MAFS star Steve Burley’s Hitler impersonation ‘not entertaining’
A Jewish anti-hate campaigner has called on reality contestant Steve Burley to visit the Holocaust Museum after the Married At First Sight star was caught impersonating Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
Confidential
Don't miss out on the headlines from Confidential. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Another MAFS bride in leaked topless photo scandal
- MAFS poo scandal couple ejected: hear from the real experts
- How Fev fuelled MAFS flames with kissing scandal
A LEADING Jewish anti-hate campaigner has called on reality contestant Steve Burley to visit the Holocaust Museum after the Married At First Sight star was caught out impersonating World War II Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
Burley, 51, sent an image of himself with the notorious German leader’s moustache and hairstyle in a MAFS contestant What’s App group message chain leaked to Confidential.
Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, Australia’s leading civil rights organisation fighting antisemitism, labelled Burley’s actions as “beyond insensitive and tasteless”.
“Steve Burley should do some serious soul searching about his deplorable action,” Dr Abramovich said.
“I should not have to say this in 2020, but there is nothing entertaining or laughable about Hitler, a monster responsible for the murder of six million Jews and millions of others. Perhaps Steve should talk to those survivors who lost children, parents and relatives to Hitler’s evil regime and understand the pain he has caused. A brutal dictator, responsible for unimaginable suffering and mass extermination, should not be the subject of a joke, private or not.”
Dr Abramovich continued: “One can only imagine the anguish a Holocaust survivor would feel hearing about this incident. At a time of a surge in neo-Nazi and white-supremacist activity in Australia, it is deeply troubling that there are people who think it’s cool to imitate Hitler. Worse, such gags separate Hitler from the inhuman crimes he and the Nazis committed. I call on Steve Burley to personally apologise for his hurtful conduct and to visit the Holocaust Museum.”
Earlier this week, Burley was surprised when contacted by Confidential about the image.
“I have no comment to make on that, no comment,” he told Confidential. “It was just a bit of fun with some friends I think … with the rest of the group I think.”
Hairdresser Burley sent the image in the group chat titled “The Kids” with the question, “Who am I?”.
In a separate What’s App group, also with MAFS contestants titled “Fruitloops & Misfits”, Burley sent an image where he uses his fingers to pull his eyelids down to appear “like an Asian Mishel”.
Mishel Karen, 48, a teacher from Brisbane, is Burley’s on screen wife on the Channel 9 reality TV series.
In real life, Burley previously dated former MasterChef Australia winner Diana Chan for five years.
Chan is 20 years his junior and supported Burley through his treatment for testicular cancer some eight years ago.
Recent MAFS episodes have centred around Burley telling Karen he doesn’t find her physically attractive.
When contacted for comment, Nine issued an apology on Burley’s behalf.
“This is a private message that was never intended to be made public but I can see that it is culturally insensitive and I regret it,” he said in the statement. “I am deeply sorry if I have offended anyone.”
It is the latest scandal to hit the show, which, despite being a ratings juggernaut for the network, has been widely criticised for manufacturing drama and delivering sleazy content.
Earlier in the season, single mother Poppy Jennings claimed she was manipulated into saying things on camera by threatening her that if she did not do so “Australia will f … ing hate me”.
Jennings claimed she was deliberately portrayed on the hit show as “a bogan single mum” and a “miserable whinger” to fit in with “an agenda”. She said she was not allowed to say what was really happening behind the scenes on the show, including the truth about her relationship with television husband Luke Eglin.