Brian Rogers Rogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz

Every now and then, a public figure puts a foot in it.
They'll open their mouth wide enough to shove a size 14 down the gullet and swallow, ending up with a gizzard full of trouble. Pretty much like our penguin friend, Happy Feet.

Now, before you all start writing and complaining that penguins don't have gizzards, just consider that we are talking about the proverbial gizzard.

These notable folk end up being labelled with that gaffe for the rest of their careers, no matter how hard they may try to sway public perception in a distracting direction.

Alasdair Thompson's comments about women not being as productive as men, due to their peculiar reproductive processes (or words to that effect) will resonate in the halls of public infamy for the rest of time. It won't matter that Alasdair has been a tireless worker and an effective CEO and even a nice guy.

The whole 'value of women” debate could keep this column going for months. I am not silly enough to go there. The result would be a complete public lynching from at least half the RR audience.

But I must take issue with some of the comments. Firstly, a noted woman on television saying that women have weaker negotiating skills than men. (Clearly they have not met my mother. It just wasn't worth the trouble of trying to reason why a young man should not have to eat his vegetables.)

Also, hot on the heels of the lambasting of Mr Thompson was an advert for Woman's Weekly. The irony was devastating. Here, a bunch of people spouting off about how women need to be taken seriously and paid equally; then immediately an advertisement appeals to the most ditzy, stereotyped image of women imaginable. Now this is not the media portraying this image: nor can you blame employers or the government! Women perpetrate this stereotyping by buying the magazine, therefore sustaining the image; that very pigeon-holing they are clamouring to shake off.

Here's some of the most important stories for NZ women, according to this magazine:

Changing your skincare routine; Atomic Kitten singer homeless; the good little wifey behind the PM; Roast beef rib with mustard and marmalade glaze; and a competition sponsored by a toilet paper manufacturer. Yes, I can really see how exploring those riveting issues are catapulting women into parity of responsibility and earning with men.

From a credibility point of view, they'd be better off eating sand. It worked for the penguin.

Anyway, back to our celebrity of the week, Mr Thompson.

No matter how much Alasdair wriggles, much like the penguin preparing to have his stomach pumped, he will not be forgotten for his sexist comments. In many cases, the unforgiving nature of public backlash can be harsh and unforgiving. Here in the media, it is our job, as balanced and reasonable thinking people, to foster sensible, constructive debate around these issues of the day. We do this by: Heaping vast amounts of childish ridicule upon them.
So let's get started.

Below are some public figures who have achieved unwanted notoriety and will never shake the stigma of that single act or comment.

Here is your task: Below is a small exercise to test your knowledge of current affairs. And some historic affairs, such as Bill Clinton and Tiger Woods. Take a pen and draw a line connecting the personality with the act for which they are locally, nationally or internationally associated. If you make a mistake and want to try again, go to this column on SunLive.co.nz and print yourself another. But do not do this too many times; I wouldn't want you to become known as ‘The Person Who Fluffs RR Tests'.

Warning: There may be trick questions! For instance, Paul Henry may well have been responsible for multiple feats. So you may draw more than one connecting line from a personality to any number of feats.
Here we go then. Match the name on the left, with the famous feat on the right: