For the last two days the media has been saturated in stories around our very own “stage-bomber”, 25 year-old Genevieve LaCaze who jumped up on stage during a final performance at the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony in Glasgow just 72 hours ago.

People are delighted that she did something so fun and gutsy, talking on the Starts at 60 wall today…

“Good on you girl. No better way to celebrate”

“Good for her, let the young be young, most of us did something outrageous in our youth – I know I did”

“I like her spirit, take a chance”

“Why not! Good on her I say”

“She didn’t hurt anyone, I don’t see how it could be a problem.”

“Good for her! She was part of the games, she was celebrating!”

“Yay! An Aussie that has an Aussie spirit” 

It was all well and good full of support, until someone pointed out a small reminder that this is shades of an incident that happened with Dawn Fraser at the 1964 Olympics.

Fraser was known for her comedic and larrikin behaviour, but after she was charged with stealing an Olympic flag (which she still denies even to this day) and choosing to wear an older swimsuit (non-sponsored) because it was more comfortable to compete in, the Australian Swimming Union and the Australian media framed her as “Australian swimming’s bad girl”, suspending her from competing for ten years.

It was something that at the time seemed so small, but in the scheme of things it left a big question mark in Fraser’s career – subsequently she ended it without competing ever again as a result of the furore.

The way we have supported LaCaze is great. It is free of political correctness and in some ways it would have been nice to treat Fraser in the same way, but it got me thinking about how much things have changed.

Back then a similar situation would have been considered rude and insulting to the host nation, the event committee and the performer, yet now we can laugh about it and give the steeple chase runner support for her Aussie larrikin behaviour.

So what do you think? Is this situation shades of 1964? Are you happy that we can laugh at someone and support them in doing something a little radical? Or do you think, like the Fraser incident, it is something that shouldn’t have happened? Share your thoughts in the comments below…