Paul Kent - His Downfall & Resurrection
In the premiere episode of Chiming In, veteran player manager Steve ‘Chimes’ Gillis sits down with journalist Paul Kent for a raw and unfiltered conversation. For the first time, Kent addresses the high-profile incidents that led to his departure from Fox Sports and News Corp, his time working at a funeral parlour, and his plans for a media comeback.
The ‘Tree’ Incident and the Power of Social Media
Kent provides his detailed account of the infamous street scuffle that went viral and effectively ended his mainstream career. He explains that the incident began when a man bailed him out on the street with a derogatory comment about a previous (and eventually dismissed) domestic violence allegation. Kent admits he ‘pressed the go button’ after the man refused to apologise, leading to the physical altercation where he was famously tackled into a tree.
While the video became a meme, the reality was severe: Kent suffered six broken ribs and a collapsed lung from the impact. He criticises the current media landscape, arguing that 20 years ago, such an incident would not have been career-ending but rather something ‘paraded through the newsroom’ with a laugh.
Life After Media: From TV Star to Funeral Director
With his journalism career on ice, Kent found himself in a drastically different environment. He took a job at a funeral parlour owned by the Manning brothers, who are long-time supporters of junior rugby league.
He describes the surreal experience of preparing coffins and attending services while being recognised by mourners. "The amount of people that would come up and say, 'Mate, what do you think's going on with the Tigers?' while I was trying to do my job was unbelievable," he recalls. Kent jokes about the discomfort of wondering if the person in the coffin would have been a fan or a critic of his polarising television persona.
The Triple M Walkout and Ethics
Kent clarifies the circumstances surrounding his departure from Triple M following the on-air ‘bullying’ scandal involving Anthony Maroon. He maintains that the banter regarding Maroon's ‘cash jobs’ was a long-running gag that Maroon was originally in on. He believes the situation only became a scandal because it ‘went too long’ on air.
When management demanded an apology, Kent refused on ethical grounds, believing an apology would be dishonest since the bit was contrived. This refusal ultimately led to his exit from the station.
Clickbait and the Death of Modern Journalism
As a career journalist, Kent offers a scathing critique of the current industry to Chimes. He argues that journalism has shifted from reporting ‘public interest’ to whatever ‘interests the public’, driven entirely by digital clicks and social media engagement.
Kent laments the ‘new breed’ of journalists who he claims rarely break original stories, instead opting to rewrite existing news or offer ‘irrelevant opinions’ to drive traffic.
The Resurrection: ‘Kenty the Podcast
Kent announces his return to the media landscape with his own independent platform. Produced under his self-deprecatingly named company, ‘Avoid the Tree Enterprises’, the new show aims to fill what Kent sees as a hole in the market for uncompromising sports talk.
Despite his ‘cancellation’, Kent reveals he still has strong support from figures like Peter V'landys and Ricky Stuart, who are slated to appear on his new platform to discuss the ‘soap opera’ of rugby league.
Watch the full episode on Fanatics TV.
