4 May 2012

Welfare fraudster and weight loss reality tv star shares her further thoughts on Canberra

| johnboy
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Anyone with a vaguely worthwhile life would most likely have been blissfully ignorant of the existence of Ajay Rochester, a strange loud orange-skinned blonde-haired woman best known for pleading guilty to welfare fraud and reality TV weight loss perennial status.

But last night she and her friend Mardi Croke of Queanbeyan kicked off a sustained half hour kicking of Canberra on international television.

And to follow up what is beginning to look suspiciously like a well-orchestrated Ajay Rochester publicity campaign she’s now blogged what she really thinks about people us:

Here’s my comment: Canberra get a life, get over yourselves, get a sense of humor and hey, at least people are talking about you – which they weren’t last week. If you can’t see that it was a spontaneous, spur of the moment comedy banter with the man who WILL succeed David Letterman then you are even dumber and more backwater bred than I thought just one day ago. I wasn’t aware that Canberra was governed by a communist doctrine denying anyone the right to his or her own opinion.

The fact that this has become news just PROVES how quiet Canberra really is (cue the crickets), because the news here in LA is the poor economy that just can’t seem to recover, earthquakes happening around the world and if LA will be next, a shooting at USC, the tragic shooting of Trayvon Martin and the possible arrest of the man who has had nearly 2 months of freedom after committing what will surely amount to a murder charge and whether or not Obama will serve another term. Canberra who? Where? What????

Seriously, I’ve been to Canberra quite a few times and it has some excellent qualities. I remember with great fondness my friend hanging from the Freefall exhibit at Questacon, the science museum and me almost peeing my pants as she hung there refusing to let got for about ten minutes while a line of disgruntled children chanted for her to please just let go….that was a highlight. I remember loving Canberra’s greatest ever talent, David Branson, like no other man in my life, may he rest in peace. I also remember with fondness the exit sign at the freeway heading back to Sydney, my own very much loved home.

Canberra, I’m sure you could don your white sheets and run me, Guy Pearce, Craig Ferguson and Mardi out of your town the next time we are there, but really, if you REALLY want to look like the sophisticated town you CLAIM/ want to be, then see this for what it is – a brief moment in time where a tired old cliché that Canberra is boring was used to make JOKES! That’s all, along with “my wife” and “knock knock” jokes. Have a little class and laugh at yourself because no one likes to be dictated to, least of all the American people – the majority of who watched the show that went to air.

And in finishing I would like to quote from a great comment I read on the internet earlier today, ” Someone should put a fence around Canberra and let The Hunger Games begin!”

Let’s not make a Black Mountain Tower out of a toothpick!

Thank you and good night!

Having lived in London and spent a bit of time in many other major cityies I really can’t see any of them laughing this stuff off.

Heck if you’d substituted “Beijing” for “Canberra” the US embassy would have burned down by now.

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She bags on a town when her twitter picture says “No H8”.

She blocks people who say any negative comment to her on twitter yet reading her blog she had an absolute fit when the show she was in was turfed from 9 to GO for being crap (the closest thing I can think of being blocked by a tv station!)

She says the tweets against her don’t bother her yet she’s protected her account and bitches about the naysayers who apprantly have no followers and therefore “nobodies” and “losers” (woman isn’t too bright since her twitter feeds onto her blog page)

The woman lacks talent, strains to remain relevant and is obviously insecure. She will never have the class or intelligence to apologise.

johnboy said :

I just love that she was being paid more in welfare than she was getting to host The Biggest Loser!

Wow, if that’s true then she is indeed a very big loser.

Girt_Hindrance2:54 pm 15 Apr 12

So I understand that she pleaded guilty and they didn’t record a conviction, whereas if she had continued with her initial ‘not guilty’, a conviction would likely be recorded and the USA would have barred entry? Win for us too? Sucks that someone gave her a bigger stage to stand on tho.
Only took one joke about her being “thankful for a feed” for her to block me on twitter, so…

Girt_Hindrance2:40 pm 15 Apr 12

Imagine her at the business-card shop. “Just change the address, leave the Occupation as ‘Fat Blaster'”

I just love that she was being paid more in welfare than she was getting to host The Biggest Loser!

murraythecat6:24 pm 14 Apr 12

Mardi (or as i knew her…Ms Croke) is/was indeed a kindy teacher at Jerra Public School when my kids were there. Nothing other than that really to contribute, except that JPS was an outstanding school, & I feel a bit sorry now that impressionable 5,6 & 7 year olds will think that getting a 10 minute slot on US nighttime TV is sort of cool. Aspirations & all that.

Zero comments on her blog? Not what I saw last night, but clearly she deletes the ones she doesn’t like….which is every one.

Wears a shirt that says ‘never give up’. Sister, have a look at you ass, you gave up long ago

Mysteryman said :

What I don’t understand is this: how does someone who is clearly still fat make money selling books about weight loss?

See Dr Phil.

Watson said :

I don’t really care? Not good for tourism, but apart from that I cannot care less what anyone else thinks of Canberra. It’s not as if it’s the only place that gets continuously bashed by every outsider. Think Adelaide. Or any country town.

And I especially don’t care what Sydneysiders think of it. The quintessential Sydney resident is extremely chauvinistic. I grew up in a European city whose residents had the same reputation. I moved (and worked for years on hiding my accent).

I can’t really relate to the reactions that “Canberra is the best city in the world” either. Of course it has its good sides. And it has its bad sides. Like any town. And it all depends on what you are after. People choosing to live in Sydney or Melbourne clearly don’t value clean air and greenery as much as someone who chooses to live in Canberra for example. I love visiting those big cities but like most Canberrans heave a sigh of relief when I cruise down our tree-lined streets on my way home. Comparing cities is really like comparing apples to pears. Your preference says more about you than about the town.

Or do you compare apples to oranges in English? I can’t remember… I appear to be thinking in two languages today and I cannot untangle them.

I don’t really care? Not good for tourism, but apart from that I cannot care less what anyone else thinks of Canberra. It’s not as if it’s the only place that gets continuously bashed by every outsider. Think Adelaide. Or any country town.

And I especially don’t care what Sydneysiders think of it. The quintessential Sydney resident is extremely chauvinistic. I grew up in a European city whose residents had the same reputation. I moved (and worked for years on hiding my accent).

I can’t really relate to the reactions that “Canberra is the best city in the world” either. Of course it has its good sides. And it has its bad sides. Like any town. And it all depends on what you are after. People choosing to live in Sydney or Melbourne clearly don’t value clean air and greenery as much as someone who chooses to live in Canberra for example. I love visiting those big cities but like most Canberrans heave a sigh of relief when I cruise down our tree-lined streets on my way home. Comparing cities is really like comparing apples to pears. Your preference says more about you than about the town.

rosscoact said :

Diggety said :

rosscoact said :

I thought the short dumpy one looked familiar.

Were there waaay too many schooners involved?

Hey, do we know each other :))

I’ve been thinking so for a while now 😉

What I don’t understand is this: how does someone who is clearly still fat make money selling books about weight loss? She sounds more like a professional troll than anything else. I do recall seeing her on The Biggest Loser, not because she was memorable or a good host, but because I remember thinking that she should have been one of the contestants.

I hope she stays out of Canberra.

fromthecapital said :

Without wanting to bag Sydney, (where AJ is from?) Having lived in a proper world city, I don’t really see myself living Sydney. I do enjoy my time when I’m there though. Not everyone from sydney is a canberra basher but those who do are generally insecure looking for a reason to feel better about themselves.

Sydney – The Goatse of Australian metropolises. You know it’s true…

GardeningGirl5:18 pm 13 Apr 12

I’ve laughed along with people about the roundabouts and circular roads, some of the other old jokes about Canberra not so much, but I don’t understand why any of it is of interest to a talk show in the US? Even with an Australian as one of the guests that night, was Canberra-bashing really the most entertaining thing they could come up with?
Ajay Rochester’s blog response sounds like it was written by tantrum-throwing tweenie. I’ve enjoyed reading the RiotACT posts though, some excellent comments about this storm in teacup and some genuinely interesting opinions about what’s good and what’s lacking in Canberra.

Ko. said :

I like this entry from her blog
http://findingmymojo.com/2011/09/open-leter-to-kerri-anne-kennerly/

In particular, I like this section

“Please note, BOTH of you, that “hatred” comes in many forms including discrimination, bullying and outright nastiness. Veiling it in the excuse that TV is entertainment is a sad and pathetic excuse “

i lol’d.

Hahahaha! Classic! That *is* damn funny of her! Perhaps someone just needed to tell her to suck it up and be more ‘sophisticated’, and to ‘have a bit of class’….! Hahahaha!

Sweets to the sweet, Mully to…Ajay?

I like this entry from her blog
http://findingmymojo.com/2011/09/open-leter-to-kerri-anne-kennerly/

In particular, I like this section

“Please note, BOTH of you, that “hatred” comes in many forms including discrimination, bullying and outright nastiness. Veiling it in the excuse that TV is entertainment is a sad and pathetic excuse “

i lol’d.

Never heard of Ajay Rochester. At a glance, she looks like a typical bogan soccer mum, busy with a life of Zumba classes, shopping malls & driving around in her husbands Audi 4WD, while he’s off on business, cheating on her with his much younger secretary.

She also sounds about as educated as she looks.

Yawn. Guy Pearce is a has-been whose career topped out when he wore a frock in 1994. The other “celebrity” is a manufactured bit of nothing, larded with some bad bits. Then there’s the woman from Upper Quangers who fibs about it – like most Jerrabombera folk who like to pretend.
Seriously, who cares? I wouldn’t know of too many better places to live than here, although affording to get into the market is hard for many.

Diggety said :

rosscoact said :

I thought the short dumpy one looked familiar.

Were there waaay too many schooners involved?

Hey, do we know each other :))

Holden Caulfield said :

noma said :

All that bitterness… sounds like Ajay just needs to get laid

By a steam roller?

Technically she already IS a steam roller of sorts

neanderthalsis said :

shirty_bear said :

neanderthalsis said :

I think Ajay is more Rodinesque than Rubenesque.

A thinker? Methinks not.

I was thinking more of the Burghers.

Burghers with the lot, to be precise.

p1 said :

geetee said :

p1 said :

What is a “my wife” joke?

My wife Ajay is so fat that when she lays on the beach people try to roll her back into the water. 🙂

Ahh, I am familiar with the style as a “your momma” joke.

Yo Momma Ajay so fat, when she goes to the movies she sit next to everyone.

+1

Heh. I haven’t heard that one yet. Good one.

I ran into that AJay once. I had to…..

….I didn’t have a enough petrol to get around her….

neanderthalsis1:10 pm 13 Apr 12

shirty_bear said :

neanderthalsis said :

I think Ajay is more Rodinesque than Rubenesque.

A thinker? Methinks not.

I was thinking more of the Burghers.

What is this I don’t even

shirty_bear said :

neanderthalsis said :

I think Ajay is more Rodinesque than Rubenesque.

A thinker? Methinks not.

Perhaps he just wants to kiss her and is too shy to say this directly?
http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/rodin/

And, to return to the argument I’m having with myself, Rubens did spend a lot of time in Italy, so it’s quite probable that Jim Jones was correct in linking him with an Italian phrase.

Holden Caulfield12:04 pm 13 Apr 12

noma said :

All that bitterness… sounds like Ajay just needs to get laid

By a steam roller?

All that bitterness… sounds like Ajay just needs to get laid

neanderthalsis said :

I think Ajay is more Rodinesque than Rubenesque.

A thinker? Methinks not.

fromthecapital11:14 am 13 Apr 12

Without wanting to bag Sydney, (where AJ is from?) Having lived in a proper world city, I don’t really see myself living Sydney. I do enjoy my time when I’m there though. Not everyone from sydney is a canberra basher but those who do are generally insecure looking for a reason to feel better about themselves.

livesincanberra11:01 am 13 Apr 12

Absolutely right – everyone should get over themselves. Next time someone has a opinion on this woman, then they have the right to express it – no matter how demeaning, derogatory or offensive it all. After all, we just need to have a sense of humour right ……… And hey, AJ, people weren’t talking about you last week, and now they are – trying to stay relevant are we.

rosscoact said :

I thought the short dumpy one looked familiar.

Were there waaay too many schooners involved?

poetix said :

No it’s Italian for they don’t make pantyhose as big as they used to. (She said, unfortunately feeling the need for self-censorship on RiotACT…)

Or Dutch, to be self (and Jim Jones) correcting. And now I’ve flemished being a pedant.

Stop talking about her and she’ll go away

Honestly, who cares, you lot find something better to do with your time…

Jim Jones said :

I-filed said :

Ajay claims in her rant to have been a lover of Canberra’s David Branson … who, it must be said, was anything but averse to Rubenesque ladies …

“Rubenesque”.

Well played sir.

Rubenesque is Italian for ‘finds it difficult to buy a business shirt’.

No it’s Italian for they don’t make pantyhose as big as they used to. (She said, unfortunately feeling the need for self-censorship on RiotACT…)

I thought the short dumpy one looked familiar. Sorry, a bit slow on the uptake

geetee said :

p1 said :

What is a “my wife” joke?

My wife Ajay is so fat that when she lays on the beach people try to roll her back into the water. 🙂

Ahh, I am familiar with the style as a “your momma” joke.

Yo Momma Ajay so fat, when she goes to the movies she sit next to everyone.

“…the man who WILL succeed David Letterman…”

Is Letterman even dead yet?

Surely he has a son or some other heir, or is this pretender intending to assume succession by the sword?

Holden Caulfield10:00 am 13 Apr 12

What’s more boring…

Canberra itself or bagging Canberra?

I think the latter.

I really do feel stupider for having read that.

I can only assume that the “communist” malapropism is an attempt to appeal to the American market?

neanderthalsis9:49 am 13 Apr 12

poetix said :

The blog is just wonderful. She describes herself as ‘…apassionate (sic) advocate for self love and transformation…’ and finishes her bio with the modest ‘(s)tay tuned for this meteoric star to rise even further than she already has.’ Which is astronomically interesting. Did Ajay originally stand for A Joke?

Most teenage boys are passionate advocates for self love too. In fact, there is a great song about self love and transformation that I think applies to Ajay

I-filed said :

Ajay claims in her rant to have been a lover of Canberra’s David Branson … who, it must be said, was anything but averse to Rubenesque ladies …

“Rubenesque”.

Well played sir.

I think Ajay is more Rodinesque than Rubenesque.

I-filed said :

Ajay claims in her rant to have been a lover of Canberra’s David Branson … who, it must be said, was anything but averse to Rubenesque ladies …

“Rubenesque”.

Well played sir.

Rubenesque is Italian for ‘finds it difficult to buy a business shirt’.

It’s notable how bogans will bag something (and let’s face it, bogans regard bagging something as normal conversation), and when the subjects of the bagging object (usually with greater erudition than that employed by the bogan), the bogan becomes apoplectic with rage because they didn’t realise it was a JOKE. And being a JOKE it was all OK.

It’s like putting “no offence” in front of an offensive statement, it’s OK, OK?

Meanwhile, the bogan is quite contented with this situation. She has been on TV. She has a website. Everyone is talking about her. She’s FAMOUS. She has achieved the top level of Maslow’s heirarchy.

…the man who WILL succeed David Letterman…

Lets see now… boorish, unfunny and arrogant host with a coached crowd pretending to enjoy the inane banter and tired jokes of an ancient talk show format.

Yes, he should be perfect for the job!

no idea who this is… but I’m not looking forward to finding out!

The blog is just wonderful. She describes herself as ‘…apassionate (sic) advocate for self love and transformation…’ and finishes her bio with the modest ‘(s)tay tuned for this meteoric star to rise even further than she already has.’ Which is astronomically interesting. Did Ajay originally stand for A Joke?

joeyjojojuniorshabadoo8:27 am 13 Apr 12

LOL, Canberrans got butthurt because a Z grade celeb espoused a few painful truths about their town.

What I want to know is how Mardi got on TV.

Im with you JB. Sooo sick of Canberra bashing, and the usual ignorant chants of people saying ‘those bloody politicians who live in canberra’…clueless idiots.

p1 said :

What is a “my wife” joke?

My wife Ajay is so fat that when she lays on the beach people try to roll her back into the water. 🙂

Is “the man (Craig Furguson) who WILL succeed David Letterman” like how Conan O’Brien succeeded Jay Leno?

Northsidechick said :

Wow, she’s spiteful and nasty. I’m glad she doesn’t like Canberra – that means she won’t come back.

Just to expand on this theme a little…

If an orange-skinned ooma-loompa lady bags our lovely city in this manner, then similar creatures who reside elsewhere and base their life-choices on late night TV comedy shows may well decide to stay away. It’s even possible that those of that inclination who live here now may choose to leave!

The likely consequence of this is that all sorts of other well known social ills associated with people like this (eg drunken assaults in Civic) will diminish as a result of these folks either failing to present or departing.

What appears at first glance to be a nasty little nobody getting some lowbrow laughs at our expense may well be quite beneficial in the long term.

Ajay’s response is pretty nasty, but then again I’ve always assumed she was a small pathetic person, to me this just confirms it. However the video itself was no where near as bad as I was expecting.

Yes, it did paint a picture of our city in a negative light, but no worse than the daily tele or news.com.au attempts to do from time to time.

A wanna be has been in search of a headline! nuff said

Just ask Channel 10 what they think of Ajay Rochester, it’s fair to say that there are those in the industry that have none too high an opinion of her and would be reluctant to provide her with any future employment.

Got to admire to the attempt to ride on the coat tails of something her friend from Queanbeyan, must make her feel good about things!

I do find the whole thing funny and really couldn’t care less about how much Canberra gets bagged. But I do find it funny that she has a ~4 para explanation about how it was a JOKE, and we should relax. Yet she still manages to throw in a few insults (‘dumber and more backwater bred than I thought you were a day ago’?, hunger games quote, etc…).
But I suppose they were jokes too, and her real opinion of the place is that it is ‘OK’….?? Hahahaha!
I say, she may as well just say what she really thinks and not (poorly) pretend it was all a joke. Bring it on AJ! 🙂

Don’t most people get upset when their city is abused? I haven’t seen it, and I’m not upset over it. But I remember when Jerry Seinfeld visited Melbourne years ago and turned up his nose, people went off their heads. That made the local news there, so I’m not surprised that this would here. Of course no one’s talking about it in LA, why would they?!

And I love how she refers to Craig Ferguson like he’s like the heir apparent to some all important throne. It’s just late night comedy, Ajay. I like the guy, but come on.

Ajay claims in her rant to have been a lover of Canberra’s David Branson … who, it must be said, was anything but averse to Rubenesque ladies …

Pays to remember that Canberra is here to stay. Canberra is the capital of this fine country – the best country in the world! And Canberra will be here in 5, 10, 50 years time (unless of course there IS a reptoid uprising).

And Ajay is a no-talent has been whose use by date has long expired.

Northsidechick8:25 pm 12 Apr 12

Wow, she’s spiteful and nasty. I’m glad she doesn’t like Canberra – that means she won’t come back.

Ajay says:
Have a little class and laugh at yourself

I’m trying to figure out which part of this is the most boggling. Perhaps a fat, orange-skinned bogan in trakkie-daks telling the reasonably suave, well-dressed and cultured JohnBoy to “have a little class”?

Is she on something?

That might be the nicest thing anyone has ever said about me!

Did she ‘fess up about her criminal record when she applied for a US visa? Or is she over there on the witness protection program?

Hunger… Games…? Oh, Battle Royale, right.

I recall it was not just welfare fraud – a few years ago Today Tonight busted her putting her rubbish – her poor child’s torn-up school assignment was the give-away – in her neighbour’s skip bin!

What is this rubbish? Ajay Rochester, I mean.

What is a “my wife” joke?

Ajay, it would have been better of you to just apologise, not go one with another spiteful rant.

Mojo is self-confidence or self-esteem, not over-confidence or kicking the esteem out of others.

Sorry to have to tell you, Ajay, that you’re actually a member of the Canberra diaspora! Make of that what you will!

An abundance of exclamation marks and CAPS; says all that needs to be said. Flame of the Week.

CrocodileGandhi6:21 pm 12 Apr 12

“Someone should put a fence around Canberra and let The Hunger Games begin!”

Very classy, Ajay. Always nice to have someone suggest that a fence is placed around a town with its inhabitants proceeding to systematically murder eachother until one is left.

arescarti42 said :

This seems to have really struck a nerve with you JB. You’ve pointed out that in all likeliness she’s some attention whoring welfare leech, why are you wasting any of your time on her?

Because millions of people around the world watch the show, and it’s just unfair.

But I imagine Ferguson will get record ratings out of Canberra tonight.

This seems to have really struck a nerve with you JB. You’ve pointed out that in all likeliness she’s some attention whoring welfare leech, why are you wasting any of your time on her?

Maybe we’re over talentless C grade celebs with no comedic material bagging our town because they didn’t receive the latest ‘knock knock’ joke book this last Christmas…

And is anyone else amused that someone from Queanbeyan is dishing Canberra? Somebody send in the tanks across the river.

Someone from Queanbeyan saying they’re from Canberra.

A bit like me going on the show saying I’m from Sydney and complaining about the bubonic plague outbreaks.

Look this is a clear example of medical malpractice. The surgeon was meant to do a stomach stable but instead stapled one of the arteries to her brain.

It may explain her apparent memory troubles saying it was spur of the moment, while her friend tells the Canberra Times it was planned with the host. oops.

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