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'We live in Australia': Brian Taylor slammed over 'disgusting' comments

Brian Taylor has landed himself in hot water over his refusal to accept the correct pronunciation of Orazio Fantasia’s name.

The Channel 7 and Triple M commentator’s pronunciation of the Essendon star’s name has become iconic among AFL fans, but it turns out he’s been saying it wrong for years.

While Taylor loves to bellow “Fan-tay-sha” whenever he gets the ball, it should actually be pronounced “Fanta-sia”.

Fantasia told Triple M radio how to say it properly last year, and Essendon skipper Dyson Heppell re-iterated that on Friday night on Channel 7.

Orazio Fantasia (R). (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
Orazio Fantasia (R). (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

With Taylor not commentating Essendon’s clash with the Swans, Channel 7’s Hamish McLachlan decided to ask Heppell about it.

“So BT’s not here tonight, he’s having a sleep in. Orazio is back in. ‘Fan-tay-sha’ or ‘Fanta-sia?’,” McLaughlin asked Heppell.

“‘Fanta-sia’,” Heppell said. “‘Fanta-sia’ it is. I think everyone’s been running ‘Fan-tay-sha’, but it is ‘Fanta-sia’.”

Heppell said he’d like everyone use the correct pronunciation, and the Channel 7 team of McLachlan, Bruce McAvaney, Basil Zempilas, Wayne Carey and Jimmy Bartel all ran with ‘Fanta-sia’ during the match.

Not having it

But on Saturday, Taylor refused to accept the request.

On Triple M radio, Taylor explained why he’ll continue to say ‘Fan-tay-sha’.

“In Italy, it’s ‘Fanta-sia’. Guess where we live? Australia, and we call it ‘Fan-tay-sha’,” Taylor said.

Brian Taylor. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
Brian Taylor. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

“We don’t pronounce Italian names in Australia in the full Italian way.

“We pronounce it with the Australianism in it, and that’s how we’ll continue to do it.”

While Taylor’s response may have been in jest, it’s since sparked uproar.

Sydney Morning Herald journalist Vince Rugari labelled Taylor’s comments ‘disgusting’, and he wasn’t the only one upset.

On Saturday night, a spokesperson for the Essendon Football Club confirmed the “Fanta-sia” pronunciation was correct, but said “Orazio is comfortable if people continue to run with ‘Fan-tay-sha’ pronunciation”.