Image: ABC newsreader Joe O'Brien
This was a throwback thirst trap no one was expecting on a Tuesday morning.
Joe O’Brien is well known across Australia as the popular newsreader on ABC News 24’s morning news program. With over two decades of experience in journalism, O’Brien has been with the ABC since 1995, covering hard news or dressed soberly presenting the morning news segment.
On Tuesday morning, ABC announced that it had secured a three year deal to broadcast the Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras from 2022, including the Sydney WorldPride in 2023. ABC said it has ben waiting for 28 years for Mardi Gras to come back to the national broadcaster. SBS had been home to Mardi Gras since 2014.
O’Brien chose to celebrate the news, with some news of his own – that he had moonlighted as a backup dancer for singer Dannii Minogue at the 1999 Mardi Gras.
‘OMG! ABC gonna be broadcasting Mardi Gras again. Takes me back to 1999 when I got to be a backup dancer in a Danni show,’ O’Brien Tweeted. Along with the tweet, he posted the YouTube link and a photo from the event.
Happy days! 🤩 https://t.co/VHfT2kT8tc
— Dannii Minogue (@DanniiMinogue) November 9, 2021
A Nod From Danni Minogue
It was the photo that sent Australian Twitter into a meltdown – the accompanying image was of O’Brien dressed in nothing but his six packs, sweat and tiniest of golden shorts.
The YouTube video of Minogue’s performance of Everlasting Night, that O’Brien had helpfully provided the link to, also added likes.
The tweet garnered over a 1000 likes in a short time and a shout out from Dannii Minogue, who retweeted the image with the message: “Happy days!”
Others were not as measured. “Joe. You are full of surprises (and I’m totally here for it),” tweeted out ABC Radio Broadcaster James Finlay. Out RNDrive host Patricia Karvelas agreed: “Joe delivers”.
Karvelas posted her own Mardi Gras throwback. “Mardi Gras finally returns to the ABC. Where it belongs. Here I am in Dykes On Bikes 12 years ago pregnant with my first baby”.
Mardi Gras finally returns to the ABC. Where it belongs. Here I am in Dykes On Bikes 12 years ago pregnant with my first baby. #mardigras pic.twitter.com/XuJRgxAN3I
— Patricia Karvelas (@PatsKarvelas) November 8, 2021
O’Brien Is Not New To Thirst Traps
This is not the first time that O’Brien has dropped his shirt on social media. In July, O’Brien had posted a photo of him receiving his second COVID vaccine, showing off his guns.
The newsreader responded to the comments on the photo by making it his profile pic.
Flooded w requests to wear on air for chat w @Tonaaayy_ & @SciNate today but no go 😥… so this is gonna have to do 😛 .. Have a great day everyone. pic.twitter.com/Pb0xY6hgJq
— Joe O'Brien (@JoeDoesNews) October 19, 2021
Another of his most liked photos in recent times was when his colleagues gifted him a tshirt printed with images of ABC’s out weatherman Nate Byrne and ABC News Breakfast presenter Tony Armstrong, who have inspired their own genre of gay fan fiction.
I wish some of the high profile media people would take up my case with me to hold NSW Government accountable for the wrongfull termination of my job as a Sydney Bus driver because I am transgender. Sydney Buses has told a litany of written and contradictory lies to Minsters and Premiers.
As Shadow Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian told me she WOULD have Sydney Buses redress its wrongfull termination of my employment, she backflipped and believed the lies of e people and the bureacrats in Transport for NSW. Very different to over rulling sound advice for her boyfriend’s pork barrelling in Wagga Wagga.
Come on all you journos with a voice and a platform. I am told my being the subject of the film Becoming Julia 18 years ago was a massive help to other trans people, I certainly recieved feedbacck saying this from TV views her and abroad. I did this willingly and freely without any payment. I hope one of you will help me now, and doing so will send a clear and strong message to yet another blue collar boys club government work place this wilfull discrimination will not be tollerated.
Google “Becoming Julia”, and Julia Doulman Q&A.
Congratulations to the ABC! Love the presenters in the past but have a whinge about the last couple of years! Too much time spent by SBS showing and hearing from the presenters and not enough time on the actual Parade and those taking part in it.
Who would have thought that under that oh-so-conservative suit there was a body like Joe’s!
As a big ABC News Breakfast/Morning News fan, this article is all kinds of WONDEFUL
This article is all kinds of WONDERFUL
Congrats to the ABC!