Three minutes was all it took.
Out Qantas CEO Alan Joyce had just begun speaking at a business breakfast in Perth, Australia, when things came to a creamy halt. An elderly man who said he opposed Qantas’ campaign in favor of same-sex marriage delivered the blow, though what he was hoping to actually achieve besides a brief moment of confusion is anyone’s guess.
In the moments immediately following the strike, Joyce admirably laughed the whole thing off. “I don’t know what that was about,” he told the audience. “Now, if there are any more pies can you get it over with now.”
Well now he most certainly does know what it was about, and he’s using it as an opportunity to stand up even stronger for what he knows is right.
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Related: Openly gay CEO gets pie smashed in his face during speech
“I have every intention to continue to be vocal on those social and community issues,” he told reporters after the event.
“I am a big believer in the great Australian expression of ‘fair go’. It is all about giving people equality,” he continued.
“Qantas has always been vocal on gender issues, on LGBTI issues, on Indigenous issues.
“No attempt at bullying or suppressing our voice will work.”
Alan Joyce jokes before starting press conference: "Is this a pie free zone?" pic.twitter.com/WS30Zt67uF
— Mark Di Stefano ?? (@MarkDiStef) May 10, 2017
The Australian federal budget has just recently allocated $170 million for a national vote (plebiscite) on marriage equality, which advocates argue is unnecessary to enact change, and would only serve to reignite an ugly debate.
“It is very clear to me is that a plebiscite would bring out the worst behaviors and would encourage the type of situation we saw yesterday where people’s views aren’t respected,” Joyce said.
As far as the pie handler goes, Joyce says he will be pressing charges despite being offered an apology.
“Certainly what happened yesterday has reinvigorated me in actual fact.
“It’s really encouraged me to be out there and to continue to be out there and express my views even more strongly than I have done in the past.”
Now stick that in your oven and bake it.
gayjim1969
Didn’t that old stiff see “American Pie?” Besides eating, pies have far superior uses.
Love is Love, and people just need to get over it!
Dan
Thats ironic because a pie in the face is what gay activists famously threw at notorious homophobe Anita Bryant back in the 70s.
Tête Carrée
I would’ve thrown a javelin.
Rob91316
Right??? And as with everything else, the gays did it first and did it BETTER!
1EqualityUSA
The pie thrower likely has convict origins in the Tasmanian penal colony, 1805? Poor decision-making may be a genetic trait.
Rob91316
Yes, there is that, if we are to give these cretins any slack at all — blame it on their lizard-brained gene pool.
1EqualityUSA
Let’s pin him down to see if he has a tail. Don’t tug on it; he may go all “caudal autonomy” and drop it. No worries, Mr. Tony Overheu, just like hate, tails regenerate.
Sluggo2007
The pie thrower needs to get pied to cover that ugly puss of his. Did you ever see such a mug? WOW!