Photo: Facebook
Matchbox 20's Rob Thomas has apologised for making a joke during a Melbourne show that many deemed to be racist rowards indigenous aboriginal Australians.
The singer was performing a solo show over the weekend when he told the crowd. "I keep drinking until I think I'm a black Australian." His comments were met with groans from the crowd, many of whom believed he was perpetuating a stereotype that equates indigenous Australians with alcoholism.
Country music singer Troy Cassar-Daley and hip hop musician Briggs both tweeted their disappointment over Thomas' comment.
So @thegame gets denied entry to Aus. But @ThisIsRobThomas can stand in front of 14k people and dismiss it's Indig. population as drunks?
— BRIGGS AKA BIG SIGH (@BriggsGE) February 21, 2016
Rob Thomas always came across as a smart Bloke to me, I guess I was wrong.👎🏽 pic.twitter.com/e8MbqCHf8l
— Troy Cassar-Daley (@troycassardaley) February 21, 2016
In a statement on Facebook, Thomas wrote, "I have seen people comment that after coming here for so long I should know that there is a connection between the indigenous peoples of Australia and a stereotype involving drinking. Embarrassingly, I truly didn’t."
He continued, "I said I drank until I thought I was Australian. Then I drank so much that I thought I was a black Australian and then I drank so much I thought I was a little Australian girl. These were 3 things I chose at random to represent 3 things I’m not. I’m not Australian. I’m not black and I’m not a little girl. Again, if I had any idea of the stereotype I would have chosen another example. There was absolutely no malice even in jest.
"I was so ignorant to the situation that when I heard people groan I actually thought THEY were being racist. I didn’t know until TODAY that just the phrase ‘black Australian’ was racist all on it’s [sic] own. I sat in my room and I cried when I found out."
As NME reports, Thomas has subsequently arranged to meet with Indigenous photographer Barbara McGrady.
