Debate over a range of "racist" singlets has managed to reignite a longstanding Sydney media feud, with broadcaster Ray Hadley saying he would "put one on the chin" of long-time foe Mike Carlton.
During his 2GB morning show on Tuesday, Hadley said he saw nothing wrong with the navy blue T-shirts which were being pulled off shelves by Woolworths following a social media campaign that deemed them "racist" and "offensive".
The singlets were emblazoned with the Australian flag and bore the words in bold letters: "If you don't love it leave".
Hadley told his listeners he thought the singlets sent a "very positive image".
On Wednesday morning, his former radio rival, Carlton tweeted: "Funny to hear Ray 'Boofhead Hadley' ranting about that Woolies patriotic singlet. A garment sometimes known as a wife beater."
It prompted an angry on-air response two hours later by Hadley who said he had had "gutful of this grub" and threatened to punch Carlton if the pair crossed paths.
"It's defamatory to call someone a grub but I think in this instance I could perhaps prove to a court that he is a grub," Hadley told listeners.
"It is a low dog act by a low dog man, Carlton. You are a dog, a low dog of the lowest order.
"No wonder Fairfax sacked you, no wonder you cant' get a job anywhere you low dog. I've had a gutful of your sort of nonsense. How dare you describe me as a wife beater."
Carlton resigned as a columnist for Fairfax Media, publisher of this website, in August, after he was told he was about to be suspended for using "inappropriate" and "offensive" language during correspondence with Herald readers.
Hadley said on Wednesday it was "snobbish" of Carlton to describe "hardworking people" who wore blue singlets as "wife beaters".
He went on to label Carlton "a drunken fool of the lowest order" and said: "If you ever wish to have a discussion with me personally I invite you to do it. But of course when I put one on your chin, not a king hit, but when I put on your chin you'd crawl off to the coppers and whinge your head off you dog."
Hadley's tirade appeared to have missed its mark.
Carlton was instead informed of the comments via Twitter and quickly responded: "Sorry I missed it. Hadley couldn't knock the froth off a schooner."
Hadley said last year that the bad blood between the pair stemmed back to 2007 and Carlton's comments "about my friend", the late broadcaster Stan Zemanek on the day of his funeral.
The pair clashed again in 2013 when Hadley was the subject of an edition of the ABC television profile show Australian Story.
Carlton was interviewed for the episode and later accused the show of selectively editing his comments to present a "sweet" image of his former radio rival.
