oscar before?

Indiana – No but this is her sixth nomination so she well deserves it.
She was nominated for: Best Actress in a Supporting Role for: Sense and Sensibility (1996); Best Actress in a Leading Role for: Titanic (1998); Best Actress in a Supporting Role for: Iris (2002); Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2005); Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for: Little Children (2007) More

“We’re up to the Best Actor award. Sean Penn is one of my favourite actors, I have to admit. Haven’t seen Milk though, what does he mean when he keeps saying “Commie, homo loving sons of guns?”

mcq316 – Commie, homo loving sons of guns. He’s making a joke about all of hollywood being left wing, liberal democrats.

“And who is that guy they keep panning to in the speech?

Allora – It was Dustin Lance Black – He was the writer of Milk and won for Best Original Screenplay

“Slumdog Millionaire is Best Picture, that’s not a huge surprise considering how many they’ve won. I wonder whether it’s an accurate portrayal of Indian life?

Jatina – I lived in Bombay now called Mumbai some years ago and yes its an accurate portrayal of how a lot of people live.
I can understand why some Indians do not like the film as it has touched on Hindu’s attacking Muslims, human rights violations committed by the police force and children being exploited and mutilated. You can read about culture shock and watch poverty on the tv but you really don’t feel , smell and experience it until you are in the middle of it yourself. More

“However as Been There Done That says, those sorts of negative things happen everywhere.

As for the poverty, slums, killing, mobsters, child abuse and child labour, these things happen everywhere, and exist everywhere, including India. Don’t lose sight that they are only the colourful background to the endless love this boy has for this girl and that he never gives up.”

Well there you go, all over for another year. Were you pleased with the winners of the Oscars or is there someone who you think deserved a big gold statue?

Caitlin
Community Manager

All of Australia has been horrified by the events going on in Victoria over the last few days. There are almost two hundred dead, hundreds of houses destroyed and thousands of acres of bushland burnt to a crisp.

The community on Answers have been actively discussing this tragedy, with questions ranging from how to prevent bushfires to how to help the victims and what should be done to the arsonists who lit these deadly blazes.

In fact, many of our own in the Answers community were caught up in the thick of it and have harrowing stories to tell. When Liz R asked for more information about how people get caught in these sorts of fires, Jarryd P had his own experience to relate:

My sister lost her whole house and my family lost 2 family friends in this fire.. I was stuck in Healsville from 6pm Saturday Night.. the C.F.A left Healsville on its own becuase the fire was just moving to fast and strong.
The house on Blackwoods road, the fire was heading in the opposite direction then within 5 mins it was heading for us there was no way anyone could get out no matter how well you prepared. More

Cassy M’s family was one of the lucky ones. Steven T asked what would you take in a bushfire and she answered from the experience of her family members:

My brother and sister-in-law and their baby up in Kinglake grabbed their photos got out of there as fast as they could. Told neighbour to do the same thing. Neighbour said the cool change will come and it would be ok. They drove though flames to get out of there so I would hate to think of what happened to the neighbour cause all the houses burned down, they said they haven’t heard from the neighbour. Doesn’t look good. More

For most of us who are lucky enough to have our loved ones and our homes, it’s about how much support we can give. One heartening thing is to see how many people out there have helped by giving money, donating blood and sending clothes, food and blankets.

The Answers Team asked for messages of support for the firefighters and messages of hope for the victims of the Victorian Bushfires and the response was overwhelming.

To the firefighters, Rebstar says:

My man has been fighting fires near Dederang in North East Victoria. I was extremely worried about him and many of our other friends. Thankfully they all returned home safely this morning.
All firefighters are truly heroes. Thank-you all for the big efforts you have put in and for giving up your time to help other out.

Keep safe out there and look after each other.

Whitetiger had a similarly emotional message for the victims:

I cried listening to the accounts of those who have lost loved ones. The pictures of devastation and grief are heartbreaking. Even though the fires have not effected my family or I, they have touched me profoundly – I am sure there is not an Australian in the country who is not feeling this right now – our thoughts are with you.

Pass on your support:

Donate to the Bush Fire Appeal Now!

What message would you like to send to the Australian firefighters working on the Victorian bushfires?

What messages of hope would you like to send to the victims of the Victorian bushfires?

Caitlin
Community Manager