Following derogatory comments about disabled sports, podcast hosts Shayan Garcia and Nizar Akremi attacked critics and confronted guest Luke Mockridge.
First, Garcia announced the end of his podcast, “The Germans,” in a 12-minute Instagram video, saying, “We’ve hurt too many people, so we need to be torn apart.” But Akremi laughed and said, “No way!” “Nothing will end here.” He then addressed critics who had publicly called for consequences for Mockridge and the mediator.
Podcast Duo: “We Didn’t Commit Murder”
As for Mockridge, Akremi told critics that there was a systematic attempt to destroy people because of jokes that some people didn’t like. “This guy lost everything and it’s not enough,” Garcia said. “We didn’t commit murder,” he said. “We will take legal action against those who made personal attacks and incitements.”
The trio were publicly criticised for making disparaging remarks and gestures towards disabled sports on the podcast Die Deutschen. Mockridge said, “If you throw someone in a pool with no legs and arms, the last person to drown wins,” drawing much laughter from the hosts.
We apologize to those with disabilities.
The Sat. 1 network later cancelled the comedian’s new show ‘What’s in the Box?’, while Mockridge personally apologised to the players and announced that the opening show for his planned ‘Funny Times’ tour had been cancelled “due to the current situation”. Akremi’s Berlin appearance was also canceled.
At the end of the video, the podcasters addressed, as Garcia put it, “people with disabilities who have been deeply hurt and whose human dignity has been violated.” “I am truly and sincerely sorry. It was never my intention to hurt you.” They did not want to apologize to critics who “enjoyed the shitstorm.”
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240911-930-230064/2
