With that long languid smile, a chuckle and those smooth as silk Kingston tones, the last thing Chris Gayle must have thought as he laid the charm on thick to Australian television reporter Mel McLaughlin was that he would provoke outrage.
– SAvsENG: England and South Africa draw second Test
But three days and a AUS$10,000 fine from the Melbourne Renegades after the man who calls him ‘World Boss’ asked McLaughlin out for a drink live on air in front of millions of people, a large slice of Gayle’s lothario persona has been torn apart.
Chris Rogers, soon to be reunited with Gayle at Somerset, branded him a bad example to young cricketers and on this evidence, it’s difficult to disagree. It’s also admirable that in the domain of Aussie cricket where ‘blokishness’ has traditionally underpinned everything they’ve ever done on the field, never mind off it, someone like Rogers has spoken up against this sort of behaviour.
In amongst this we’ve had an apology from Gayle, who’s said sorry for McLaughlin being offended rather than what he actually said, and believes the whole incident has been “blown out of proportion” as it was a “simple joke”. A simple joke at someone else’s expense, of course.
You’d hope, even at 36, after a career where his ego has been indulged (a friend reminded me of a tweet I sent in 2013 with words to the effect that he’s ‘Chris Gayle he can do what he likes’) Gayle does learn something from all this. Because as well as being made to look like an idiot, he was ultimately being rude to a professional at a place of work.
As Cricket Australia James Sutherland said: “It’s not a nightclub… anyone that sees the humour in that is misunderstanding and somewhat delusional about the situation.”
Had you, I or anyone else said something of this nature to a colleague in the boardroom or shop floor, we’d likely be facing a disciplianary and potential dismissal. At the very least someone should be able to turn up for work and not be subjected to borderline harrassment masked as ‘cheeky banter’.
Absolutely essential listening on Chris Gayle and his behaviour (and challenges women face in media) https://t.co/mOBATkq59Q
— Tom Adams (@tomEurosport) January 5, 2016
McLaughlin more than handled herself but it was clearly an uncomfortable experience. If Gayle was so intent on asking her out for a drink, why not do it after the cameras stopped rolling? It’s because, as a sportsman, he was in a position of strength to intimidate a female reporter. There’s no other explanation really.
This all said, the message is unlikely to have gotten through given on Tuesday he was posting pictures of himself wearing a Playboy t-shirt with the slogan ‘$EXSELLS’. Witty.
Never mind the fact nobody in their 30s should ever be wearing anything Playboy-branded, there’s a definite change to the dynamic around Gayle, especially as more stories of his ‘charm’ come to light.
Whereas once there was an image of a carefree, bachelor living life to its fullest, he’s now starting to come across as sleazy. And that’s not a look anyone wants, World Boss or not.
