The head of the NRL has taken a swipe at the AFL after announcing US star Teddy Swims will headline its grand final entertainment this year.
The rugby league code confirmed Swims’ appointment on Thursday morning, weeks after the AFL announced Snoop Dogg for its grand final proceedings, which has been met with a divisive reaction and calls for the rapper’s slot to be axed.
“We saw what the FLA (AFL) got – what’s he called, Labrador or poodle? All I know is it’s a dog act,” ARLC chairman Peter V’landys said on The Today Show (via Fox Sports).
“We had to get better than that and we actually got a vocalist.
“This bloke can actually sing. He’s a global act, he’s got billions of downloads and he’s also gonna promote the NRL in America. He’s just a class act and very popular.”
While Swims will perform at the NRL’s big dance at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on Sunday, October 5th, Snoop Dogg is scheduled to perform at the AFL grand final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, September 27th.
In the Senate last month, Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young claimed that Snoop’s history of misogyny and homophobia should have precluded him from performing at the Grand Final, arguing that the AFL should have instead looked towards homegrown talent for the headline slot.
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“Why is it that the AFL is bringing in an international artist — a slur merchant — paying them $2 million, rather than backing Aussie talent?” she asked. “The AFL has decided for the grand final, rather than putting on an Australian artist, they’re going to pay Snoop Dogg $2 million to play at the Grand Final.
Prior to this, AFL CEO Andrew Dillion defended the decision, saying: “We cannot vouch for every lyric in every song ever written or performed by any artist who has appeared on our stage — Australian or international. What I can say is that our pre-match entertainment on AFL Grand Final day will be family-friendly and consistent with the audience at the MCG and those watching the broadcast.”
It was only less than two weeks ago that Snoop Dogg addressed controversial comments he made over his response to his grandson’s questions about a same-sex couple in Lightyear.
“I was just caught off guard and had no answer for my grandsons,” he wrote. “All my gay friends [know] what’s up, they been calling me with love. My bad for not knowing the answers for a 6 yr old. Teach me how to learn. I’m not perfect.”
