Joe the Cameraman

Joe the Cameraman (or Cameraman Joe, real name Joe Previtera[1]) is an Australian Channel 9 sports cameraman who is best known for claiming to have been responsible for an infamous on-air sledge of cricketer Scott Muller in 1999.

Scott Muller incident

The incident occurred in a cricket Test match between Australia and Pakistan at Bellerive Oval in Hobart in 1999. This was Muller's second and last appearance in a Test match and his bowling had been below his best. Muller made an inaccurate throw from the outfield, and the words "He can't bowl, and he can't throw"[2] went to air.

The television show The Panel replayed it and the finger was pointed at teammate Shane Warne, who was fielding close to the stump microphone, as the source of the comment.[3] Warne denied it but Muller was unconvinced. The Australian media ran the story as a hot topic for a few days, with much of the general public believing that Warne was guilty, despite a voice analysis expert's opinions to the contrary,[4] and scrutiny of television footage.

"Joe the Cameraman" appeared on Channel Nine's A Current Affair along with Warne and confessed to having said the remark, which somehow accidentally went to air.

Cultural references

Some people, including then opposition backbencher Mark Latham, accused the network of a cover-up,[1] and disputed the truth of Joe's confession (dubbing him "Joe the Patsy")

Brett Lee's band Six & Out later recorded a song entitled "Can't Bowl, Can't Throw" with lyrics that included, "don't ask Warnie, it was Cameraman Joe, who said you can't bowl and you can't throw".Can't Bowl Can't Throw - Lyrics

Before an AFL game in Perth on 29 May 2009, Richmond footballer Ben Cousins gave the finger in the direction of a camera in the changerooms. When asked after the game to explain why he did this, Cousins replied "I was just saying g'day to Joe the cameraman."

References
  1. Rediff.com : "Channel Nine covering-up Warne, says MP". 8 December 1999
  2. rec.sport.cricket discussion, USENET, 24 November 1999
  3. "Unspun hero", The Guardian, 7 October 2001
  4. "How Joe blow turned Scott Muller into a nobody", Sydney Morning Herald, 24 May 2003
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