ENTERTAINMENT
SPICER’S WAR ON SEXISM TRACEY SPICER ISN’T YOUR USUAL NEWS BROADCASTER.
For a start she’s a self-confessed bogan from the Brisbane backwaters. She’s also one of the few women in her industry who have publicly spoken out about the sexist treatment of women in TV and has actively declared a war on excessive grooming with her TED talk that depicts Tracey ‘deconstructing’ her perfect look. In the talk that went viral, Tracey starts out as the perfect picture of womanhood, but by the end she stands in a singlet and exercise pants, barefoot, bare faced and frizzy haired. Women just couldn’t get enough of the Spicer strip. ‘I think it struck a chord with women because we are finally realising women have been valued for looks and men for their brains. People are seeking authenticity,’ she says. Her book The Good Girl Stripped Bare gets behind the news to explore the world of helmet hair, masses of makeup and fatuous fashion in an era when bosses told you to ‘stick your tits out’ or ‘lose two inches off your arse’, or doozies such as ‘quit before you’re too old in the tooth’. ‘The media shape and reflect society,’ says Spicer. ‘It’s crucially important that we have age, gender, race diversity, and the audiences are crying out for reflections of themselves on TV – but we still have this 1980s way of presenting our news, with women who look like barbie dolls. It is changing, but not that much.’ Spicer was keen to investigate hiring policy. ‘I have this wonderful researcher, and I said find me the international research on which TV executives base their hiring. As it turned out there was no research. These white male middle-class men have made decisions based on their gut or other parts that I won’t mention for hiring women – not based on focus groups or data.’ Tracey believes she was up against structural sexism, and when she was sacked by email after having a baby, this is when the good girl, the nice Tracey Spicer who just tolerated it all behind a painted-on smile, went postal. Well legal. She took her network to court for pregnancy discrimination. ‘When I took my legal action against Channel 10 for being sacked for pregnancy discrimination, it happened at a time when advertisers were crying out for more women on TV; they wanted some role models out there. I think part of the problem of the industry is that we have a bit of Stockholm Syndrome. We have all been fed the story about what women should look like and how they should behave so we just humour our captors. ‘I am calling for a revolution,’ laughs Tracey. But it’s not really a joke. I get the feeling Spicer means it. She’s sick of institutionalised workplace discrimination
and she’s put out the call to bring it to a close. This is not the nice, controlled Tracey Spicer I have seen on the news. This Tracey Spicer has her mask off ; she’s unguarded, she’s funny and insightful. ‘The problem for many of us women is that we have internalised the misogyny,’ she says. ‘We need to teach our children to be critical thinkers. ‘I am a second-wave feminist. I understand the third-wave feminism but don’t really agree with this “choice” feminism. I think you are just embracing your gilded cage. That’s what Betty Friedan’s books are all about. She was warning us about what was coming. The era when women embrace botox and say, “I just want to be the best person I can”.’ Botox is the new best friend for women in TV. It is the currency extender. ‘I don’t know many men in politics or the public eye who have used botox. I understand why women in the media feel the pressure; often audiences are critical and we because we don’t see older-looking women in those roles, being younger is the default. The more women are in the public eye who age naturally, the better. Although you infrequently see older women in the workplace. ‘I had an epiphany once when I was at the ABC and I saw a tour group of viewers all with this beautiful silver hair. I looked at the news group and there were silverhaired men. But no grey-haired women. I have started growing out my greys.’ Tracey’s book is not a ‘name and shame’. ‘I wanted to highlight structural discrimination and I did name the main protagonists because I wanted them to see what they did. ‘This is a comedy book,’ says Tracey. ‘I worked very hard at putting a lot of satire and parody and absurdity in it as I wanted it to be able to reach a 16-yearold who lives in regional Australia, who doesn’t want to be a hairy legged feminist but realises that she’s on board with the politics.’ As for Tracey Spicer, well she’s an ‘ageing radical’. ‘You get to the age where you don’t sweat the small stuff anymore and you feel confident to claim your space.’ And that’s just what Spicer has done in her book The Good Girl Stripped Bare. In this frank and funny ‘femoir’ – part memoir, part manifesto – Tracey ‘sheconstructs’ the structural barriers facing women in the workplace and encourages us all to shake off the shackles of the good girl. NORPA PRESENTS TRACEY SPICER IN CONVERSATION WITH DR KRISTY CLARKE THIS SUNDAY AT LISMORE CITY HALL AT 3PM. TICKETS $20/$35 WWW.NORPA.ORG.AU OR 1300 066 772
North Coast news daily: www.echonetdaily.net.au
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TEN YEARS OF BALLET This weekend Byron Ballet is staging a return season of their most spectacular show to date, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with four public performances. This tenth anniversary event will also feature a photographic retrospective of Byron Ballet’s repertoire. Byron mayor Simon Richardson is officiating, and there will be a ceremonial Welcome to Arakwal Country. The production is not short on talent and guest-stars Michael Braun, a veteran of principal roles with Queensland Ballet, WA Ballet and the Royal NZ companies. Another three professional male dancers join the cast, including returning local Patrick Weir, who first performed with the Byron Ballet 10 years ago as a boy. Patrick, now on the threshold of his career, in April starred in Lord of the Flies under world-renowned choreographer Sir Matthew Bourne. Artistic director Yvonne Hall feels blessed. ‘Male ballet dancers can be hard to find, but we have had remarkable success attracting some of the best dancers to spend a season with us in the Bay.’ The men provide important opportunities for our local female corps de ballet to perform in a real company environment. ‘What we are creating is something special here with Byron Ballet,’ says Yvonne. ‘Recently we had Sarah Williams, a New York City Ballet dancer of five years, perform with our company. I was struck by her humility and gratitude at being offered a lead role with us.’ Buy tickets through Byron Theatre website www.byroncentre.com.au or call 6685 6807.
FULL WAINHOUSE After a white-bread middle-class upbringing, Chris Wainhouse turned out an arty-trendy sort of try-hard, and a magnet for dominant women. A product of his environment, Chris lives a life of weird repetitions with no time for rational thought. Chris’s suave attitude has seen him steadily climb the comic ladder. In 1998 he won the title of Comedian of the Year at the famous CHRIS WAINHOUSE HEADLINES COMEDY IN THE GARDEN AT THE BYRON BAY BREWERY ON FRIDAY
Harold Park Hotel in Sydney, joining past winners such as the Umbilical Brothers, Flacco, Carl Barron and Kenny Graham. Chris was also successful in taking out the grand final for the 1999 Triple J Raw Comedy Competition in Melbourne, which earned him a trip to Edinburgh Comedy Festival. Chris is a regular headline act at some of the world’s most prestigious comedy venues including The Sydney Comedy Store, Melbourne’s Comedy Club, The Classic in Auckland and Jongluers in the UK. He also regularly headlines in Singapore, Jakarta, Malaysia and Hong Kong – a testament to his cultural diversity. Sharp witted and daringly clever, Chris’ fresh brand of comedy is guaranteed to bring any audience undone. From corporate functions to exclusive presentations, Chris has taken his fun and intelligent standup routine throughout Australia and overseas. Wainhouse is the feature at the Byron Bay Brewery’s Comedy in the Garden, supported by the dry, direct and absolutely hilarious Katie Burch. With MC Nick Sun, this is a triple-header you don’t want to miss. Friday at the Byron Bay Brewery at 8pm. Free!
THE DO CREW Ngara Institute hold their Beyond the Pub Post Talk Discussion group on New Narratives on Monday at the CWA Hall in Mullumbimby. Join in the conversation that delves into the question ‘What might a new creative politics of the common good look like?’. Entry by donation of $5. 6.30pm.
Fashion designer and crotchet queen Isa Catepillan is running a series of workshops to introduce the art of crocheting. Starting with the basic stitches, she will organically move participants on to intermediate levels. Isa will also share little background about the ancient process of creating fabric and insightful stories from her own journey. Each workshop will be three hours long and consist of Isa guiding you step by step through the process. All levels are welcome; however, if you are an absolute beginner, it is recommended to attend the first workshop to join the other workshops. Bookings and enquiries: isacatepillan@gmail.com or phone 0435 950 679.
DRILL BITS #2 Drill Hall Theatre presents Drill Bits #2, a delightful collection of dramatic bits, comedy bits, dance bits, music bits, film bits, with all the bits shaken into a theatrical cocktail that will appeal to all tastes. One of the bits focuses on the philosophical adage that three monkeys typing into infinity will sooner or later produce Hamlet, while another looks at finding the light in dark places and how love can both transcend and restore memories. Celebrity chef Chablis Baster will make an appearance demonstrating her organic, vegan, gluten-free, therapeutic brain-cake; there will be songs from a local opera singer; dance routines from Sprung Dance Co and Kimberly McIntyre; a film tribute to Sandy Gandhi and a few surprises. A thoroughly entertaining evening not to be missed! Friday and Saturday 9 and 10 June, 7.30pm, and Sunday 11 at 2pm. $20/$18conc.
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Y 2ND JUNE FRIDA
CHRIS
WAINHOUSE
KATIE BURCH MC FOR THE
EVE NING
NICK SUN FREE
ENTRY
COURTESY BUS AVAILABLE CALL (02) 6639 6100 TO BOOK A RIDE 1 SKINNERS SHOOT RD, BYRON BAY
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