Marty Sheargold pivots to stand-up with 'The Red Card Show' after Matildas controversy

Marty Sheargold is attempting a career reboot on the stand-up circuit after a February incident that cost him his radio job. The outspoken broadcaster has announced a national Australian stand-up tour titled The Red Card Show, aimed at reviving momentum as he shifts away from his longtime radio role. The tour includes a March date at Melbourne’s Palais Theatre, with December shows in Geelong and February dates in Warrnambool and Bendigo, followed by stops in Sydney, Noosa and Perth.

The tour announcement, posted to Instagram with comments switched off, features a defiant note from Sheargold about his post-radio plan. “As much as I've been trying to embrace early retirement – I'm bored sh*tless so I'm going to be the 54-year-old man that I am,” he wrote, signaling a renewed focus on live performance. The schedule places Melbourne first on the docket, followed by a regional run before a broader national slate.

The pivot follows a controversy that drew widespread condemnation earlier this year. While hosting The Marty Sheargold Show, he launched into a dismissive monologue about the Matildas after Australia’s defeat to the United States in the SheBelieves Cup. He described the national team with a blunt, gendered metaphor and used language that drew sharp criticism from fans, players and media colleagues alike. The remarks came as the Matildas competed on the world stage, with coverage highlighting the team’s ongoing development and recent World Cup performances.

The fallout quickly extended beyond social media responses. Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) said it and Sheargold had “mutually agreed” to part ways, noting that the broadcaster’s programming should align with the standards and expectations of its audience. “Right now, it is clear this is a moment for reflection and review,” SCA’s chief content officer Dave Cameron said in a statement. Triple M also issued a brief acknowledgment of Sheargold’s contributions while wishing him well for the future.

In a separate statement following his exit, Sheargold offered an apology to the Matildas and to the broader organization, saying he understood the gravity of his comments and thanking his team for their work during his tenure with the network. The apology underscored the distance he would likely need to bridge as he transitions to stand-up, a move the performer described as a new chapter rather than a retreat.

The Red Card Show arrives as Sheargold seeks to reconnect with audiences through live comedy, a format he has long teased but not fully pursued at scale since leaving radio. The tour’s title itself is notable for its provocative nod to the controversy that sparked the career shift, signaling a willingness to address critics head-on while exploring material drawn from personal experience and public scrutiny. The Melbourne Palais Theatre stop in March is expected to be a key anchor, with regional dates in Geelong, Warrnambool and Bendigo designed to broaden his appeal beyond metropolitan venues. Sydney, Noosa and Perth are listed among the later stops, reflecting an expansive itinerary aimed at rebuilding momentum across Australia.

Observers note that the stand-up route offers Sheargold a chance to redefine his public persona away from broadcasting while leveraging a familiar audience base. The private nature of some tour promotions—such as the Instagram post with comments disabled—suggests a controlled rollout intended to manage public perception as the performer tests new material and a revised professional identity. Whether the stand-up format will translate into sustained audience interest remains to be seen, but the move marks a clear departure from the radio spotlight toward the live-entertainment circuit.