An Edmonton talk show has shut down after a staffer posted a rape joke on its Facebook page.
"To The Point" was a satirical, current affairs show hosted by Edmonton Coun. Mike Nickel.
On Monday, it was announced on the show's now-deleted Facebook page that it would be going off air after controversy over an inappropriate meme that was posted on the show's page over the weekend.
The image depicted convicted rapist Brock Turner and accused rapist Bill Cosby leering over the character Snow White with the caption "We couldn't resist... We're just going to post this here and see what happens..."
The post sparked an uproar on social media, with users asking Coun. Nickel to explain himself.
“It was such a stark image. It was so transparently making a joke about assaulting an unconscious female, which, from the perspective of what’s happening and the larger conversation around rape culture, is really disturbing to come from someone in leadership,” said Brandy Burdeniuk, a resident of Nickel's ward, to Metro News.
Nickel took to his personal Facebook page to post an apology for the incident on Sunday.
"I am truly sorry this posting occurred and in no way endorse it in any shape, form or fashion. Yet as a representative of the show and public figure, I cannot and should not remove myself from the fact it did happen on my watch and in connection to my show," he wrote.
“ ... it did happen on my watch.”
— Edmonton Coun. Mike Nickel
The show's producer Matthew Altheim also posted an apology. The initial post noted a volunteer had posted the joke, but it was later reworded to put the blame on a "person associated with the show."
A former panelist says the show's banter often pushed the envelope, but this time it went too far.
“There was a big push and a desire, and I get it, to try and be edgy and really controversial and get people talking about the show, have some buzz," Daniel St. Pierre said in an interview with CTV News.
He added that what that actually translated to were some "clumsy jokes."
"To The Point" had been on hiatus for six months prior to the meme controversy. It has now gone off air for good, CBC News reported.
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