High profile entertainment reporter Peter Ford has blasted comedians who poked fun at the attempted assassination of former US President Donald Trump on a top-rating television quiz show.
Several panellists made light of the incident during an episode of Channel Ten‘s Have You Been Paying Attention, which aired last Monday night.
The former US President miraculously survived after shots were fired by a would-be assassin at a rally in Butler, in the American state of Pennsylvania, on July 14.
Gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20 fired from a roof 120metres from the rally stage, hitting Trump in the right ear.
The terrifying incident claimed the life of 50-year-old father Corey Comperatore, an innocent onlooker at the rally.
Less than 48 hours later, a photo of a bloodied Trump moments after the chaos appeared on screens of HYBPA, prompting quizmaster Tom Gleisner to ask the celebrity guests if they knew what happened.
Stand-up comedian Anne Edmonds immediately pressed her buzzer and gave a swift response.
‘A very poor shot,’ she replied.
Stand-up comic Anne Edmonds (pictured) made a joke during an episode of the hit Channel Ten television show Have You Been Paying Attention last week
The audience erupted in laughter and cheers before fellow comedian Sam Pang chimed in moments later to give the correct response.
‘He was shot at Tom… assassination attempt,’ he said.
2Day FM radio presenter and regular panellist Ed Kavalee couldn’t resist adding to the banter with a joke about Trump’s wife.
‘I believe they found the shooter… Melania on the grassy knoll,’ he quipped.
The clip featuring the offensive comments has since been deleted from the episode on Channel Ten’s streaming platform.
Ford, who has reported on entertainment news across radio and television for almost four decades, took to X to express his disappointment.
‘Innocent man died but it’s still considered comedy fodder,’ the veteran showbiz reporter fumed.
Fellow comedian and radio presenter Sam Pang (pictured) chimed in moments later to give the correct response
Dozens of viewers on social media agreed and believed the joke was inconsiderate.
‘Shameful and disrespectful but they got some laughs, so they feel good about themselves,’ one person wrote.
‘As someone with a very dark sense of humour and not easily offended I would say objectively that was just a weak gag,’ another person wrote.
Others called for the episode to be reported to the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
But some said the joke should be viewed as a form of humour.
So nice to be able to make comedy of the news without caring what some [Americans] think,’ one person wrote.
Ford fired back and said the the joke lacked a sense of awareness that a man was killed during the incident.
‘I doubt the family of the murdered man feel that way. It’s not about respecting Trump it’s about accepting innocent people lives were changed.
Entertainment reporter Peter Ford (pictured) took to social media to express his disappointment at the joke
The former US President (pictured) miraculously survived after shots were fired by a would-be assassin at a rally in Butler, in the American state of Pennsylvania, on July 14
It’s since been revealed that the clip featuring the offensive comments has been deleted from the episode on the network’s streaming platform.
‘The show is filmed 24 hours ahead of airing. They had plenty of time to contemplate broadcasting it!’ Ford later added.
Have You Been Paying Attention is a comedy quiz show that first aired in 2013 and celebrated its 300th episode last Monday night.
The program features five guests, who each compete against each other, to answer questions about the biggest news events of the week
