The AM Show has responded in force after Clarke Gayford was subjected to what Duncan Garner calls a "vile piece of bile" by Deborah Hill Cone.
The New Zealand Herald columnist singled out the Prime Minister's partner for seemingly enjoying being the spouse of Jacinda Ardern.
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The column called 'Why does Clarke Gayford bug me?' was promoted with a 'breaking news' banner by NZME on Monday morning.
Ms Hill Cone said he "seems to lap the attention up, like the political equivalent of manspreading", and said he gave her "a little bit of acid reflux".
The AM Show host Duncan Garner condemned Ms Hill Cone, saying he's "really worried" by the "obnoxious" article.
"I think it's a nasty, vile piece of bile," he said on Tuesday.
Host Mark Richardson slammed the column as "dross".
"This is one particularly bitter person writing for a publication that desperately needs this crap to stay afloat," Richardson said.
"She's perfectly entitled not to like some guy. I think it's the way this has been packaged - as breaking news heading a daily national newspaper."
And RadioLIVE newsreader Mary-Jane Tomasi criticised it for being "mean-spirited".
"Why say something that's just so unkind when internationally this young couple are doing amazing things for New Zealand," she said.
"He's supporting her every step of the way and proud to bits of her."
But Kiwi actress and director Louise Wallace told The AM Show she doesn't really think it matters.
"It seems to me that Deborah Hill Cone in a way just didn't have much to write about on the day and thought 'oh, I'll just slag off him'," she says.
"If we're going to forgive Israel Folau for saying that gays are going to go to hell, then surely to God we can take hers with a grain of salt."
Social media presenter Aziz Al-Sa'afin asked if any other prime minister's spouse has been subjected to such ridicule.
"It is a bit mean-spirited, isn't it," he said.
"You can imagine that people are a little bit anti the article."
Newshub.
