Chaos erupts as Sunrise interview completely derails: ‘I’m not disrespecting you’
- Replies 6
Everyone knows that live television has the potential to deliver unexpected, sometimes shocking, moments that veer off-script and captivate audiences.
This was precisely the case in a recent episode of Seven's popular morning show, Sunrise, which took an unexpected turn when a guest's fiery outburst left hosts Natalie Barr and Matt Doran scrambling to regain control.
The incident, which has since gone viral, involved Australian WWE wrestler Grayson Waller, who took offence to what he perceived as a lack of respect from the show's hosts.
The interview began on a light-hearted note, with Waller and his American rival, LA Knight, engaging in some friendly banter.
The two wrestling rivals traded barbs and discussed the recent entry of YouTuber-turned-wrestler Logan Paul into their world.
However, the atmosphere quickly soured when Barr asked the wrestlers to ‘give me one of your signature moves’.
Knight, taken aback, asked Barr, ‘Can I give you one?’ wondering if she was suggesting he body slam her live on national television.
Barr quickly clarified, ‘Well...our floor manager, maybe? He’s available.’
Both wrestlers, however, were visibly uncomfortable with the idea of an impromptu wrestling match.
As the floor manager stepped into the frame, fists raised in jest, Waller's demeanour changed dramatically.
Rising from his seat, he warned, 'I don’t think you understand—If I come over there right now, we're going to have the police here, [cause] I'm not going to give you some fake punch. I'm going to punch you straight in the jaw.'
‘The disrespect that you have, even talking to me? You want to talk to me like this ain’t real? Don’t act all tough, lad, don’t act all tough,’ Waller fumed, leaving Barr and Doran scrambling to defuse the situation.
Doran quickly instructed the floor manager to exit the scene while Barr reassured Waller that no disrespect was intended.
‘I’m not disrespecting you,’ said Barr.
‘Nah, you’re alright, we love you,’ Waller said as the hosts wrapped up the interview.
The incident has since gone viral, with the clip garnering over 1 million views online and sparking a lively discussion among wrestling fans on social media.
Many praised Waller's quick thinking and refusal to participate in a staged wrestling move.
‘Waller handled that well and had quick thinking. Some folks are just id**ts,’ one fan said.
‘Props to Waller for that; he could have easily humoured them with some kind of bogus hold or whatever, but he went about it the right way,’ wrote another.
‘Waller saved LA there, too, not just himself. They were gonna make a joke out of this super hot rising star and make him look like a goof,’ a third added.
Wrestling fans will recognise the term 'kayfabe'—a wrestling convention that presents staged performances as genuine.
Waller's refusal to break kayfabe on live television earned him respect from many fans, who praised his commitment to maintaining the illusion of authenticity in wrestling.
‘That was absolutely brilliant from Waller there. He protected kayfabe, he protected Knight. He was so sharp and on the ball. I was already a fan of his, but my respect for him just grew a lot from this. Outstanding work,’ a fan praised.
You can watch the clip below:
Credit: @wrestletops / Twitter
In what is thought to be a response to the Sunrise fiasco, Waller posted on his social media a photo that would have been cryptic to some but meant something to his fans.
The photo is from a well-known incident in 1988 when wrestler David Schultz confronted reporter John Stossel.
Back then, Stossel was investigating and revealing behind-the-scenes aspects of professional wrestling.
Credit: @GraysonWWE / Twitter
‘I think this is fake,’ Stossel told the Schultz, and he got an immediate—and violent—response.
‘You think this is fake?’ Schultz asked and slapped the reporter, causing him to cower on the ground.
‘You think that’s fake? What [...] is wrong with you? That’s an open-hand slap, huh?’ Schultz continued before slapping Stossel again and left.
Fans of wrestling immediately recognised Waller's reference to Schultz just by looking at the screenshot.
You can watch Schultz’s infamous interview below:
Credit: Analog Indulgence / Youtube
Waller, also known as Matthew Farrelly, is no stranger to controversy.
He was a contestant on the 2019 season of Australian Survivor, where his aggressive approach to challenges earned him the nickname 'actual id**t' from fellow contestant and former AFL player Abby Holmes.
Farrelly embraced the moniker, even selling 'ACTUAL ID**T’ T-shirts at his wrestling matches.
‘I had a feeling that most of my airtime was probably going to be me yelling and screaming, and I’m OK with that,’ he said in an interview after being eliminated from the show.
Sunrise is full of fun and surprises from its guests and even co-anchors—with some playful banter here and there.
In a previous story, Sunrise anchor Matt Doran received some banter on his first day at work for the New Year. He expressed his mock displeasure at being ‘sassed’ so early in the morning. Read more about Doran’s story here.
What are your thoughts on this incident, dear readers? Have you ever witnessed a live interview go off the rails? Share your experiences in the comments below.
This was precisely the case in a recent episode of Seven's popular morning show, Sunrise, which took an unexpected turn when a guest's fiery outburst left hosts Natalie Barr and Matt Doran scrambling to regain control.
The incident, which has since gone viral, involved Australian WWE wrestler Grayson Waller, who took offence to what he perceived as a lack of respect from the show's hosts.
The interview began on a light-hearted note, with Waller and his American rival, LA Knight, engaging in some friendly banter.
WWE wrestlers Grayson Waller and LA Knight were interviewed on Sunrise right before the incident occurred. Credit: @sunriseon7 / Twitter
The two wrestling rivals traded barbs and discussed the recent entry of YouTuber-turned-wrestler Logan Paul into their world.
However, the atmosphere quickly soured when Barr asked the wrestlers to ‘give me one of your signature moves’.
Knight, taken aback, asked Barr, ‘Can I give you one?’ wondering if she was suggesting he body slam her live on national television.
Barr quickly clarified, ‘Well...our floor manager, maybe? He’s available.’
Both wrestlers, however, were visibly uncomfortable with the idea of an impromptu wrestling match.
As the floor manager stepped into the frame, fists raised in jest, Waller's demeanour changed dramatically.
Rising from his seat, he warned, 'I don’t think you understand—If I come over there right now, we're going to have the police here, [cause] I'm not going to give you some fake punch. I'm going to punch you straight in the jaw.'
‘The disrespect that you have, even talking to me? You want to talk to me like this ain’t real? Don’t act all tough, lad, don’t act all tough,’ Waller fumed, leaving Barr and Doran scrambling to defuse the situation.
Doran quickly instructed the floor manager to exit the scene while Barr reassured Waller that no disrespect was intended.
‘I’m not disrespecting you,’ said Barr.
‘Nah, you’re alright, we love you,’ Waller said as the hosts wrapped up the interview.
The incident has since gone viral, with the clip garnering over 1 million views online and sparking a lively discussion among wrestling fans on social media.
Many praised Waller's quick thinking and refusal to participate in a staged wrestling move.
‘Waller handled that well and had quick thinking. Some folks are just id**ts,’ one fan said.
‘Props to Waller for that; he could have easily humoured them with some kind of bogus hold or whatever, but he went about it the right way,’ wrote another.
‘Waller saved LA there, too, not just himself. They were gonna make a joke out of this super hot rising star and make him look like a goof,’ a third added.
Wrestling fans will recognise the term 'kayfabe'—a wrestling convention that presents staged performances as genuine.
Waller's refusal to break kayfabe on live television earned him respect from many fans, who praised his commitment to maintaining the illusion of authenticity in wrestling.
‘That was absolutely brilliant from Waller there. He protected kayfabe, he protected Knight. He was so sharp and on the ball. I was already a fan of his, but my respect for him just grew a lot from this. Outstanding work,’ a fan praised.
You can watch the clip below:
Credit: @wrestletops / Twitter
In what is thought to be a response to the Sunrise fiasco, Waller posted on his social media a photo that would have been cryptic to some but meant something to his fans.
The photo is from a well-known incident in 1988 when wrestler David Schultz confronted reporter John Stossel.
Back then, Stossel was investigating and revealing behind-the-scenes aspects of professional wrestling.
Credit: @GraysonWWE / Twitter
‘I think this is fake,’ Stossel told the Schultz, and he got an immediate—and violent—response.
‘You think this is fake?’ Schultz asked and slapped the reporter, causing him to cower on the ground.
‘You think that’s fake? What [...] is wrong with you? That’s an open-hand slap, huh?’ Schultz continued before slapping Stossel again and left.
Fans of wrestling immediately recognised Waller's reference to Schultz just by looking at the screenshot.
You can watch Schultz’s infamous interview below:
Credit: Analog Indulgence / Youtube
Waller, also known as Matthew Farrelly, is no stranger to controversy.
He was a contestant on the 2019 season of Australian Survivor, where his aggressive approach to challenges earned him the nickname 'actual id**t' from fellow contestant and former AFL player Abby Holmes.
Farrelly embraced the moniker, even selling 'ACTUAL ID**T’ T-shirts at his wrestling matches.
‘I had a feeling that most of my airtime was probably going to be me yelling and screaming, and I’m OK with that,’ he said in an interview after being eliminated from the show.
Sunrise is full of fun and surprises from its guests and even co-anchors—with some playful banter here and there.
In a previous story, Sunrise anchor Matt Doran received some banter on his first day at work for the New Year. He expressed his mock displeasure at being ‘sassed’ so early in the morning. Read more about Doran’s story here.
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