Some people were apparently offended that former cricketer turned media personality and after-dinner speaker, Greg Ritchie, was booked to perform at a dinner for the Australian Federal Police Association in Canberra on Tuesday, which also happened to be Harmony Day.
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Ritchie is probably best known, post-cricket for his polarising character, Indian cricket tragic Mahatma Cote, who used to feature on The Footy Show.
Ritchie told us he did not dress up as Mahatma Cote, who is now well and truly retired, but he did go into "the history" behind the character at the Crown Plaza on Tuesday night.
Our source maintains Ritchie did the Mahatma Cote "voice" and some at the dinner did not welcome a little after-dinner racial stereotyping, especially on Harmony Day, saying it was taking the AFP back to the "bad old days" amid moves to bring its culture into the 21st century. They also objected to union fees being used to support such entertainment.
That's not how Ritchie read the night, which was held as part of the AFP Association's national conference in Canberra and was coincidentally held on Harmony Day, which celebrates diversity in Australia.
"In fact, I got a standing ovation," Ritchie said, on Wednesday.
"I had a fantastic time. I have the utmost respect for the police and what they do and I have spoken for that police association in Darwin, in Brisbane and now in Canberra. They are a great bunch of human beings. I love what they do and they enjoyed what I had to say."
When asked if he did the voice of Mahatma Cote on the night, Ritchie said: "I tell the story of how Mahatma Cote originated, yeah, which goes back to 1989.
"And I tell the story how I no longer do the character, although I still enjoy it and the voice, who it was. And everyone loved it.
"At no stage was I disrespectful to anyone."
Australian Federal Police Association president Angela Smith said it was wrong to say Ritchie made any racially-charged quips at all.
"He did not go into the Mahatma Cote character at all," Ms Smith said.
"He explained what happened to that character. "
Ms Smith said Ritchie mainly made fun of himself, especially how much he ate, and about still being "Fat Cat".
"He mimics a lot of people. He mimics Bill Lawry, he mimics Richie Benaud, he takes the piss out of himself so much, that's the hilarious part," she said.
"It's really about his cricketing history and having grown up watching cricket in the late '70s and '80s, it was fantastic to hear all those old cricketing names, because he toured with them all.
"He talks about Sachin Tendulkar and all those guys in such high esteem because they were all such good friends and are still good friends."
Ms Smith said Ritchie had also spoken at a Northern Territory police association dinner.
"Now, if there's one association who's very aware and very tuned into racism, it's them, because they represent their Aboriginal auxiliary officers," she said. "They would never get anybody who would offend anyone. We did our homework."
Ms Smith said people on Wednesday only told her how much they had enjoyed Ritchie.
"Everyone got up on their feet and everyone was clapping," she said.
