The Project’s Sarah Harris reveals her young children were threatened online after she laughed at a controversial joke about Jesus on the show
Sarah Harris has revealed the horrifying backlash she endured after laughing at a controversial joke a comedian made about Jesus on The Project earlier this year.
Reuben Kaye made the rude comment on the show back in February, saying, “I love any guy who can get nailed for three days straight and come back for more.”
After Harris, 41, received vicious threats against the children she shares with her ex-husband Tom Ward – sons Paul, six, and Harry, four.
“I had to change all my profiles and I purposely didn’t look at my messages, people were angry and needed to blow off steam,” she explained during an interview on The Matty Johns Podcast.
Despite the backlash, she told Johns that religious jokes shouldn’t be “off limits.”
Sarah Harris, 41, (pictured) opened up about the backlash she received when she laughed at Reuben Kaye’s controversial Jesus joke on The Project
“I’m not defending the joke being on the show, it was definitely the wrong context and the wrong forum for it, but when we start talking about what you can and can’t joke about, are we moving on to blasphemy laws? ?’ she said.
“It’s also troubling for comedy. If we’re going to say you can’t joke about that – it’s completely off limits – that’s a very bizarre time we’re in.”
Following Kaye’s appearance on Channel 10’s The Project, media watchdog ACMA received 203 complaints or questions about the episode, which aired on Tuesday, February 28.
The comedian, 37, (pictured) made the rude remark on TV in February, saying: ‘I love any guy who can get nailed for three days straight and come back for more’
Harris couldn’t help but laugh at the joke, which sparked a barrage of online hate, including threats to her children, she revealed on The Matty Johns Podcast.
Co-host Harris laughed at the joke, which was broadcast uncensored during the live broadcast, but her Muslim colleague Waleed Aly sat with a frosty face. The following night, Aly, 44, and Harris apologised, jokingly.
“We want to acknowledge the particular affront that has caused our Muslim viewers, but especially our Christian viewers. I clearly understand how serious that offense was,’ Aly said.
Aly and Harris said the prank was unexpected and left unedited because it was a live broadcast.
Despite the cruel comments, Harris, who shares Paul, six, and Harry, four (both pictured) with ex-husband Tom Ward, said religious jokes shouldn’t be ‘off limits’.