Erin Molan denies mocking Pacific Islander names in bizarre radio slip-up
Channel 9 rugby league personality Erin Molan has denied mocking the names of Pacific Islander players on 2GB.
Appearing on The Continuous Call with Darryl Brohman and Mark Levy, Molan was having a conversation about player names to which she said: “Hooka looka mooka hooka fooka”.
The comment left the hosts confused and bewildered.
“What? I’m not sure what she said there,” Brohman said.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Molan insisted that she wasn’t mocking Pacific Islander names but was referring to an inside joke between the commentary team.
The publication reported that both Molan and Nine Entertainment, owner of 2GB, insist she was talking about a story Brohman told nearly two months ago in early April.
Brohman’s story was based on father and son commentators, Ray and Chris Warren, who disagreed over the pronunciation of Manly forward Haumole Olakau’atu.
“His name had about 30 letters in it and I had trouble pronouncing it so I asked Chris ‘how do you pronounce this bloke’s name?’” Brohman said.
“He said ‘well dad and I have been discussing this today... and dad thought his name was Chuka-lala-lulu.
“And ‘I said, ‘well, dad, I think it’s Chuka-lala-lulu-lulu,’ and he says, ‘Chris, that’s incorrect - it’s Chukaka-lulalulalo’.”
“Erin was was jokingly mocking the difficulty Chris and his father had, going back and forth figuring out how to pronounce a complex name,” the Daily Mail quoted Nine.
“The Big Marn (Brohman) retelling the story in his very best Ray and Chris Warren voice.”