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Paul ‘Fatty’ Vautin lashes out at claims The Footy Show mocked Mario Fenech during battle with dementia and insists NRL legend never complained he was the butt of jokes
- Paul Vautin has quashed claims The Footy Show mocked star after his diagnosis
- Footy Show host says Fenech ‘loved’ being on the show and never complained
- Vautin says everyone in the show took the mickey apart
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NRL Footy Show icon Paul Vautin has strongly refuted claims that the long-running TV show mocked Mario Fenech after learning of his devastating dementia diagnosis and insisted that the Souths were thrilled to have the mickey taken out of him.
Fenech, now 60, has amnesia and has the brain of an 80-year-old after being diagnosed with early-stage dementia seven years ago.
After completing his career full-time with 274 games in the 1990s, Fenech became a regular on the NRL Footy Show, where he was often mocked and the butt of panel jokes and pranks.
Footy Show icon Paul Vautin has debunked claims the long-running show mocked Mario Fenech after learning of his early dementia diagnosis
Mario Fenech’s devastating diagnosis was highlighted in Channel 7’s Spotlight on Sunday night as he battles the effects of incipient dementia after a career of 274 games in the first grade
Fenech opened up about his ill health on Seven’s Spotlight program on Sunday, which has praised Vautin — but the next day, an article angered him.
The headline read: ‘Footy Show mocked cult hero Mario Fenech when it knew he was sick’, which he says is completely inaccurate.
“I’ve never seen a more disgusting news headline,” Vautin told Wide World of Sports Radio. “It’s incredibly disappointing to see that.
I did an interview with him [Fenech] at the SFS [Sydney Football Stadium] in a coffee shop in 2016 and he announced that he had early stages of dementia and that shocked us all.
Vautin claimed part of the show’s appeal was the way all the stars laughed at each other and he never heard Fenech complain about being mistreated.
“I’m sure Mario was rarely used in the show after that, if at all, so there’s no way we’re mocking him.” [while knowing of his condition]not at all.
“I just want to reassure people who were fans of the show at the time. That show left a great legacy.
“I just want to tell them that we never, ever mistreated Mario Fenech when we knew he had dementia.”
Fenech’s wife Rebecca claimed her husband often came home “flabbergasted” at how he was treated during the program and suggested that The Footy Show continue to mistreat him despite knowing his health was deteriorating.
Rebecca Fenech claimed her husband often came home ‘flabbergasted’ at how he was treated during the program
Vautin insists he never once heard Fenech complain, claiming that part of the show’s appeal was the way all the stars lost track of each other.
“Mario was really good on the show and he loved being on the show,” Vautin said.
“He knew we had really scared him, but he played the part so well.
“Once the show ended, it was like, ‘Hey, buddy, how are you?’ and it always ended with, ‘Love ya, Fat, see you next week.'”
Vautin says Fenech loved being on the show, but he also understands Ms. Fenech’s frustration
Vautin says she only has sympathy for Rebecca Fenech and understands where her criticism came from.
“Rebecca has been a wonderful woman to him and a wonderful person as well. I understand her frustration because she thought we took a little too much from him, but he played a part and he loved it and he got paid.”
Fenech’s condition has deteriorated to the point that he now has almost no memory, and his neurologist says it won’t be long before the former footy star will need full-time care.