Media whistleblower weighs in on The Project’s uncertain future after the show aired a lewd joke about Jesus

A media insider has weighed in on the uncertain future of The Project after a guest made a lewd joke about Jesus.

The left-leaning current affairs show is under fire after gay comedian and cabaret artist Reuben Kaye joked on Tuesday’s show that he admired Jesus Christ because “I love any man who can get fucked three days straight and come back for further”.

Entertainment reporter Peter Ford said news.com.au on Thursday, the Channel Ten program has a ‘target on its back’.

“I don’t think the joke was incredibly offensive in my personal opinion, but it seems other people do, and now it’s become a big topic on social media, mainly Twitter,” he said.

“Right now the show really has a target on its back, people really want to try and jump on whatever they can to try to somehow bring the show down.”

“I suspect they’re scared by all the sharks that are circling and wanting to go after them and take them down.”

It comes after presenters Sarah Harris and Waleed Aly were forced to issue an apology after viewers called for the Ten show to be removed for airing the lewd joke about Jesus’ crucifixion.

Aly and Harris’ live apology appears to have done little to stem the wave of criticism from members of the Christian and Muslim communities, who are already planning protests at the Channel 10 headquarters.

Posts from the show on social media are being spammed with the hashtags #CancelTheProject and #BoycottTheProject in what appears to be an organized effort.

Addressing the inappropriate joke on Wednesday, Aly began: “During an interview last night, our guest told a joke that we know was deeply and unnecessarily offensive to many of you.”

‘We want to acknowledge the particular offense it caused our Muslim viewers but especially our Christian viewers.

“Obviously I understand how deep that offense ran.”

Harris, who laughed after the joke, joined in.

“Live TV is unpredictable and when this happened in the last moments of last night’s show, it took us all by surprise, there wasn’t a lot of time to react in a considered way,” he said.

Aly insisted that she caught the show’s producers and panel by surprise.

“It’s fair to say that we didn’t expect a comment like that to be made,” he said.

‘We wouldn’t normally broadcast a comment like that. We recognize the offense you caused and more than that we are sorry.

The prank was met with a huge reaction on social media.

‘What a disgusting joke about Jesus, and The Project team just laughed and said nothing. So offended by your inaction,” wrote one viewer.

Another said: ‘Actually, a dirty joke about Jesus. I’m all for being who you want to be, but that’s too far.

A third said: ‘It’s interesting to see Waleed’s reaction to that joke! He knew that he was inappropriate! The project is so desperate these days!

But others thought the lewd gag was hilarious.

One person said: ‘I can’t believe Rueben Kaye said that on national TV in prime time. What an icon!

Other positive comments included: ‘I almost peed myself’ and ‘That was gold, the best thing on The Project in months!’

Kaye is known for his crude humor which he pairs with singing and showmanship in his comedy shows.

He is embarking on a national tour to present a variety of jokes centered around sensitive topics like sexuality and racism.

“I want to poke the bear,” he said. “I’m so spread out across this country that it might as well be systemic racism.”