6 Dec 07 Channel 9 Today Interview Transcript

Station: CHANNEL 9 Date: 06/12/2007
Program: TODAY Time: 06:49 AM
Compere: LISA WILKINSON & KARL STEFANOVIC
Item: DISCUSSIONS ON A SACKED SANTA.
INTERVIEW: BOB MAGUIRE, YOUTH WORKER; JOHN OAKES, SACKED SANTA


KARL STEFANOVIC: John, good morning to you. You've been a bad Santa we hear?

JOHN OAKES: Yes, it's terrible isn't it? All the trouble I'm going through. Good morning to you anyway.

KARL STEFANOVIC: Well we heard half the story last night that you'd been sacked for saying, Ho, Ho, Ho. That was the case was it?

JOHN OAKES: That was the case and also singing as well. I got pulled over the coals for that as well.

KARL STEFANOVIC: All right, there wasn't anything else was there John?

JOHN OAKES: I think what they're getting at is one of the children came to me one day when I was on the floor and - with her mother - and she says, oh this is my mother. And I says, oh you've got a pretty mum. And I think she reported me for that, you know, and I was just being Santa, you know. So, I think that could be an issue as well.

KARL STEFANOVIC: Yeah, that is probably an issue. I guess it's not entirely appropriate for Santa to be saying, hello young fellow, what would you like for Christmas, and by the way, your mum is hot.

JOHN OAKES: No I didn't mean it that way.

KARL STEFANOVIC: Did she think you meant it that way?

JOHN OAKES: I don't think so, but I've got - I used to put that in the gig, you know. But I'm doing a job and the reason why I took this to Cairns Post to Gavin King is because I want to make a difference to all the men in red out there that are doing a very good job and it's a very hard job. People think that being a Santa is an easy job, but I assure you, underneath this beard and all the clothes, it's very hard. And I want to exalt all the mothers that go to the outlets and venues to go easy on Santa.

KARL STEFANOVIC: All right.

JOHN OAKES: And don't report everything that they hear or something like that.

KARL STEFANOVIC: Okay, as long as it's not bad. Just before we go John, a quick Ho, Ho, Ho?

JOHN OAKES: Ho, Ho, Ho, Ho, Ho [rings bell]. Have a good Christmas and a Happy New Year.

LISA WILKINSON : Got a couple of extra Ho's out of Santa.

KARL STEFANOVIC: There you go, there you go.

LISA WILKINSON : Yeah.

KARL STEFANOVIC: What do you think? I kind of think it's a little bit creepy when a Santa is saying that sort of thing to a mum, but let us know what you think, today@ nine.com.au. Leave the mums out of it, just devote your attention to giving the kids a great Christmas.

LISA WILKINSON : Probably a good idea.

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6 Dec 07 Channel 7 Sunrise Interview Transcript

Date: 06/12/2007
Program: SUNRISE
Time: 07:08 AM
Compere: DAVID KOCH & NATALIE BARR
INTERVIEWEES: JOHN OAKES, SACKED SANTA

NATALIE BARR: Remember the reports about store Santas being banned from saying ho, ho, ho? Well it seems that that phrase has left one of Santa's helpers out of a job this Christmas.

DAVID KOCH: Yeah, John Oakes says he was sacked as Santa at Myer in Cairns by his employer Westaff for continuing to ho, ho, ho, and sing Jingle Bells. John joins us now from Cairns. Good morning to you John. Now, now what happened?

JOHN OAKES: I was sacked for saying, ho, ho, ho, Kochie.

DAVID KOCH: Oh...

JOHN OAKES: It's a no, no. So. But I've got, I've got a message for the people that have been doing this to me - and it's a quotation from St Nicholas from the, from the Bible. It says, judge not, less thee be judged, and the judgement that you give it shall be judged onto you again.

DAVID KOCH: Right.

JOHN OAKES: So I think that sums it up.

DAVID KOCH: Okay.

NATALIE BARR: Because your, John, your employer Westaff said it actually had nothing to do with the use of ho, ho, ho. The store you were in - Myer - they also say it had nothing to do with, with those words. So what were you actually told?

JOHN OAKES: Ah, when we was having the induction, I, I'm a forgetful hearer sometimes, and they told me that I haven't got to make any personal comments to the people in the store. And I was used to going up to the children and saying, hello, how are you, ho, ho, ho, and who you with today? And she says, my mum. I says, you've got a beautiful mum, and you're beautiful too.

DAVID KOCH: Mm.

JOHN OAKES: And that's, I think that's been held against me.

DAVID KOCH: Okay, so that's, it's actually talking and some of the things you said with customers; because, your employer Westaff - who, who sort of supplies everyone for Myer; all the Santas, obviously accredited with the North Pole - but, was saying that your attitude wasn't quite right. What do they mean by that?

JOHN OAKES: Well, I've got love for everybody, because I'm a Christian; I love the Lord, and, because I come from a bad circumstances way back; and I was in show business for 30 years; and I got into the alcohol and stuff like that - rehabilitated, and then I became a Christian...

DAVID KOCH: Mm.

JOHN OAKES: ...and a lot of people frown on Christianity today, but Christmas is a time for Christianity to abound, instead of hiding underneath the table, you know.

DAVID KOCH: Okay. So do you do a bit of preaching to the customers and stuff like that?

JOHN OAKES: Yeah, well I, sometimes, the only words that I said was God Bless You. And I used to ring the bell. [Sound of bell ringing] God Bless You children, and that's all I said.

DAVID KOCH: Okay.

NATALIE BARR: Okay. So what are you going to do now John?

JOHN OAKES: Um, I've got some singing gigs here in Cairns, because I sing Mario Lanza songs from my past. But, the booze went, and the, all the other stuff, when I got converted in 64. I'm 70 now.

DAVID KOCH: Okay. Oh, good on you.

JOHN OAKES: And I'm trying to live me life the best I can.

DAVID KOCH: Okay. Well that's terrific.

JOHN OAKES: And the kids are my - pardon?

DAVID KOCH: Yeah, that's terrific. I'm glad you've, you've turned it all around and I hope you have a Merry Christmas as well. John, thanks for joining us.

JOHN OAKES: Thanks Kochie.

DAVID KOCH: Okay.

JOHN OAKES: Ho, ho, ho.

DAVID KOCH: Ho, ho, ho, to you.

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