Marty Sheargold has, for the first time, opened up about the personal turmoil behind the controversy that ended his run at Triple M, revealing he was dealing with family tragedy and emotional shock when the now-infamous Matildas segment went to air.
Speaking on KIIS FM’s The Kyle and Jackie O Show while promoting his new Red Card stand-up tour, Sheargold said he stayed silent because the moment simply wasn’t safe for nuance.
“And it’s an interesting time that we’re living in, isn’t it? You know, free speech-wise, what is and isn’t offensive, it’s a real mess of a thing,” he said. “I didn’t talk about it at the time because I knew no one would listen… Everyone’s got a head of steam.”
‘I didn’t get to put any context around it’
Behind the scenes, the backlash collided with something far more personal.
“There was some stuff in my private life happening at that time, too, which was really disastrous,” Sheargold said.
“Dad had just recently died the week before, so I did a eulogy at his funeral on Friday, and then I was on air on Monday, and this Matilda thing exploded. But you can’t say that at the time. Because it looks like you’re playing the his-dad-died card.”
He also revealed the segment that triggered the storm was not even live.
“The other context about it is that it was pre-recorded. I mean, that’s how ridiculous it was,” he said. “We pre-recorded that Matilda thing earlier in the day. Sometimes you go home and think, I might give them a ring and just get them to pull that out. I wasn’t even thinking like that.”
From ACMA ruling to Triple M exit
That clip ultimately led to the Australian Communications and Media Authority finding The Marty Sheargold Show had breached decency standards, describing the remarks as “degrading and demeaning” towards women.
The ruling censured Triple M Sydney, Brisbane, Maryborough and the Gold Coast, with ACMA chair Nerida O’Loughlin warning the comments “had the potential to normalise and perpetuate stereotypes that are harmful to women”.
Not long after, Southern Cross Austereo confirmed Sheargold and the network had “mutually agreed to part ways”, replacing him in Melbourne breakfast with Mick Molloy and Mark Geyer.
Dumped live on KIIS, by mistake
That history hung awkwardly over Sheargold’s KIIS appearance this week, when he was unexpectedly “dumped” off air mid-conversation.
In radio, the dump button is a live-broadcast circuit breaker, used to instantly cut audio when a segment veers into legally, reputationally or commercially dangerous territory.
For a few seconds, it appeared Sheargold had been cut off while referencing his Triple M exit. “You’re right, Kyle,” he said just before the audio dropped.
The moment, however, was later understood to be a technical or production error rather than a deliberate silencing, adding an accidental layer of drama to what was already a sensitive return to live radio.
Why stand-up now
Seven months on, Sheargold is betting on live comedy instead of live radio.
“As much as I’ve been trying to embrace early retirement, I’m bored s**tless,” he said. “I’m going to be the 54-year-old man that I am. Fun, sexy, charming and humble. Let’s share moments and memories from my life.”