‘Outright insulting and disgusting’: Viewers slam SBS for airing comedy skit featuring Nazi swastika painted onto a woman’s bald head
SBS has been slammed for airing a comedy skit featuring an image of the Nazi swastika this week.
The offensive symbol, which represents the death of 6million Jews during the Holocaust, appeared during Wednesday’s episode of The Feed, a satirical current affairs program.
Poking fun at the trend of Australians getting extreme haircuts during COVID-19 lockdown, the skit saw actors Jenna Owen and Vic Zerbst receiving a buzzcut from their ‘stylist’ Alex Lee.
Backlash: SBS has been slammed for airing a comedy skit featuring an image of the Nazi swastika this week
After having her hair shaved, Vic’s character became horrified to discover that on the back of her head was a birthmark in the shape of the swastika.
Alex’s character admitted that the birthmark was ‘very racist’, prompting Vic to declare: ‘But I’m Jewish!
The skit ended with Vic’s character sharing her deep regrets over the unfortunate haircut, telling the camera: ‘Im a freakin’ bald Nazi.’
Offensive: The symbol, which represents the death of 6million Jews during the Holocaust, appeared during Wednesday’s episode of The Feed, a satirical current affairs program
However, viewers failed to see the humour, and many blasted SBS on Facebook for allowing the skit to go to air.
‘Funny? No. The symbol will never be funny. Disgusting? Absolutely,’ one person commented underneath the video, which has been shared on SBS’ Facebook page.
‘People who think this is even a little bit funny-or ok, need to get educated as to why it isn’t funny in the least, its outright insulting and disgusting,’ another added.
The backlash was so extreme that SBS was forced to respond with a public statement.
‘The symbol will never be funny’: Viewers failed to see the humour, and many blasted the SBS on Facebook for allowing the skit to go to air
‘From the team behind the piece: ‘Our sketch, co-written by a young Jewish comedian, is not in any way an endorsement of anti-Semitism, Nazism or hatred,’ SBS wrote on its Facebook page.
‘Humour is powerful and reclaiming symbols of hatred is a way to fight against oppression. We hope this sketch is viewed with that understanding,’ they added.
Taking place between 1941 and 1945, the Holocaust was the systematic, state-sponsored killing of 6million Jews – and millions of others – by Nazi Germany and its collaborators.
The swastika symbol was used by Nazi Germany as a symbol of hatred and racial bias.
‘Humour is powerful and reclaiming symbols of hatred is a way to fight against oppression’: The backlash was so extreme that SBS was forced to respond with a public statement