It’s the viral video du jour that they’re all talking about; the Adelaide, Aus., TV news anchor who leveled a sports reporter with a ‘tiny penis’ joke during a live broadcast. (Video following the jump). Belinda Heggen appeared on Nova 919, an Australian radio show, this morning to explain what happened. Do the two have a romantic history? What was the station’s reaction? Is Aiston mad?
Heggen:
“I’ve already had questions from Melbourne’s Herald-Sun asking if Mark and I have ever had history. To which I promptly said ‘No, never.’ … I just need to give you some background on Mark Aiston. Those is Adelaide who know Mark Aiston know that he’s a practical joker, and a prankster, and he’s always cracking jokes and trying to catch us out. So I’ve always had in my mind a desire to try and catch him, um, and on air no less. But, um, he just stepped right open into that, don’t you think? He just served it up, and I didn’t even have to think, I just lobbed it back. And it was only afterward that we crossed to the weather and went to a commercial break, we just lost it. We were in hysterics there on the news desk. I had no idea it would get this big.”
Sadly, YouTube has taken down the video of the exchange. Hopefully this one works:
“Belinda, I just can’t understand how something so small can be so impressive,” Aiston says, to which Heggen replies: “Well Mark, you would know about that.”
Is the station going to reprimand her? Heggen:
“I must admit, one of my thoughts was on no, am I going to get fired? But I’m assured that for the time being, my job is safe.
“I’m just concerned with what he’s going to come back with now. I’m on the edge of it now.”
As for News 10′s official response:
A Ten spokeswoman said: “It was all just a bit of fun and it’s not something she is regretting either. Mark doesn’t have a problem with it.”
Heggen is the married mother of two boys, the latest one born in 2009. After previously hosting the financial news at the station, she was just recently promoted to the news desk. I guess she was due for some fun. He, with all of its troubles recently, Australia needed a laugh.
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Saucy television chat takes off [News.com.au]
Belinda Heggen explains her dig at Mark Aiston [NovaFM]