Australian PM apologizes over Minogue remarks

SYDNEY

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has apologized after sparking controversy with comments about pop star Kylie Minogue during a comedy podcast.

The backlash followed Albanese’s appearance on comedian Nikki Osborne’s “Bush Deep” podcast, where he took part in a rapid-fire question segment. Asked to play a “shag, marry, date” game involving Minogue, actress Nicole Kidman and performer Rhonda Burchmore, the prime minister initially declined, saying he had “just got married” and was “only six months in.”

After Osborne urged him to answer hypothetically, Albanese replied, “Kylie, clearly.” When the host then asked whether he would “marry Kylie, and shag her, and date her,” he responded, “All of the above,” adding, “She’s terrific.”

The remarks quickly drew criticism from opposition politicians and independent lawmakers. Independent MP Zali Steggall said Albanese should have rejected the game entirely and described his participation as sexist, while Liberal senator Sarah Henderson called the comments “disrespectful to women, embarrassing to Australians and demeaning to the office of Prime Minister.”

Albanese issued a brief statement on July 6, saying: “I apologize unequivocally for the comments.”