The world of comedy is no stranger to controversy, but every so often, a joke lands with such a thud that it sends shockwaves far beyond the stage.

That’s precisely what happened at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival, where a Triple J breakfast show co-host found herself at the centre of a heated debate after making a risqué joke about a Holocaust victim.


Concetta Caristo, known for her quick wit and irreverent humour on ABC’s youth radio station, was performing her stand-up routine when she riffed on the idea of being a 'girls’ girl'—someone who could get along with any woman, even those from history.

'Put me in a room with Cleopatra and I’d be like, "Oh my god, I love your eyeliner", or with Anne Frank and I’d say, "Slut, I have a diary too! Congrats on the book deal",' she quipped.


While it’s unclear how the live audience reacted, the fallout online and in the media was swift and severe.

Dvir Abramovich, chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission, called it out, saying, 'a brutal desecration of the memory of Anne Frank and the one-and-a-half million Jewish children who were murdered in the Holocaust—gassed, shot, starved, erased.'

'When someone takes a victim of genocide and turns her into an obscene punchline, they don’t just mock her, they violate her,' he continued.

Abramovich highlighted the inaccuracy and insensitivity of the punchline, further stating, 'Anne Frank… didn’t get a book deal. She got typhus. She got starved. She got a death sentence in Bergen-Belsen.'


He also took issue with the use of the word 'slut,' describing it as 'a term of sexual humiliation aimed at a girl who never lived long enough to become a woman.'

For those who may not know, Anne Frank was a 15-year-old Jewish girl who died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945 after spending two years hiding from the Nazis in Amsterdam.

Her diary, published posthumously, has become one of the most potent and enduring accounts of the Holocaust, read by millions around the world.

The incident has reignited a long-running debate about the boundaries of comedy, especially regarding sensitive historical subjects.

Is there ever a place for dark humour about tragedies like the Holocaust? Or are some topics simply off-limits, no matter the context or intent?

It’s worth noting that comedy has always pushed boundaries. Many comedians argue that nothing should be sacred if the intent is to provoke thought or challenge taboos.

However, others believe that jokes about real-life suffering, especially on the scale of the Holocaust, risk trivialising unimaginable pain and perpetuating harm.

The ABC has yet to comment on the incident, and Caristo herself is currently overseas, according to her social media.

Whether she will address the controversy directly remains to be seen.

This isn’t the first time a comedian has sparked outrage with Holocaust-related material, and it likely won’t be the last.

But it does raise important questions about the responsibilities of public figures, especially those with a platform on national media, to consider the impact of their words.

For our Seniors Discount Club members, many of whom grew up in the shadow of World War II or have personal connections to its history, this story may hit particularly close to home.

The memory of the Holocaust is not just a chapter in a history book—it’s a lived reality for survivors and their families, and a solemn reminder of the dangers of hatred and intolerance.


Do you think comedians should have free rein to joke about any subject, or are there lines that shouldn’t be crossed? Have you ever been offended by a joke, or do you believe humour can help us process even the darkest parts of our past? Share your views in the comments below.

Read more: Unexpected turn of events casts shadow over festival’s opening night