Jón asked for an interview when Vísir got in touch today. He responds to Moggan’s discussion with a post on Facebook, which mbl.is reported today with reference to the minutes of the board of Rúv that Jón had been paid for his appearance in The Week with Gísla Marteini on March 20, where Jón and his Tvíhöfðabróðir Sigurjón Kjartansson appeared as the duo Plató and made fun of those who intend to say “no” to the EU.
More specifically, Rúv’s meeting minutes state that it was stated in radio host Stefán Eiríksson’s answer to the question of Ingvar Smára Birgisson, representative of the Independence Party on Rúv’s board, that Jón was paid just like all other entertainers who appear on national television.
“The radio host informed that the entertainer in question (Jón Gnarr), who is also a member of parliament, like other entertainers who have entertainment on Rúv’s shows, is paid for his appearance on the show,” says the minutes of Rúv’s board of directors.
Jón, on the other hand, says that mbl.is’s coverage of these alleged payments is “political bluff and unsophisticated journalism”. The truth is that he was not paid for the performance and neither was Sigurjón.
However, Jón does not correct the meeting minutes themselves or Stefán’s comments, but blames the shame on Morgunblaðið.
“This is just another good example of the good cooperation (of the Independence Party) and Mbl. Their representative on the board of RÚV comes with a question about whether I have been paid. Radio director Stefán Eiríksson answers it somehow and that’s how it’s done. But of course to answer this,” writes Jón on Facebook.
He says that the journalist should have contacted him first before the news was published.
“Nobody contacted me,” adds the member of parliament, who declined to be interviewed when Vísir contacted him today. Jón further says that no one has contacted Sigurjón regarding the case.
“It was done on purpose because then a journalist would have found out the truth of the matter. But that was just not the purpose. It’s a stunt,” adds Jón.
He says that he has often appeared in the Week and says that he does not remember ever getting paid for it or expecting it.
“So I can’t help but think that the headline is an empty lie. We were contacted by the people of the show and asked us about this scene.”
Then Jón wants to correct what Ingvar Smári claimed in his question, that Jón was a declared supporter of Iceland joining the European Union. “I am not. I have stated many times that I am, on the other hand, open to weighing and evaluating the pros and cons of such an entry,” he adds.
He says he has been self-employed for most of his life.
“It may be difficult for down-to-earth officials, who have never had to fight forward in the free market of original thought, to understand people like me. I don’t blame them. I am completely free to pursue my artistic activity and earn from it, even though I am a member of parliament,” he says.
He said that in his long career he has appeared in countless entertainment and talk shows without taking anything for it.
“In doing so, I have tried to contribute to supporting Icelandic programming, domestic production and the Icelandic language. I have felt that it is a certain duty. I have also acted in a number of graduation projects from the Film School and short films free of charge. I also cannot count how much I have participated in many sponsorship projects and collections for various charitable causes over the years. It has been an honor and a pleasure for me. I have tried to use my talents and success to do my best, support, be part of and give to society; Iceland, which I love with all my heart.”
