It’s been a slow news month so far, so thank goodness for Lara Bingle. The poetic alliteration “Bingle Bungle” has become a favourite for headline writers at The Daily Tele and the Herald Sun, and now Channel 7 are getting in on the act. A slightly smug Jennifer Keyte kicked off a Wednesday night report on Lara’s love life with this intro:
Lara Bingle’s been linked with sportsmen from all of Australia’s favourite codes. First it was a rugby star, then Carlton’s Brendan Fevola, now it’s cricket season…
Yes, it’s the face of Tourism Australia and Channel Nine ice skater’s summer of love, as the smirky media reports refer to the “keen sports fan.” But is there a not-so-subtle hint of moral outrage about all this? A slight suggestion that Bingle’s a home wrecker, a man-eater, a woman of loose morals?
The media has simultaneously splashed bikini clad pictures of the model while raising a prudish eyebrow at her text messaging antics (and comparing her to Shane Warne), with a little help from Mrs Fevola.
Today The Daily Tele are suggesting that Bindi has replaced Bingle, plastering the front page with Irwin junior under the headline MOVE OVER LARA. “What the bloody hell is this? Bindi Irwin has pinched Lara Bingle’s job as the new face of Australian tourism.”
But for some reason Tourism Minister Fran Bailey has already granted this hysterical coverage with a response by dismissing reports of Bingle being bumped, as Channel 7 reports.
Here’s a snapshot of the media coverage of the beleaguered nineteen-year-old Bingle over the past few weeks:
Lara Bingle out, Bindi in: Bindi Irwin is tipped to be the new face of Australia with the national tourism body downgrading the role of controversial model Lara Bingle. Lara Bingle…will play a downgraded role in future campaigns, although Tourism Australia denied she had been dumped altogether. — The Daily Telegraph
Lara Bingle out, Bindi in: Cricketer Michael Clarke’s partner of nearly eight years has emerged as the latest casualty in model Lara Bingle’s pursuit of champion sportsmen. — Perth Now
Lara Bingle booed: AFL star Brendan Fevola’s wife is outraged over model Lara Bingle’s romance with cricketer Michael Clarke, just weeks after she allegedly broke up the Fevola marriage. “She’s destroyed a family — we’ve been left here in an absolute mess while she’s casually moved on to the next guy,” Ms Fevola said yesterday. “I’ve got two children and their lives — and mine — have been turned upside down, but she doesn’t seem to care about that at all.” — Herald Sun
Bingle’s bungle upon bungle: Following 12 months of embarrassing car bungles and text message blunders, legal battles with men’s magazines and alleged romances with a virtual team of leading sportsmen, it might be Australia’s turn to ask Bingle “where the bloody hell haven’t you been”… The TV glamour girl has been embroiled in enough text message scandals to make even Shane Warne proud. — The Daily Telegraph
Alex confronts Lara: It was the moment Alex Fevola knew her marriage to football star Brendan was over. After months of rumour and suspicion, Alex had accessed a “rambling voice message” to Fevola she believes was frombikini model Lara Bingle. — Herald Sun
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