An Australian influencer has caused a stir online after posting a video of her dancing twerking “for the military” on Anzac Day.
April 25 might be essentially the most solemn day on the national calendar when 1000’s of Australians and Latest Zealanders commemorate Anzac’s landing [Australian and New Zealand Army Corps] soldiers at Gallipoli during World War I.
Lots of them made the final word sacrifice.
There have been emotional scenes on the 108th anniversary of this landing at dawn services and marches across the country—and the world—with congregations young and old to honor our serving men and ladies.
But comedian Bianka Ismailovski paid a different form of tribute to the soldiers by posting a video of himself laughing and dancing on social media.
“I spent that morning twerking, but then I remembered [sic] it’s Anzac Day so I suppose I’m throwing it back to them,” she wrote within the video.
“Lest We Forget x”
In the subsequent video, Bianka addressed the seemingly inevitable controversy that her “tribute” was to generate.
“I do know some people (are) might be like ‘that is disrespectful,’ but is that so? I shake this beautiful juicy…? she said.
“I’m doing this for the soldiers, okay?” All of us respect one another in our own way. I do what I believe they might, to be honest. I’m principally Bette Midler at this point.”
The Bette Midler reference could also be to the singer’s performance as Dixie Leanord within the 1991 war movie For The Boys.”
Besides, the entire gag seems to have fallen, due to the influencer’s own Australian control account Influencer Tea Aus snap post.
“It isn’t it! Comedian or not… humor has its place. I do not think it’s Anzac Day,” the account was debunked in a self-post.
Bianca’s post is much different from the 1000’s of modest tributes posted by other Australian celebrities who’ve they attended dawn services and marches to pay their respects.
Many were among the many 1000’s who joined crowds at tombs across the country or flooded streets to cheer on the soldiers and ladies marching in Anzac Day parades.
Meanwhile, it seemed as many individuals flocked to pubs and hotels across the country for a day of fun for 2 – a revival of an old gambling game popularized by Australian troops during World War I – until dusk.
But even scenes from the classic Anzac Day Pub party sparked a similar debate about decency on a celebratory occasion, after one woman was caught making a shoe in two.
A post by Bianca – a self-proclaimed “ethically non-monogamous, sober bisexual divorcée” – also struck a similarly odd tone as other posts wishing “Completely satisfied Anzac Day” on social media, major no-no that has been scanned by veterans.
“The word ‘glad’ mustn’t be used … You say ‘Merry Christmas’ and Christmas however it’s a festive day and it isn’t appropriate,” veteran David Sieber told The Day by day Telegraph.
He said the phrase was “disrespectful” to those that died in combat, and that “today is an act of Remembrance.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reminded 1000’s of people that gathered in Canberra on the Australian War Memorial.
“Every single day of Anzac, from the most important monument to the only tomb, we honor all those that have served on our behalf and all those that serve today,” he said.
“That is a collective act of remembrance, reflection and gratitude – performed by many generations of Australians and dedicated to many generations.”
He also recalled the continuing “internal struggle” that many soldiers and ladies face after they return home from combat – “a battle that unfortunately isn’t all the time won.”
“If we’re to actually honor our veterans, we owe them greater than just gratitude. Just as they stood up for us, so we must get up for them.”