Queer comedian Reuben Kaye has defended his X-rated joke about Jesus, claiming people were only offended because he’s gay.
In February, Kaye spoke on The Project about the hate he receives for his sexuality and for dressing up in cross-dressing — especially from the Christian community.
“I love Jesus, I love any man who can get nailed for three days straight and come back for more,” he joked.
The project apologized for the “offensive” prank and Kaye was inundated with death threats, later being forced to postpone a show for fear of the safety of his audience.
But the joke resurfaced Monday night when a member of the Q+A public asked Kaye if he thought a straight person telling the same joke would get the same backlash.
Queer comedian and Reuben Kaye (pictured, left) left The Project panel stunned in February after making an X-rated joke about Jesus on air
Host Patricia Karvelas then read his joke for context before allowing Kaye to answer.
“That joke was told by straight people,” Kaye said.
Ricky Gervais dedicates almost 90 percent of his routine to tearing down religion, Dave Chappelle does it.
Big, big name, straight comics do this all the time. It’s not about the joke, it’s about who told it.’
His comments were met with thunderous applause from the audience of the ABC show.
Kaye further claimed that his joke was an act of defiance against homophobia.
“This is about a strange person who doesn’t want to be the butt of a joke, but makes a joke and has a voice. Not being political football, but commenting on the game,” he said.
And when that happens, they want us to become invisible and we don’t because if we are not visibly gay, the most vulnerable in society will become invisible. They disappear. And we’ll lose you or too many of your children over this kind of nonsense.’
He then clashed with National Senate leader Bridget McKenzie, who said: “I am a believer and it was not only the Christian community that was offended, but also the Muslim community, although I suspect that Christians have been around for over 2,000 years. be prosecuted. ‘
Kaye huffed loudly and interjected, saying, “Give it a break!”
“You’re sitting next to a Jewish homosexual and you’re going to say Christians are being persecuted?” he exclaimed.
Senate National Leader Bridget McKenzie (pictured) told Kaye she “would have been equally offended if someone said that joke”
Ms McKenzie stood her ground, saying she ‘would have been just as offended if someone had made that joke’.
She added: “I also think we live in a pluralistic society, where we are one of the great multicultural countries in the world that have remained relatively peaceful around religious differences, so I wouldn’t go near these jokes.”
Kaye’s original prank left The Project host Waleed Aly speechless, but Sarah Harris and the rest of the cast joined in the laughter.
Aly apologized the next day, telling viewers, “Our guest told a joke that we know was deeply offensive to many of you, particularly believers”.
“We want to acknowledge the specific insult and pain that our Muslims, but especially our Christian viewers, have caused,” he said.
Harris added that it “really surprised us all” and that there wasn’t “a lot of time to react in a considered way.”
The prank even sparked a 600-strong protest outside Channel 10’s headquarters in Pyrmont.
“What a disgusting joke about Jesus, and the project team just giggled and said nothing. So offended by your inaction,” one person wrote on Twitter.
Another said, “Basically a dirty joke about Jesus. I’m all for being who you want to be, but that’s going too far.”
Kaye also revealed on Q+A that since telling the joke his phone has been confiscated and ‘combed’ by three different police forces, his parents have been ordered not to open anything addressed to him and their addresses on the phone is set. the priority response lists.
Others found it funny and defended Kaye’s right to offend under freedom of speech.