Sun-Herald, 17 May 1998

Real Men put snags on barbie

GOOD Aussie men are hurtling towards becoming an endangered species, crushed by the pressure to become self-centred, touchy-feely wussies, says TV and radio star Mikey Robins.

And if the trend away from the real menhood is not arrested soon, it could spell disaster not only for Australia's Real Men, but for its women too.

Triple J breakfast host and TV Good News Week wag Robins makes a plea for the time when snags were something you covered in sauce at a barbecue and the men's movement was a bunch of blokes playing cricket in his new book, due to be released soon.

Big Man's World, co-authored with fellow Triple J-ers Steve (Sandman) Abbot and Tony Squires, is a celebration of track pants and meat ate barbies instead of fish.

"Your traditional man needs a bit of improvement, like the knowledge that feminism isn't going to threaten him," said Robins, who is about to take over Roy and H.G's prime-time spot on a Saturday night.

"But there are other things worth saving. I just find it hard to talk to someone these days who doesn't follow a sporting team. That's what men have traditionally had instead of intimacy: sport.

"You've always been able to have a conversation with anyone about sport - a barman, a bus driver or a cabbie.

"I don't want to know what my mate feels about something. I don't care about his deep inner thoughts. I don't want to know his mother's Christian name."

Robins believes the eclipsing of traditional male values is turning yesterday's men into today's pale imitations, who define themselves by what bread they eat, like foccacia or multi-grain.

But, says Robins, the backlash has begun. "People are realising that crystals don't cure anything."

-Sue Williams