Kmart Australia's decision to pull an unfortunately named 'Merry Ham-Mas' bag from its shelves has made headlines in the US with John Oliver quipping the holiday season had started a little early.
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The Last Week Tonight host said "it feels like ham-mas starts a little earlier every year, doesn't it? One day it's ham-oween, the next, your neighbour's hanging up ham-mas lights".
"Things are, understandably, very tense right now, and it seems like everyone is finding themselves making mistakes, and I do mean everyone," he said.
Oliver showed a clip of Nine's Brooke Boney announcing Kmart's decision to pull the badly named Christmas ham bag from its stores.
"Yeah, that is too similar," quips Oliver
"It'd be like naming your child John Blaine-gacy, it's too close for comfort."
"But spare a thought for Australian Kmart there, how were they supposed to know that Hamas was going to launch a terrorist attack so close to the 'ham-mas' season."
The calico bag was pulled after the Australian Jewish Association wrote to Kmart's parent company Wesfarmers arguing it "may cause the company some embarrassment".
"Check out the special Christmas bag currently available via K-Mart online. Yes, it's real!!" the AJA posted on X.
"Although this is potentially funny (the AJA committee has tossed around some non-PC jokes) it's really not a good look," the post said.
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Kmart removed the bags from their shelves saying "we got it wrong on this occasion and we apologise unreservedly".
Charmaine Manuel
Charmaine is a journalist at The Examiner. She's interested in social, political and environmental issues. Got a story? Get in touch at charmaine.manuel@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Charmaine is a journalist at The Examiner. She's interested in social, political and environmental issues. Got a story? Get in touch at charmaine.manuel@austcommunitymedia.com.au
