Karl Stefanovic shocks guests with 'drunken antics' at book launch

Karl Stefanovic has defended his 'drunken antics' at a recent book launch.

The Today presenter, who introduced his colleague Richard Wilkins's new publication Black Ties, Red Carpets, Green Rooms at an event in Sydney last Thursday night, shocked onlookers by using inappropriate language during his speech.

As he got up on stage, Stefanovic told a room of guests including Wilkins's fiancée and children: "I know three things about Richard Wilkins: great bloke, big hair, massive c**k. That's all I know. I know all the press are here, yada, yada, yada - but sometimes, like Tom Cruise in that film, you just have to say, 'What the f**k.

"In the '80s you were the Don Bradman of rooting - seriously bro'. Most of us in the '80s walked into a bar and thought, 'I reckon I might be a chance with that bird, maybe if she has a lot to drink'. But Dicky walks into a bar in the '80s and goes, 'I'm 99.94'."

Audience members such as singer Vanessa Amorosi and TV star Kerri-Anne Kennerley laughed at the jokes and Wilkins defended his co-worker, saying that the speech was "all in good fun".

Stefanovic has since admitted to The Sunday Mail that he had a long lunch that day with Channel Nine boss David Gyngell, but added: "Mate, I'm not going to stop having a good time in life."

In May this year, Stefanovic referred to himself as a "rascal" after he was rumoured to have caused a disturbance with his alcohol-induced bad behaviour on a plane. He also caused controversy in 2009 when he went on air still drunk after attending the Logie Awards the night before.

Watch the video of Karl Stefanovic's 'drunk' 2009 TV appearance below: