Sarah Harris has spoken out about the scandal enveloping The Project earlier this year after the program aired a controversial ‘Jesus joke’.
The left-leaning current affairs program was under fire after gay comedian and cabaret performer Reuben Kaye joked that he admired Jesus Christ because ‘I love any man who can get nailed for three days straight and come back for more’.
The Project host told The Matty Johns Podcast that the unfortunate incident, which was broadcast on the 28th of February, should never have taken place.
‘During the scandal that we had on The Project, it was sad and it was scary, the joke should have never gone to air and it kind of took us all by surprise,’ she said.
The 41-year-old added that while she was not standing behind the comments made by Kaye, she does worry about whether a limit is being placed on comedy.
Sarah Harris (pictured) spoke out about the scandal enveloping The Project earlier this year after the program aired a controversial ‘Jesus joke’
‘I’m not defending having the joke on the show, it was absolutely the wrong context and wrong forum for that,’ Sarah said.
‘But when we start talking about what you can and can’t joke about, are we going to move onto blasphemy laws next? It’s concerning for comedy as well.
‘If we are going to say you can’t joke about that – it’s completely off limits – it’s a really bizarre kind of time we find ourselves in.’
Sarah went on to say that she had to disable comments on her popular Instagram page as she was getting abuse and death threats, including aimed at her children.
It comes after the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) revealed that it received hundreds of complaints from the public after The Project’s lewd ‘Jesus joke’ caused widespread outrage.
The left-leaning current affairs program was under fire after gay comedian and cabaret performer Reuben Kaye (pictured) joked that he admired Jesus Christ because ‘I love any man who can get nailed for three days straight and come back for more’
Co-host Harris laughed at the joke, which went to air uncensored during the live broadcast
The backlash from Muslims and Christians was swift and brutal, forcing the show’s presenters to issue a grovelling on-air apology as religious groups organise protests of Channel 10’s headquarters.
A significant number of viewers have aired their grievances to ACMA in the wake of the controversy.
In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, the media watchdog confirmed: ‘The ACMA has received 203 inquiries about an episode of The Project broadcast on Tuesday 28 February 2023 featuring the comedian Reuben Kaye.
‘Under the broadcasting co-regulatory system, complainants are directed to the broadcaster in the first instance.
‘If a complainant does not receive a response from the broadcaster within 60 days, or is not satisfied with the response they do receive, they may refer their complaint to the ACMA for consideration.’
‘During the scandal that we had on The Project, it was sad and it was scary, the joke should have never gone to air and it kind of took us all by surprise’ she said
It comes after a former panellist on The Project has sensationally claimed a guest’s controversial Jesus joke was ‘script-approved’ by the show’s producers – despite the hosts saying it was a ‘live TV’ gaffe that could not have been predicted.
Co-host Harris laughed at the joke, which went to air uncensored during the live broadcast, but her Muslim colleague Waleed Aly looked shocked.
An insider at The Project claimed Channel 10’s flagship talk show was being trashed by sloppy production values and editorial standards.
The ‘Jesus’ joke disaster would have been easily avoided in previous years, the source told Daily Mail Australia.
The informant said The Project used to pre-record 90 per cent of all interviews with potentially controversial performers such as Kaye, for the simple reason they could edit out anything offensive.
The hosts were quick to issue an apology the following day but their gesture left viewers unmoved with calls continuing to grow for the show to be cancelled. Pictured left: Waleed Aly
And on the occasion an ‘edgy’ guest wasn’t available for a pre-record, the hosts would be meticulously briefed, allowing them to ‘neutralise any situations like that, intervene if necessary and apologise if needed… not laugh like Sarah Harris or sit stony-faced like Waleed’.
The hosts were quick to issue an apology the following day but their gesture left viewers unmoved with calls continuing to grow for the show to be cancelled.
The insider said they ‘can’t understand’ why Reuben Kaye’s interview wasn’t pre-recorded when it was an obvious ‘red flag interview’.
‘In the few cases [before] an interview like that would be done live, the hosts would normally be well primed beforehand.
‘If the interview was done live because that was only time [Kaye] was available, why weren’t Harris and Aly more prepared?
‘It’s yet another sign of the slipping professionalism on the show, the declining standards of Ten, sloppiness and, frankly, their general slack approach.’
Sarah went on to say that she had to disable comments on her popular Instagram page as she was getting abuse and death threats, including aimed at her children
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