It all started on the morning of September 18, when KIIS FM radio king Kyle Sandilands made an off-colour joke about the Virgin Mary live on air.
The 48-year-old called the Biblical figure a “liar” who was “chock-a-blocked” behind a camel shed and said anyone who believes in the classic Bible story is “dumb”.
“You might believe everything that was written down 2000 years ago to be absolutely accurate. Good on you, you’re dumb. Dumb as dog sh*t,” Kyle said.
Since then, Kyle has been slammed left right and centre, with his remarks condemned by religious leaders around the country, while protesters have camped out the front of the KIIS FM’s offices in Sydney.
Kyle flew to LA last week to escape the drama – he and co-host Jackie Henderson weren’t on air due to a break in the radio ratings season – and this morning apologised profusely on air.
But a man who has known Kyle for years, former KIIS radio executive producer Bruno Bouchet, who now runs Kyle’s company King Kyle Holdings, has come out with a passionate defence of his boss, saying he’s just a “big softie” who has been misunderstood.
Here he tells Now To Love why Kyle doesn’t deserved to be sacked and why his bad-boy public image is all an act.
Bruno and Kyle have known each other for years.
(Credit: Supplied)“Ultimately, Kyle is an entertainer and he’s damn good at it.
“He’s never once presented himself as a table-thumping pseudo-intellectual who’s desperately trying to change people’s opinions through anger and rage.
“From the very first minute of his very first radio broadcast at the age of 21 in Townsville, Kyle’s wanted to make his audience laugh through his unique brand of humour, blunt-honesty, observations and exaggerations.
Bruno says Kyle is “misunderstood” and is actually a “big softie”.
(Credit: Supplied)“Within hours of Kyle being alerted that people had taken offence to his comments about the Virgin Mary, he wanted to immediately issue an apology because he felt genuinely remorseful that he had upset various communities.
“It’s important to highlight that Kyle was the one who wanted to issue the apology as soon as possible. He wasn’t forced by management to do so, nor was his apology written for him. I was sitting right next to Kyle as he wrote the apology on his iPad.
“In the early afternoon of Friday – when the issue initially flared up – Kyle’s mobile number was passed around through social media.
“Kyle literally picked up on hundreds of phone calls, ranging from blatant threats on his life, to calm callers who were glad to have heard directly from Kyle that he apologetic for what he had said.
“I can’t imagine many people being in a similar situation as Kyle simply picking up calls from strangers and copping whatever was at the other end of the phone.
The pair joking around in the KIIS studios.
(Credit: Supplied)
Bruno used to be Kyle’s executive producer.
(Credit: Supplied)“Whilst Kyle has a loyal following, there are those who I believe have misunderstood Kyle. No, he’s not a bully nor a hateful man.
“Kyle’s a larger-than-life personality who loves nothing more than entertaining listeners.
“Put it this way, Kyle loves what he does so much that he broadcasts for an extra hour every day because radio is his passion.
WATCH BELOW: Kyle jokes with Jackie O about his co-host Beau Ryan. Story continues after video.
“I’ve known Kyle for 10-years and I can honestly say he’s one of the most generous, thoughtful and talented people I’ve ever met.
“Kyle hates it when I call him a “big softy” because, as he keeps reminding me, “I don’t want people knowing that – it’s bad for my image.”
“Sorry, Kyle, for outing your big secret!”
