The Last Leg presenter says sorry to one fan, amidst backlash from some over “sick” World Cup sketch about LGBT “heads on spikes”
The Last Leg’s Adam Hill has shared an apology to one fan after some LGBTQ+ viewers were left stunned by a “sick” and “tone deaf” parody song which aired during the most recent boradcast.
The controversy arose because of a reworking of popular England football anthem ‘Three Lions’, which had been altered to poke fun at FIFAs controversial decision to host the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where it’s illegal to be gay.
LGBTQ+ people in Qatar can be jailed for up to six years if convicted of having sex, and under Sharia law homosexuality is punishable by the death penalty.
Additionally, Qatar’s human rights record is abysmal, and it’s reported that 6,500 migrant construction workers died in the process of building their World Cup stadiums.
The Last Leg parodying current political climates is no new thing, but for some viewers this particular performance – though perhaps well-intended – landed a little left of the mark.
The team referenced the controversy surrounding Qatar and the 2022 World Cup, switching up the line “It’s coming home”, to “Its coming home, it’s coming home-aphobic.”
All fine.
Another lyric was tweaked to: “Cheer them all you like, but they say gay is sinning.”
Also fine.
But the bit people took issue with was a particular 12 seconds, which included a line about beloved British comedian and Drag Race UK judge, Alan Carr:
“In Qatar, if Alan Carr toured and was joined by Boy George and then even RuPaul, they could end up three heads on a spike.”
THIS IS SO ??? 😭 pic.twitter.com/AkjeKvVr5f
— Monbers Phonic (@MonopolyPhonic) November 22, 2022
Fans were quick to comment on the show’s World Cup Anthem for Qatar – with many left absolutely gobsmacked.
“So The Last Leg did a cheery version of Three Lions about gay people being beheaded”, said one user.
“I’m fully aware that it was done as a satirical barb at Qatar but it was still an audience gleefully singing “three heads on a spike”. Absolutely gruesome and unbelievably wrongheaded.”
While another said: “I know last leg is very tongue in cheek but a gay club was just shot up and multiple people died on the eve of trans awareness day so this is fucking abhorrent.”
I know last leg is very tongue in cheek but a gay club was just shot up and multiple people died on the eve of trans awareness day so this is fucking abhorrent. https://t.co/Kn7GyRN3Pk
— DragonClue (@ClueDragon) November 22, 2022
With the topic still being discussed and the video still being shared online, presenter Adam Hill replied to one fan (November 23) saying:
“I’m sorry. This song was intended to be a protest at the World Cup being held in Qatar where it is illegal to be gay,” he wrote.
“It was filmed and aired before the horrific shooting in America.”
I’m sorry. This song was intended to be a protest at the World Cup being held in Qatar where it is illegal to be gay. It was filmed and aired before the horrific shooting in America.
— Adam Hills (@adamhillscomedy) November 23, 2022
Take a look at the full song below, along with some other tweets about the performance, to see what people are saying.
Since people are taking this 12 second clip out of context… Heres the full 2mins song from The Last Leg Series 26, Episode 1 https://t.co/MLqbwwCwAl pic.twitter.com/PnEBhtgApr
— Magician (@WarzoneCheater) November 22, 2022
Not reposting that ‘The Last Leg’ video, but if you think straights singing a funny little song about queer heads on spikes constitutes support for the LGBTQ+ community…it really fucking does not.
— Fancy Brenda 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (they/them) (@SpillerOfTea) November 22, 2022
Has channel 4 said anything about that fucking disgraceful last leg song yet? I feel *quite* sick about it
— 𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒉 🏳️🌈 they/he (@_nathan__k) November 22, 2022
In regards to that cringe worthy Last Leg song I’m begging the cis het libs to ,for once, read the fucking room.
— Tess Stenson (@TessStenson) November 23, 2022
“Actually in context that Last Leg song really sends a powerful message” pic.twitter.com/LQDWbCW0UD
— THE AWARD WINNING Céilí Rae Minogue (@CeiliRae) November 22, 2022
You know what, I’m not mad at that Last Leg clip at all. If the combination of beloved-jaunty-football-song and graphic descriptions of executing queer people feels jarring then yeah, good. You can’t cheer on this world cup without looking the latter in the eye. Fuck ’em.
— Chris Bush (@ChrisBushWrites) November 22, 2022
not just the way that the last leg had no misgivings about making a cheery little parody song about the m*rder of lgbt ppl (esp qatari lgbt ppl), but also that they supplied OUR flag to the audience and got them to laugh and dance and wave it like it was fuckin pride or some shit
— a’lissa 🍑⚾️ (@sapphfics) November 22, 2022