Radio host Kyle Sandilands has come to the defence of ex-Sony boss Denis Handlin, once considered the most powerful man in Australian music, after former and current employees alleged a culture of 'intimidation and abuse' on ABC's Four Corners.
As Sony Australia's chairman for 37 years, Mr Handlin helped launch the careers of some of Australia's biggest stars, including the likes of Delta Goodrem and Jessica Mauboy, until he suddenly left the company in June.
Mr Handlin's departure came after former employees levelled allegations of 'fear and intimidation', 'systemic bullying, discrimination and misconduct' in the powerhouse music business.
There is no suggestion his departure was related to the allegations.
Four Corners also aired footage showing the CEO dressed as Hitler in a parody video.
'What a waste off life, watching that,' Kyle Sandilands told listeners on the Kyle and Jackie O show about the Four Corners program on Denis Handlin
On one occasion Mr Handlin dressed up as Adolf Hitler (above) in an eight-minute skit for employees, a video obtained by Four Corners showed
A number of former staff lined up to air allegations against Mr Handlin on the program, including ex-Sony employee Eleanor Mackay and his former chauffeur.
'He was as mean to men as he was to women,' Ms McKay, who joined the company in 1986, told the ABC.
But on Kyle and Jackie O on Tuesday morning, Sandilands rubbished the seriousness of the claims.
'What a waste of life, watching that. So the guy was a bit of a grog monster and yelled in the '80s,' Sandilands said of the allegations.
'There was some chauffeur on from back in the late '80s - 'oh, he threw a phone at me once and said the F-word when I didn't have money for a Harry's pie!'
'So what, big deal.'
Sandilands said he kept waiting to find out what Mr Handlin was alleged to have done.
'There was this secretary from the '80s [saying] 'he was the most repulsive man.'
'Oh yeah, no argument there but what did he do? 'He'd belittle people.'
'So what, big deal. The angry boss that screamed and belittled people. Get over it.'
The most powerful man in Australian music, former Sony boss Denis Handlin (pictured), was at the helm of the company when it had a 'toxic' culture, some former staff have claimed
On one occasion Mr Handlin dressed up as Adolf Hitler in an eight-minute skit for employees, a video obtained by ABC shows, in a parody of Mel Brooks' 1983 hit The Hitler Rap.
In a statement provided to the ABC Mr Handlin said he 'would never tolerate' sexism or abuse in the workplace.
'I have always provided support and encouragement to women in the industry and personally championed diversity.
'I would never tolerate treating women in an inappropriate or
