You’ve let us down, Karl. You were a feminist warrior, grumpy cat interviewing star and then… this?

Yesterday, Today show host and human embodiment of the ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ emojicon, Karl Stefanovic made an on-air gaffe. Not out of character for Karl, but this one wasn’t funny or goofy.

It was just racist.

That time Karl was an awesome feminist:  You can buy Karl Stefanovic’s stinky feminism suit.

Talking to a group of Indian cricket fans in the lead up to Thursday’s World Cup semi-final between Australia and India, Stefanovic said: “I was just going to ask…who’s going to be manning 7-Elevens today?”

Karl engages in some on air “sledging”.

The men good-naturedly laughed off the offensive stereotype but one of the supporters fired back: “I’m not sure about who’s going to be manning 7-Elevens but you might have to look at Centrelink as well I think Karl”.

Earlier in the show, Karl had also managed to offend New Zealand cricket fans by suggesting they collectively be referred to as the “dole bludger army.”

Har har har….. except, again, not funny.

The two comments understandably sparked some anger from many Indians and New Zealanders, with many taking to the Today show Facebook page and Twitter to vent their discomfort with Karl’s — all too comfortable — casual racism.

This morning, in an ill-fated attempt to make good Karl addressed the criticism and issued this apology:

Oi…. Clearly Karl is doing his usual thing and just trying to be funny and good natured but this apology may have made things worse and not better.

To be clear, I am a Karl fan. Usually.

I enjoy his unabashed dad-brand humour as much as the next person.

But I fear that this whole incident will be written off as a bit of harmless “sledging”, to be taken in the the “true spirit of the World Cup”. After all, this kind of casual racism — the lighthearted, fun kind — doesn’t really hurt anyone, does it?

Except that it really, really does.

You’ve let us down, Stefanovic.

Casual racism perpetuates shallow stereotypes and enforces unfounded notions of difference. Casual racism is reflective of a much deeper and more sinister problem in Australia where we fear difference, where we hide from diversity and yes, where intolerance and hatred are allowed to breed.

I don’t suggest for a moment this is a problem unique to Karl Stefanovic, nor that he intended to cause harm or hurt. But his comments and unwitting offensiveness are reflective of how many in our country behave, which is a great shame.

Here in Australia, casual racism is far too common. And not only of we tend to overlook it — on our sporting fields, in our class rooms and in our media — we actually laugh at it. But for the individuals it effects it can cause isolation, shame, embarrassment and deep, deep hurt.

That needs to stop. Racism, however “casual”, is always unacceptable.