"Trash show": The Project blasted over "hypocritical" apology
Former Project panellist Em Rusciano has taken aim at the show amid backlash over its airing of a controversial joke, accusing them of "throwing" a star "under the bus".
Reuben Kaye, who identifies as queer, was speaking about the hate he receives for his sexuality and for dressing up in drag, specifically from the Christian community.
“I love Jesus, I love any man who can get nailed for three days straight and come back for more,” Kaye said on the show, prompting a stunned reaction from host Waleed Aly and a chuckle from co-host Sarah Harris.
Harris and other members of the panel had a laugh, but it appeared that Waleed Aly was a bit taken aback.
Harris and Aly both apologised to viewers, but that didn’t stop the backlash, with some members of Australia’s Christian and Muslim communities planning to protest at Channel 10’s office over the joke.
The Project’s social media posts have also been swamped by hashtags such as #CancelTheProject and #BoycottTheProject, and channel 9 star Omar Slaimankhel, the 2022 winner of The Block, alongside his friend Oz’ Abu Malik, has emerged as one of the highest-profile critics.
Slaimankhel slammed the show on social media, particularly putting Harris on blast, accusing her of hypocrisy after laughing at the joke and then apologising afterwards.
He shared a screenshot of Harris and Aly’s apology on Instagram, with the caption, “She was p*ssing herself laughing and now wants to apologise”, and a second screenshot of Kaye on the program with the words “Trash TV. Trash show”.
Entertainment commentator Peter Ford, who is heard on radio nationwide, told news.com.au he was of two minds” about whether the joke was actually that offensive, but said the backlash came at a critical time when The Project was already receiving a great deal of hate.
“I’m of two minds to be honest – I don’t think the joke was incredibly offensive in my own personal view, but it seems that other people do think it was, and now it has become a big thing on social media, mainly on Twitter,” he said.
“At the moment the show really has a target on its back – people really want to go for it and jump on anything they can to somehow try and bring the show down.
“I suspect they’re spooked by all the sharks circling wanting to come after them and bring them down.”
Mr Ford pointed out that while panellists were seen laughing at the joke on air at the time, it was a natural reaction given the pressurised environment of TV life.
“It’s particularly a problem because they were seen to be laughing at the joke at the time, so you can’t then say the next night, ‘it was terrible, we’re so shocked’. But I understand that sometimes on air you hear a joke and think you have to laugh, otherwise you’re not doing your job, without having fully processed what was said,” he said.
Mr Ford went on to say there were far greater problems the programme is facing than the latest backlash, which comes just months after the exodus of Lisa Wilkinson, Carrie Bickmore, Peter Heliar, and comedian Tommy Little.
“Honestly, I don’t know how many people who were watching it on air at that time were shocked and offended … I think it’s unfortunate to have the hosts apologise on air, particularly if it’s not necessary to have done it – it seems there was no suggestion of advertisers pulling out, and no serious repercussions,” he added.
“If they have these kneejerk reactions whenever people get angry on Twitter, it’s going to be taking up a lot of time every night, because people will always find something – people love to get angry.
“I’m inclined to think if they’d not apologised, it may have worked in their favour to have something controversial, unplanned and potentially even offensive. Maybe that’s what people need to start thinking - maybe I’d better start watching The Project again.”
“They create a rod for their own back when they start to do apologies, unless it’s really vital, or they are truly sincere.”
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