Jacinda Ardern has been forced to shut down another jibe about her hair colour just days after being asked a ‘disrespectful’ question on live television.
The New Zealand Prime Minister was left red-faced on ‘The AM Show’ earlier this week after host Ryan Bridge asked why she dyed her hair, questioning if it was to hide greys.
It came after Ms Ardern’s fiance Clarke Gayford on Sunday tweeted: ‘Helped dye partner’s hair and gave daughter a haircut with scissors I bought at supermarket for $6. Remarkably both parties still talking to me.’
Opposition leader Simon Bridges responded with a thinly-veiled jibe, revealing he recently visited a barber before quipping: ‘Well, there’s no hair dye. Just saying’.
The New Zealand Prime Minister hit back at opposition leader Simon Bridges who revealed that he had visited a barber and that ‘Well, there’s no hair dye. Just saying’
Jacinda Ardern (pictured) has shut down a TV presenter over an inappropriate comment during a live interview
Following Mr Bridges’ comment, Ms Ardern offered a simple, yet classy response.
‘I’m not alone in being someone in New Zealand who dyes their hair so I think I’m in fairly good company,’ she said.
Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta also defended the prime minister, putting Mr Bridges in his place.
‘The Prime Minister has been more worried about the substance of her character and I think that’s what we will focus on,’ she wrote.
It came after Ms Ardern’s bizarre appearance on ‘The AM Show’ on Monday.
The host asked Ms Ardern if she was trying to cover up greys.
‘Why are you dyeing it anyway? Is it going grey or something?’ Mr Bridge said.
Ms Ardern laughed uncomfortably before reprimanding the host for intruding on her personal life.
‘Never… never… never… that’s not a polite question to ask anyone – I was about to say a lady – but anyone, actually,’ she said.
After a brief silence she confirmed it was a ‘little touch-up,’ with a smile on her face.
The host tried to backpedal by giving her a compliment and justified asking the question because her high profile job would be likely to cause stress.
‘Looks good, Prime Minister. And I only mention the grey hair because you are the prime minister and it does tend to age people. No harm intended, alright?’
Ms Ardern agreed, but remained visibly uncomfortable as she smiled through the rest of the interview.
‘No, it does, it does, I fully acknowledge that. Yep. Thank you for the reminder,’ she said.
The New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (pictured) was left red-faced on ‘The AM Show’ after host Ryan Bridge asked why she was dying her hair
The interview divided the general public.
Some felt the line of questioning was ‘rude’ and ‘disrespectful’ and slammed the presenter for trying to generate controversy.
‘It was a bit gross and personally intrusive. Mostly I just found it weird. Is this a normal behavior from this guy or was it just because he was interviewing the PM and wanted the segment and himself to be memorable,’ one woman wrote.
‘No respect and if this was a male Prime Minister he would not behave like this. Absolutely dreadful and extremely distasteful questioning,’ another said.
Others felt Ms Ardern’s response was ‘precious’ and it was an acceptable question because her husband had shared the personal information on social media.
Mr Bridge asked his Ardern if she was trying to cover up greys in the embarassing blunder on Monday morning
The comment was made after a tweet by Ms Ardern’s husband Clark Gayford advising he had helped with a home beauty treatment overnight.
‘Helped dye partners hair and gave daughter a haircut with scissors I bought at supermarket for $6. Remarkably both parties still talking to me,’ he wrote.
New Zealand’s leader has been forced to navigate awkward interviews in the past, including one with 60 Minutes reporter Charles Wooley in February 2018.
Mr Wooley was slammed online for comments about Ms Ardern which were described by viewers as ‘patronising’ and ‘repugnant’.
The comment was made after a tweet by Ms Ardern’s husband Clark Gayford advising he had helped with a home beauty treatment overnight
Ms Ardern (pictured) isn’t the first female leader to face embarassing questioning from the media
‘I’ve met a lot of Prime Ministers in my time, but none too young and not so many so smart, and never one so attractive,’ the host said during the on-air chat.
Ms Ardern isn’t the first female leader to face embarrassing questioning from the media.
Former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard made international headlines in 2013 when 6PR Radio host Howard Sattler asked Ms Gillard is her hairdresser husband was gay.
Sattler said his question was based off ‘myths’ and ‘rumours’ circling the country’s first female leader but continued the line of questioning despite Ms Gillard’s obvious discomfort.
Sattler asked Ms Gillard to ‘confirm that he’s not gay’ and asked if the two were in a in a heterosexual relationship.’
The journalist was promptly sacked after the 2013 interview after 28 years working for the Perth radio station.
Ms Gillard said these types of interviews could be seen as a deterrant for young women considering entering into the public sector.
Former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard made international headlines in 2013 when 6PR Radio host Howard Sattler asked Ms Gillard is her hairdresser husband was gay
Source: Daily Mail New Zealand
