Fox Sports has been forced to apologise after a photoshopped image of Adolf Hitler was used to illustrate the NRL's fan-in-the-stand initiative, which allows supporters to have their photo printed on a cardboard cut-out at grounds.
Fans can pay $22 to have their face in the crowd, however The Late Show with Matty Johns is under fire after superimposing an image of Hitler onto a cut-out in a segment on last night's program.
The "joke" was immediately condemned, with Federal MP Josh Burns, whose maternal grandmother came to Australia as a Jewish refugee, among those to slam the segment.
"Please tell me this didn't actually happen," he tweeted.
Australia's leading civil rights organisation, the Anti-Defamation Commission, told Wide World of Sports the segment was totally unacceptable.
"We are pleased that Fox Sports listened to our concerns and apologised for this hurtful episode that went too far and which crossed many red lines," chairman Dvir Abramovich said.
https://twitter.com/joshburnsmp/status/1267049408987684870?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"This was bad taste and trivialisation of mass murder taken to the extreme.
"The bottom line: Nazi jokes are completely off-limits, and this incident demonstrated a breathtaking abdication of judgment and an appalling lack of sensitivity."
Dr Abramovich said those responsible for the segment should clarify why an image of Hitler was used.
"I hope that those involved deeply understand how wrong they were and that it's never ok to use Hitler as a punchline for cheap laughs," he said.
"The producers and the network now need to explain this lapse in judgement and why they thought there is something remotely funny about a brutal dictator who caused the suffering, torture and death of so many men, women in the gas chambers?
"When a monster such as Hitler, responsible for the deaths of millions of people, including 1.5 million children and more than 30,000 diggers, features as a comedic routine on a sports show you know we have hit another low in the trivialisation of the Holocaust.
"Using Hitler to elicit a laugh is inexcusable, degrades the memory of those who perished in the Holocaust, and is hurtful to survivors and their children.
"I am ready to meet with Matty Johns to further discuss this issue."
In a statement to Wide World of Sports, Fox Sports apologised for the segment and said it's looking into why the image was used.
"We are very concerned by an incident involving an inappropriate image shown as part of one of our live shows discussing NRL crowd cut-outs," a spokesperson said.
"We are currently reviewing the circumstances and examining the action we need to ensure those involved understand it is not acceptable.
"We sincerely apologise for the offence the image has caused."
from WWOS http://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/matty-johns-show-fox-sports-under-attack-for-adolf-hitler-joke/848fce30-155a-4d69-bcad-a839265707f7
0 Comments