Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese found himself issuing a public apology Monday after a crude comment he made about pop icon Kylie Minogue during a comedy podcast sparked backlash from women’s rights groups and opposition lawmakers.
During the interview, host Nikki Osborne posed the question of which of three well-known Australian female celebrities Albanese would marry, date, or “shag” — a vulgar term in Australia used to refer to sexual intercourse.
At first, Albanese tried to sidestep the question, noting that he had recently gotten married. But Osborne pushed further, asking who he would pick if his marriage were to fall apart. Albanese responded, “Kylie, clearly.”
Osborne then followed up: “You’d marry Kylie, and shag her, and date her?” To which Albanese replied, “All of the above.”
The remarks quickly drew condemnation. Senator Sarah Henderson was among the opposition lawmakers who spoke out, calling the comments “disrespectful to women, embarrassing to Australians and demean the office of Prime Minister.”
Albanese wasted no time in releasing a formal apology. “I apologise unequivocally for the comments,” he said in a written statement issued Monday.
A representative for Minogue had not yet responded to media requests for comment at the time of the report.
Australia has a well-known informal political culture, where politicians are regularly asked about topics ranging from sports to pop culture during media appearances.
