A prosperity podcaster has issued a groveling apology for calling Australians “idiots” in a public discussion about housing affordability.
But in She's On The Money host Victoria Devine's apology video, she was covered in bling, including pearls, diamond rings and a Rolex watch, leading to questions over whether she truly understood the pain she had caused.
It all started when real estate company Whitefox advertised on billboards that it has been 'making homes more expensive since 2017'.
Marty Fox, the company's founder and a judge on The Block, defended the slogan as “clever marketing” despite a huge backlash over housing affordability concerns, with many slamming the billboards excessively.
Devine then sent a private message to Fox, a friend of hers, saying, “The people talking trash are not your target audience. They're idiots. I got it right away. Brilliant!!'
Fox asked her if he could post that publicly, Devine said yes and then all hell broke loose and she was criticized for not knowing what regular people go through.
In a video posted to social media, she said she saw the comments “that I was tone deaf and completely out of touch, and I can't disagree with you.”
“Ultimately, the comments I made were tone-deaf and completely off-base, and for that I apologize.” I'm really, really sorry.”
In Victoria Devine's apology video, she wore glittering jewelry including pearls, diamond rings and a Rolex watch (pictured)
Devine continued her apology as her jewelry glittered, saying she “never made comments like this in hopes of making anyone feel inferior or making anyone feel stupid or stupid.”
“There is no world in which I would want anyone to feel stupid…” I want to be very clear: I did not say that people who can't buy real estate are idiots.
“I said people who didn't understand the billboard were idiots.”
She also acknowledged that that “is still very rude, that is very unacceptable.”
Devine said some of the comments about her were “really disturbing, but they're also very confronting because some of them… you're not wrong.
“I'm a bit out of touch these days. I'm a little unrecognizable, but what I want you to know is that I know you because I was you.'
The podcaster said she, too, had once been “stuck with mountains of debt, not knowing how I was going to pay it off… when I just didn't think that real estate would ever be for me.”
“And now I'm in the very fortunate position of owning real estate and I'm very grateful for that, but I just want to make sure that the people in my community know that I would never consider you stupid or less than or not worthy of these things.”
Devine sent a private message to Fox, a friend of hers, saying, “The people talking s*** are not your target audience. They're idiots. I got it right away. Brilliant!!'
Marty Fox (pictured) defended the slogan as 'smart marketing', despite a huge backlash over housing affordability
Devine said the experience was “a good lesson for me to be much more reflective about what I say online and in DMs.”
“I also want to acknowledge that the housing market and financial landscape today is very different than when I bought a house and when I went through my journey. There is no comparison,” she said.
'I think the world is changing so quickly, and just because I rely on my experience doesn't mean it's super relatable to you.
“So I think this has also been a really good lesson to teach me that I need to be a lot more responsive and aware of that in the content I create in the future.
“I'm trying to see the positive in this so that you benefit even more.”
She added that she was “grateful to have a community that is so incredibly passionate that this makes you angry too, because if I'm going to lead this community, I need to be able to take this feedback, learn from it, and grow.” It'.
If Devine thought her apology would lead to immediate forgiveness, she was mistaken.
“Says while I'm wearing pearls and diamonds…give me strength,” one commenter wrote.
“Wearing jewelry worth over $50,000 during an apology for being an elitist is INSAAAANNE,” wrote another.
A third asked: 'What happened to the 'sincere' apology from the kitchen, without make-up, in casual clothes and in a calm condescending tone?
“No, $50,000 worth of jewelry in the podcast studio.
'Staying in touch with the standards.'
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Devine for comment.
