Former ABC radio presenter Josh Szeps has staunchly defended Alan Jones, who faces multiple charges of indecent assault, suggesting the fallen talkback king is the victim of a “gleeful” media “witch hunt”.
Szeps said he worked as a producer for Jones early in his career and rejected the older man’s sexual advances, but did not find them offensive.
“Every time he got rejected, and always because he had no interest in it, he would back off and usually laugh,” Szeps said during an episode of his Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps podcast.
‘It wasn’t anything sinister to me, it wasn’t anything threatening to me. It was fun, excessively romantic.”
Szeps expressed cynicism about the arrest of Jones, 83, after the shine of his years of ruling Sydney radio ratings had long worn off.
The media had pounced on Jones only when he was a greatly diminished figure, Szeps argued.
“Much of the public and media have responded to this news with a kind of wanton, breathless glee… at the punishment of such a divisive figure,” he said.
‘This raises all kinds of questions about power and sexuality, about retributive justice, consent and the role the media should play in helping us evaluate all those things.
Former ABC radio host Josh Szeps has accused the media of mounting a witch hunt for Alan Jones’ scalp.
“And the media is doing a pretty lousy job.”
Last week’s podcast sparked widespread outrage and condemnation on social media, prompting Szeps to explain his motivations on Sunday.
‘What I wanted to have is a clear, thoughtful and rational conversation about justice, consent, changing norms, sexuality and hypocrisy. “I wanted to challenge the simplistic way Alan’s enemies view him and the world,” Szeps told the Sydney Morning Herald.
‘The reason I was afraid of it (talking about Jones’ arrest) was because it’s difficult. It’s hard not to be misunderstood when the stakes are high, emotions are running high, and everyone is caught in a culture war of attrition.
Jones, for whom Szeps worked early in his career, faces multiple charges of indecent assault and related matters.
“I’m one of those reckless fools who tries to come out of the trenches into no man’s land and say, ‘Can we just pause and think for a moment about what we’re doing here, folks?’
‘We just have to grow. We are not going to survive the 21st century if we behave like kindergarteners, choosing the good guys and the bad guys.
‘We need to put an end to this childish game of assigning everyone a tribe and cheering or booing each other. People ask me what “side” I’m on.
‘What is this, an Avengers movie? Are you eight years old? Life is messy. There are no sides. There is only one clear thought.’
Jones was arrested on Monday at his luxury Circular Quay apartment.
He faces a total of 26 charges relating to alleged indecent assault and sexual touching.
Charges include 11 counts of aggravated indecent assault, 11 counts of assault with an indecent act, 2 counts of sexually touching another person without consent, 2 counts of common assault.
The youngest alleged victim was 17 years old at the time of the alleged crimes.
Jones’ high-profile lawyer, Chris Murphy, said he would defend the charges. He is due to appear at Downing Center Local Court on December 18.