The Project’s ‘Jesus joke’ would never have aired in years past, Channel 10 source says
An insider for The Project claimed that Channel 10’s flagship talk show is being torn apart by sloppy production values and editorial standards.
The ‘Jesus’ joke disaster, in which gay comedian Reuben Kaye offended Christians by saying ‘I love any man who can get nailed for three days straight and come back for more’, would have been easily avoided in earlier years. the source told the Daily Mail. Australia.
The insider said The Project used to pre-record 90 percent of all interviews with potentially controversial artists like Kaye, for the simple reason that they could edit anything offensive.
And on the occasion that a ‘nervous’ guest wasn’t available for a pre-recording, the hosts would be meticulously informed, allowing them to ‘neutralize any situation like that, step in if necessary and apologize if necessary… not laugh like Sarah Harris or sit stone faced as Waleed’.
But on Tuesday night, Kaye’s prank aired live and uncensored with co-host Sarah Harris cracking up as fellow Muslim Waleed Aly looked on in shock, setting off a firestorm.
The Project member said the car crash that was comedian Reuben Kaye’s joke Jesus interview on Tuesday night (above) would never have happened under the old standards that dictated 90% of ‘red flag’ interviews they were pre-registrations.
In earlier times (above The Project’s old panel of which Waleed Aly is the sole survivor), in the rare event that a nervous interview was not pre-recorded, “hosts would be meticulously briefed” to allow them to “neutralize any situation, intervene if necessary and apologize if necessary’
The source said they “can’t understand why the Reuben Kaye interview wasn’t pre-recorded when it was an obvious ‘red flag interview’.
‘In the few cases (before) an interview like that was done live, the hosts would normally be well prepared beforehand.
‘If the interview was done live because it was the only time available (Reuben Kaye), why weren’t Sarah Harris and Waleed Aly more prepared?
“It’s yet another sign of the show’s declining professionalism, 10’s declining standards, sloppiness and, frankly, its overall loose approach.”
The backlash from Muslims and Christians offended and outraged by the prank was swift and brutal, forcing Harris and Aly to issue a lengthy and slavish apology on air Wednesday.
This withdrawal comes at a time when the left-leaning current affairs show is bleeding viewers dry in the wake of the high-profile departures of Carrie Bickmore, Lisa Wilkinson and Peter Helliar.
And it inspired calls to end the show with the hashtag #CancelThe Project trending on Twitter.
High-profile Nine Network star Omar Slaimankhel joined the chorus of critics in putting the boot on The Project.
slaimankhel, who last year became the biggest winner in The Block’s history alongside teammate Ozman ‘Oz’ Abu Malik after being the first Muslim team to join the successful renewal programme, he was not impressed with Wednesday night’s apology.
He accused Harris of hypocrisy for laughing at the off-color joke only to apologize 24 hours later when he realized some viewers found it offensive.
He posted a screenshot on Instagram of the couple’s stone-faced apology, writing: “She was laughing and now she wants to apologize.”
Instead of being thoroughly briefed and prepared, co-anchors Waleed Aly (left) and Sarah Harris (right) were forced to issue a humiliating apology on air Wednesday for offending Muslim and Christian viewers.
This apology did not sit well with Omar Slaimankhel (left), who last year became the biggest winner in The Block’s history alongside his partner Ozman ‘Oz’ Abu Malik (right).
Slaimankhel also called The Project ‘trash TV’ for giving an anti-religious comedian like Kaye a platform.
Meanwhile, 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.”
Slaimankhel accused Harris of hypocrisy for laughing at the off-color joke only to apologize 24 hours later when he realized some viewers found it offensive (left). He also called The Project ‘trash TV’ for giving an anti-religious comedian like Kaye a platform (right)
Posts from the show on social media are being spammed with the hashtags #CancelTheProject and #BoycottTheProject in what appears to be an organized effort.
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.
Daily Mail Australia sought answers from Channel 10 and The Project since Wednesday’s apology, asking whether grooming standards on the show have changed and why the hosts weren’t prepared to handle Kaye’s off-color joke.
Network 10 said The Project apologized on air on Wednesday.
Harris (left), who laughed after the joke, backtracked on Wednesday, saying: “It took us all by surprise, there wasn’t a lot of time to react in a thoughtful way.”
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.”