Eddie McGuire has been slammed on social media after defending Sam Newman in an ABC documentary for his infamous blackface stunt on live TV.

Newman, who hosted the AFL Footy Show alongside McGuire, painted his face black to imitate St Kilda champion Nicky Winmar, who had failed to turn up for a guest slot in 1999.

media_camera Sam Newman didn't see anything wrong with painting his face black on live TV. Picture: Nine News

This “disgraceful” act was revisited in The Australian Dream, a documentary about racism in sport that had its television premiere on the ABC on Sunday night.

The documentary features AFL legend Adam Goodes, who says racism ended his career in 2015. He also admitted the football field “actually became a place I hated to walk out on to”.

media_camera Adam Goodes in The Australian Dream documentary.

However, in the documentary, McGuire talked down racism accusations surrounding Newman’s decision to paint his face black.

“He (Newman) didn’t understand the nuance. He was a product of those times,” McGuire said.

“He was a ’60s, ’70s vaudevillian who was sending up Nicky Winmar because he didn’t turn up on the show that night.”

media_camera Eddie McGuire, Sam Newman and Trevor Marmalade at the 2019 Footy Show grand final special at Rod Laver Arena in 2019. Picture: Supplied/Channel 9

media_camera Eddie McGuire in the doco, which aired last night.

Social media users called McGuire “gutless” and “a disgrace” for defending his colleague.

#TheAustralianDream

Eddie McGuire - self-satisfied smug white Australian git.



Hosts a quiz show - doesn’t understand 1/2 the questions



No Eddie,

blackface was wrong “then”

when we didn’t know better

and now we do know

it’s still wrong https://t.co/MzJsMm1SrX — Maude Nificent (@maudenificent) February 23, 2020

Sam Newman is indefensible and Eddie is a disgrace for constantly trying to excuse him — Esther Clerehan (@clerehan) February 23, 2020

If Ed had the guts he should have stopped Newman there and then and said this is not appropriate and get off the stage. But he supported it by saying nothing — Bornadog (@Doggiesman) February 23, 2020

Eddie trying to explain vaudeville as being 60s/70s when it's from the late 1800s early 1900s while still, as always, excusing Newman's racist shit then pretending later like he had morals. Maguire has always been ready with an excuse. They are as bad as each other. #RacistPigs — PolarK (@Karina_Melbs) February 23, 2020

Newman was always scraping the bottom of the barrel, any publicity is good publicity right? Ed never once tried to stop him or voice his disgust, not once. The smirking boys club always get away with it, they did that garbage for years. — Fee B-Squared 🏳️‍🌈 (@feebsquared) February 23, 2020

Shame, shame, shame, and we wonder why there is so much hatred and disrespect when such 'men' are on television.



More Adam and Stan, less Sam and Eddie!!!#TheAustralianDream — Getdownsy (@getdownsy) February 23, 2020

The documentary also revisited the notorious moment when McGuire made what he claimed was an ill-thought-out joke, where he compared Goodes to King Kong.

McGuire apologised for the remark at the time.

Originally published as Eddie slammed over blackface furore