Prue MacSween

Prudence Gai MacSween is an Australian television and radio personality, journalist, social commentator and public relations director. She is the public relations director of Verve Communications, and as a media commentator, MacSween has made a number of controversial comments.

Prue MacSween
Prue MacSween in 2013
Born
Prudence Gai MacSween
NationalityAustralian
Occupation
  • Television personality
  • radio personality
  • author
  • journalist
  • commentator
Known forBeauty and the Beast (TV show)
Notable work
News reporter and hostess at TNQ-7, Nine Network Sydney and Perth, editor of TV Week, radio broadcaster at 2UE
TitlePublic relations director of Verve Communications

Career

MacSween's extensive career in the Australian media began with a journalism cadetship at Eastern Suburbs Newspapers, during which time she also studied at the Sydney Technical College where she completed an Advertising Certificate in 1972.[1]

Her first foray into television was after she successfully applied for a job at TNQ-7 in the North Queensland city of Townsville initially working as a reporter before also hosting a children's program.[1] Also while at TNQ-7, MacSween created a weekly talk show which she also presented.[1][2] While working in Townsville, MacSween was offered a job with the Nine Network in their Sydney newsroom, before she became a reporter in 1976 on the network's daytime current affairs program No Man's Land in Melbourne.[3]

Following a brief period with Channel 9 in Perth, MacSween moved back to Sydney to work for Pacific Magazines (then named Southdown Press) publisher of New Idea and TV Week, eventually becoming the New South Wales editor for TV Week.[1][2]

In 1982, MacSween was a briefly judge on Network Ten's short-lived talent show You're a Star, hosted by Tim Webster before being 'unceremoniously dumped'.[4] In 1986, MacSween founded her own public relations business, Prue MacSween & Associates (PMA).

MacSween is arguably best known for being one of the "beauties" on a Foxtel revival of daytime panel discussion program Beauty and the Beast, which aired from 1996 until 2002, hosted by Stan Zemanek and then Doug Mulray.[1]

In 2003, MacSween wrote a biography for fellow Beauty and the Beast panellist, Carlotta entitled I'm Not That Kind of Girl.[5] MacSween's book was used for reference by the producers of the ABC's 2014 telemovie about Carlotta's life.[6]

When Zemanek left his 2UE radio program in December 2006, MacSween was appointed as the show's replacement, but later decided to leave the program and was later replaced by Stuart Bocking.[1][2][7] MacSween continued to work for 2UE in an occasional capacity and in 2012 was reportedly in negotiations with the station to become the co-host of 2UE's morning program with Tracey Spicer.[8] Both MacSween and Spicer reportedly rejected the pay deal offered by 2UE to do the show.[9][10]

MacSween competed against fellow celebrities Josh Thomas, Chloe Maxwell and Kris Smith on the first episode of Celebrity Come Dine With Me Australia on Lifestyle in December 2012.[11] In 2013, MacSween competed with thirteen other celebrities on the third series of The Celebrity Apprentice Australia on the Nine Network.[12][13] MacSween was the sixth-last person to be "fired" after having raised $50,000 for the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute.

MacSween is currently a director at her own public relations firm, Verve Communications.[14][2]

Controversies

MacSween caused offence during an appearance on Channel 7's Weekend Sunrise in 2010 for using the word "retard".[15] A fortnight later, MacSween and the program apologised for their use of the word.[16]

During an appearance on Channel 7's Sunrise in 2013, MacSween described Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd as a "psychopath", prompting complaints from viewers.[17]

In 2017, during an appearance on 2GB's Deplorables program hosted by Chris Smith, MacSween said she would be tempted to run over television presenter Yassmin Abdel-Magied.[18] This prompted Macquarie Media to issue a statement saying the station didn't condone MacSween's comments, while MacSween defended her comments as being satirical and said she believed it was 'tragic' that many Australians had lost their sense of humour, and lamented about no longer being able to 'take the mickey out of people'.[19]

During the 13 March 2018 edition of Sunrise, MacSween appeared on the program's Hot Topics segment – a panel discussion with the show's presenter Samantha Armytage, and Brisbane radio presenter Ben Davis. The trio discussed a newspaper article which had appeared in The Courier-Mail quoting Federal Children's Minister David Gillespie as saying he wanted to relax rules which required at-risk Indigenous children to be placed with other Aboriginal families.[20]

During the discussion, MacSween claimed a lot of children in the Stolen Generation were removed for their own well-being, and perhaps Australia "need to do it again", as removing at-risk children from their homes was a "no brainer".[21] This prompted an investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority which ruled the Seven Network had breached the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice as it provoked serious contempt on the basis of race and contained strong negative generalisations about Indigenous people.[22][23] The discussion also resulted in a number of protests outside Channel 7's studios in Martin Place and at an outside broadcast on the Gold Coast.[24][25] In June 2020, Channel 7, and McSween were sued as a result of this segment.[26]

MacSween has also attracted media attention for comments made on Nine's morning program Today Extra, including about Australian Greens MP Adam Bandt, whom she described as a "little flea" and "a danger to the community and I suspect a danger to his wife" and about Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios, whom she described as "a spoilt little Greek brat", "a little creep" who "should have been slapped as a child".[27][28]

Personal life

Her parents were Watson MacSween and Laurette (née Isaacs). Her father died in 1970 when she was 18. During childhood, MacSween underwent hip operations and needed to use a wheelchair.[1] MacSween was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2014 and subsequently underwent a lumpectomy and chemotherapy treatment.[29][30][31]

She is a step mother to three children.[32]

MacSween's charity work includes the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Save Our Sons, Youth Off The Streets and Cancer Australia.[1]

References
  1. (May/June 2015) [Sydney Morning Herald, 9 Jan 1973, p 10; http://www.gwpmedia.com.au/rprgwp/_gwpmagazines_pdf/issue_73.pdf Prue MacSween: Ms Media], Issue #73, Business Resource & Lifestyle, GWP Magazines. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  2. (May 2019) Our guest speakers: Prue MacSween, Verve Communications, Celebrating Women in Business, Sydney Hills Business Chamber. Accessed 21 September 2019.
  3. Sun Herald, 25 Jan 1976, p 74
  4. Rolph, Ian (2 June 1982) You're a falling star, The Australian Women's Weekly. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  5. MacSween, Prue (2003) Edition details: Carlotta: I'm Not That Kind of Girl, as told to Prue MacSween, Pan Macmillan (Sydney). ISBN 073291194X. Accessed 21 September 2019.
  6. McCullagh, Cassie (18 June 2014) 'Carlotta' director speaks about casting Jessica Marais, The List. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  7. (8 August 2007) Kyle snatches back radio crown, Herald Sun. Retrieved 21 September 2019
  8. Byrnes, Holly (23 February 2012) Tracey Spicer and Prue MacSween to target Ray Hadley's radio throne, The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  9. (5 March 2012) Prue MacSween follows Tracey Spicer in rejecting pay deals to join radio station 2UE, The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  10. (5 March 2012) 2UE morning talks falter, Radio Today. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  11. (28 November 2012) Q&A with Celebrity Prue MacSween, Lifestyle Food. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  12. Byrnes, Holly (30 January 2013) Celebrity Apprentice stars face off, news.com.au. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  13. Grogan, Zilka (22 May 2013) Roxy Jacenko claws back in Celebrity Apprentice catfight, The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  14. Tselios, Alexandra (15 November 2013) Not so secret women's business, The Big Smoke. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  15. Knox, David (20 July 2010) Sunrise regular offends families living with disabilities, TV Tonight. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  16. Knox, David (26 July 2010) Weekend Sunrise, Prue MacSween apologise, TV Tonight. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  17. Domjen, Briana (1 July 2013) Outrage as Prue MacSween calls PM Kevin Rudd a 'psychopath', The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  18. Zhou, Naaman (12 July 2017) I'd be tempted to run over Yassmin Abdel-Magied, commentator says, The Guardian. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  19. Moran, Rob (13 July 2017) 2GB distances itself from Prue MacSween's Yassmin Abdel-Magied comments, The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  20. Bita, Natasha (13 March 2018) 'Let white families adopt abused Aboriginal children', The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  21. Barry, Paul (19 March 2018) A sunrise to forget, Media Watch. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  22. (8 August 2018) Investigation number: BI-363, Television Investigations, Australian Communications and Media Authority. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  23. Carmody, Broede; Duke, Jennifer (4 September 2018) Sunrise pinged over controversial 'stolen generation' segment', The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  24. Stuart, Riley; Perry, Jodan (16 March 2018) Sunrise debate about Indigenous children sparks large protect in Sydney's Martin Place, ABC News. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  25. Carmody, Broede (10 April 2018) Sunrise once again swamped by Aboriginal protesters, The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  26. Wolfe, Natalie (June 11, 2020). "Channel 7, Sam Armytage and Prue MacSween sued for racial vilification". News.com.au. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020.
  27. Carmody, Broede (10 September 2018) 'Danger to the community': Prue MacSween unleashes on Greens MP, The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  28. Barry, Paul (27 May 2019) Crude Prue, Media Watch. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  29. Moran, Jonathan (2 May 2014) Prue MacSween reveals cancer fight as she helps plan funeral for dear friend Ian Ross, The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  30. Harris, Sarah; Rowe, Jessica; Hildebrand, Joe; Keneally, Kristina (8 October 2014) Prue MacSween on her breast cancer fight, Studio 10. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  31. Butterworth, Monique (9 October 2014) Prue MacSween recalls her cancer fight, The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  32. MacSween, Prue (26 August 2012) Stepping up, The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
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