TV star accosted

Project ‘joke’ backfires

FORMER The Project star David “Hughesy” Hughes has revealed he was accosted by two large men on a busy Sydney beach over a joke told on the current affairs show that sparked widespread outrage.

Hughesy told 2DayFM listeners he was heading home from a dip at Bondi beach on Monday when he heard a “big, muscly bloke” yell out his name.

The radio host said the man asked him: “You on The Project?”

“You against Jesus? If you are, I’m gonna bash you.”

Hughesy, who left The Project a decade ago, said he told the men he was no longer part of the show.

The Network Ten show hosted comedian Reuben Kaye as a guest on the program last Tuesday.

“I love Jesus, I love any man who can get nailed for three days straight and come back for more,” Kaye said during his time on the panel.

The controversial comment sparked widespread outrage among groups of devout Christians, who have organised rallies and protests in response.

On Friday evening, 30 men marched up a busy street in Newtown, Sydney, all chanting the Lord’s Prayer.

The group was filmed and photographed walking up King Street, protesting against the joke made by Kaye, who is proudly queer.

Hughesy went on to tell radio listeners about the great lengths he went to to convince his “fans” he was in fact a Christian man.

“I told him I was a Catholic,” he said. “I said I went to a CBC, which is a Christian Brothers college. I said I've taken the Eucharist.”

Hughesy said the man then proceeded to ask him for his phone number.

“I gave him my number, yeah,” Hughesy said. “I thought I’d better give him the right number because he’ll ring it straight away.”

Hughesy’s co-host Erin Molan asked if he was “that scared” he felt the need to hand out his private details.

“I did!” he said.