Why Waleed Aly apologised to Muslims for The Project Jesus joke

The Project apologised to Christian and Muslim viewers over a joke but many were left feeling confused.

The Project apologised for a Jesus joke comedian Reuben Kaye made on air.

The Project’s apology over a controversial Jesus joke earlier this week has stirred confusion in some viewers.

Waleed Aly apologised to both Christian and Muslim viewers for a joke told by guest Reuben Kaye, a comedian, and some are questioning why Aly extended The Project’s mea culpa to Muslims as well as Christians.

What they may not know is the figure of Jesus has significance in the Islamic faith.

In Islam, Jesus was a prophet of god who was born to a virgin. In Arabic, he is known as Isa. Rather than as the son of god, he is viewed as a Muslim prophet. According to Mehdi Hasan in The Guardian, Isa is referenced 25 times in the Koran and is described as the “word” or “spirit” of god.

Mary, or Maryam, is the only woman to be named in the Koran, and is she considered to be the virgin mother of Jesus.

Queer comic Reuben Kaye is in trouble for making a Jesus joke on The Project. 28 March 2023. Picture: The Project/Channel 10

The Project has been embroiled in controversy this week after Kaye told the joke, “I love Jesus, I love any man who can get nailed for three days straight and come back for more”.

There was immediate uproar on social media with offended viewers unhappy about the joke. One person wrote on Twitter that Kay had “insulted millions of people of faith” while another said it was “absolutely disgusting”.

Aly and co-host Sarah Harris apologised to viewers last night. Aly started with, “During a live interview last night, our guest told a joke which we know was deeply and needlessly offensive to many of you.

“We want to acknowledge the particular offence and hurt that it caused our Muslim and especially our Christian viewers. Obviously, I understand how profound that offence was.”

Harris added: “Live TV is unpredictable. And when this happened in the last few moments of the show, it took us all by surprise, there wasn’t a lot of time to react in a considered way.”

Aly then said: “We weren’t expecting a comment like that to be made and we acknowledge the offence it caused. We are sorry.”

Not everyone was offended. Some viewers defended the joke.

On social media one, wrote, “I can’t believe Reuben Kaye just said that on national, prime-time television. What an icon!”