Kyle Sandilands has made a string of thinly-veiled references to the state of his radio career on Australian Idol.
At the live grand final on April 14, the judge, 54, didn’t shy away from referencing his own turbulent career while advising runner-up Kalani Artis.
After a disappointed Kalani found out he had come in third place, with Kesha Oayda ultimately winning, host Ricki-Lee Coulter asked Kyle if he had any words for the hopeful.
In response, Kyle boldly joked that they would both be out of work after the final, pitching that they launch a landscaping business together, referencing Kalani’s job before the show.
“Both you and I are out of a job after tonight. I reckon we start a Jim’s franchise, Jim’s mowing, all up and down the East Coast! We’re back, baby, we’re back,” he said.
The remark was a thinly-veiled reference to his own axing from KIIS FM over a feud with his then-co-host Jackie “O” Henderson, which he is now contesting in court.
It is not the first time that Kyle has referenced his radio axing on Australian Idol, making a string of rogue references to the state of his career since the Kyle and Jackie O Show was scrapped in March.
On Heroes & Tributes Week, Kyle had some interesting words for Harlan Good after his performance of I’m Still Standing, which he dedicated to his mother, his nan, and his high school music teacher.
“I don’t know if I was high during that, because I felt like I was at a paid concert, where I’d sat and watched you and forgot that I was judging,” he began.
“I was just soaking it up. True, top-level skills you’ve got. You’re gonna do this for the rest of your life, unless of course you do something stupid to ruin your career,” he quipped, which got some laughs from the crowd.
“Like Kyle did!” Marcia Hines interjected.
Before this, he raised eyebrows during the first live show on March 17, one day before his termination was announced.
The comments came after he returned to the show following his extended absence, where he made several obvious comments about his radio career.
When asked by Ricki-Lee how he felt about the show, he made a cheeky reference to his job hunt after his radio axing.
“I’m also dressed like this because I have a job interview with Lowes after the show,” he said.
“The radio guys… once you’re out of radio, you have to sell socks at Lowes.”
That was the tip of the iceberg, with him then referencing his radio show, which was censored before it was pulled from the airwaves on March 3.
“Live, hey? Like live? With censors live?” he asked, in reference to the Kyle & Jackie O Show.
“No, not like your live,” host Ricki-Lee Coulter quipped, with Kyle adding that he would be on his “best behaviour”.
But that wasn’t all.
Following Harry Lamb’s performance after he found out he was in the bottom two and up for elimination, the Australian Idol judge gave him some pointed advice, whilst alluding to his then-uncertain future.
While he praised him for his talents and looks, Kyle told Harry he needed to overcome his stage fright.
“It’s like as if you think, any second, you’re gonna implode,” he explained to the 26-year-old barber.
“But you’ve got everything that takes, you’ve just got to get rid of those nerves.
“So wherever you go, tonight, whether you stay or go, at the end of the day, if you do this for a living, just make sure you’ve got an iron-clad contract, my friend, because that’s all that falls down to,” he continued, which made Harry laugh.
“Nothing else matters,” Kyle added, before Marcia Hines chimed in with, “You had to throw that in, right?”, with Kyle replying that he did.
“Speaking from experience there, Kyle, I like it,” Ricki-Lee added.
He also made a telling remark when model Sophie Poidevin was eliminated from the competition.
“Best of luck, when you’ve got a song, let me know, and I’ll play it… at home on my own,” he said, which was met with laughter and a shove from Marcia.
“It’s not my fault, it’s not my fault!” he insisted.