Home Entertainment Kyle Sandilands’ controversial take on Alex Cullen’s standing down… as Nine star is a no-show on the Today Show after $50,000 gift from Adrian Portelli

Kyle Sandilands’ controversial take on Alex Cullen’s standing down… as Nine star is a no-show on the Today Show after $50,000 gift from Adrian Portelli

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Kyle Sandilands has shared his controversial opinion on Alex Cullen's resignation after accepting a $50,000 gift from The Block billionaire Adrian Portelli.

Kyle Sandilands has shared his controversial opinion on Alex Cullen’s resignation after accepting a $50,000 gift from The Block billionaire Adrian Portelli.

TV presenter Cullen, 44, received a hefty sum from Portelli after being the first media personality to use his new self-proclaimed nickname ‘McLaren Man’ on air.

Portelli has grown tired of his long-standing nickname ‘Mr. Lambo’ and offered the cash reward to the first media personality to use his new nickname, with Cullen obliging on Friday’s Today Show.

It later emerged that Channel Nine was investigating the payment and Cullen agreed to resign after the reckless on-air stunt, according to the Sunday Herald Sun.

Now radio host Kyle, 53, has weighed in on the controversy and gave his surprising take on the matter on Monday morning’s KIIS FM radio show.

Returning for his first show after his summer break, Kyle controversially insisted that he didn’t understand why anyone “cared” about the pay.

Kyle Sandilands has shared his controversial opinion on Alex Cullen’s resignation after accepting a $50,000 gift from The Block billionaire Adrian Portelli.

He said: ‘He’s a very good presenter, this guy Alex. Make a quick $50,000 on that, does anyone care about that?’

“I don’t like the whole feeling,” Kyle added of the backlash to Cullen’s stunt.

Accepting cash, gifts or benefits to undermine journalistic independence and improperly using a journalistic position for personal gain are violations of the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance Journalist Code of Ethics.

Cullen was noticeably absent from the Today Show on Monday morning after Nine dropped him.

He was replaced by Clint Stanaway on live coverage from Melbourne for the Australian Open, but they made no reference to the controversy during the show.

Karl Stefanovic asked Stanaway: ‘Is something going on down there, mate?’

To which he replied: “Very calm, just trying to find a story,” while reporting on the action from the prestigious tennis championship.

Cullen has been stood down by Nine as it investigates allegations the presenter accepted $50,000 from Portelli for using his new nickname ‘McLaren Man’ on air.

TV presenter Cullen, 44, received a hefty sum from Portelli after being the first media personality to use his new self-proclaimed nickname 'McLaren Man' on air.

TV presenter Cullen, 44, received a hefty sum from Portelli after being the first media personality to use his new self-proclaimed nickname ‘McLaren Man’ on air.

Portelli first received the unwanted nickname ‘Mr. Lambo’ after showing up at a 2022 auction on the popular home renovation show The Block with a yellow Lamborghini.

In an attempt to get rid of the nickname, he offered a $50,000 cash reward to the first member of the media to use his new nickname, and Cullen uttered the words on the Today Show.

During the reckless on-air stunt, Stefanovic quickly repeated the phrase and joked that the two presenters would split the prize money if Portelli paid up.

Portelli then took to social media to share what appeared to be a $50,000 wire transfer to Cullen.

‘We have a winner! Well played sir,” he wrote alongside the screenshot.

Channel Nine said Cullen had agreed to resign on Saturday while the network investigated the payment.

“Nine is taking this matter very seriously,” a spokesperson told the Sunday Herald Sun.

‘Appropriate action has been taken quickly, including the return of funds.

Portelli had grown tired of his long-standing nickname 'Mr. Lambo' and offered a reward to the first media personality to use his new nickname, with Cullen obliging on the Today Show (pictured).

Portelli had grown tired of his long-standing nickname ‘Mr. Lambo’ and offered a reward to the first media personality to use his new nickname, with Cullen obliging on the Today Show (pictured).

“While we review the circumstances under which this occurred, Alex has agreed to retire.”

Nine insiders said the stunt could have been beneficial to the network, and to Portelli, if Cullen had informed the promoter that, as a journalist, he could not accept any payment for making the comment on air.

“What Alex should have done is refuse to accept money and tell Portelli to donate it directly to a charity, that is if he was going to get involved in the stunt,” a network insider told Daily Mail Australia.

Portelli has since been criticized for urging his fans to bomb journalist Fiona Byrne online after she revealed Nine was investigating Cullen over the money-for-comments scandal.

Thousands of cyberbullies flooded his social media with vile and misogynistic insults after Portelli urged his 461,000 Instagram followers to “bully” Byrne, even offering a cash prize for the best takedown.

‘Come on Fiona. “You can do better than that,” he posted on Instagram.

“Be respectful and use my real name or I will create a nickname for you and post it on all my social media.”

Portelli then asked her followers to suggest appropriate nicknames for Byrne before encouraging fans to “bully” her online.

It later emerged that Channel Nine was investigating the payment and Cullen agreed to resign after the ill-advised on-air stunt (pictured: Adrian Portelli).

It later emerged that Channel Nine was investigating the payment and Cullen agreed to resign after the ill-advised on-air stunt (pictured: Adrian Portelli).

“If journalists want to harass, let’s do it too,” he wrote before tagging her personal account and offering her the prize money.

“$5,000 for the best comment on (Ms. Byrne’s) profile.”

Rich Lister’s call to arms saw the award-winning journalist’s account flooded with inappropriate and false comments about her appearance and professionalism.

Daily Mail Australia has chosen not to repeat any of the comments.

Portelli later issued what appeared to be a new veiled threat to unleash his army of followers on any journalist who dared to “disrespect” him or refer to him by his unofficial nickname, “Lambo Guy.”

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