Kyle Issues On-Air Apology Over “Dumb” Virgin Mary Comments But Says He Won’t Be Sacked Over It
Radio shock jock Kyle Sandilands has delivered an on-air apology this morning over the “dumb” comments he made about the Virgin Mary and that despite protests to sack the host, he won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.
A little over a week ago Kyle “joked” on his breakfast program that the Virgin May was most likely impregnated “behind the camel shed.”
He also said: “I thought Mary was his [Jesus’] girlfriend but apparently it was the mother.
“And the mother lied obviously and told everyone, ‘Nah I got pregnant by a magical ghost’. Bulls**t.”
Sandilands also said anyone who believed in the story was “dumb”.
“You might believe everything that was written down 2000 years ago to be absolutely accurate. Good on you, you’re dumb. Dumb as dog sh*t.”
Sandiland’s insensitive comments led to protests outside the KIIS FM radio station in Sydney last week, while also being condemned by Australia’s religious leaders.
He apologised for his comments on-air this morning, which you can listen to in full below.
‘I am sorry’ – Kyle issues an apology on air. pic.twitter.com/zq4QynF52X
— Kyle and Jackie O (@kyleandjackieo) September 29, 2019
He said on the issue: “Am I going to quit? No. Am I going to get fired? No. Am I sorry? Absolutely I am sorry,” he said.
“I never intended to purposely upset anyone. Obviously, I have upset people and I am sorry for it. There’s nothing else I can do but to say, hey, I am sorry for that.”
“It was a joke and it was a hugely bad decision, poor taste. I didn’t plan that joke … I was just spit-balling live here. I didn’t realise the gravity of it and it really upset a lot of people.
“I get upset at the fact that I’ve caused a lot of grief to a lot of people. That’s never what I meant to do. I was just trying to make people have a laugh and I didn’t realise I was trodding quite heavily on very gentle territory for a lot of people.”
This morning’s near eight-minute apology is the third time the presenter has said sorry.
Sandilands initially apologised via a press release sent out by ARN after he made the comments, and was also filmed by a paparazzo apologising in LA, where he is currently broadcasting from.
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