Idols judge in South Africa gets job back after tweet uproar
Posted January 31, 2016 9:02 am.
Last Updated January 31, 2016 1:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
JOHANNESBURG – A comment by a judge in South Africa’s “Idols” television show stirred a national conversation, and it had nothing to do with music.
South African television network M-Net dropped Gareth Cliff from its judging panel for the reality singing competition after a tweet that some South Africans thought was racist. Cliff, who said his tweet was not racist and was instead a defence of free speech, then won a court case against M-Net and was reinstated on Idols South Africa.
Cliff, who is white, said Saturday that South Africa, which emerged from white minority rule in 1994, should continue a civil discussion about race.
The judge on the 12th season of South Africa’s version of the international franchise said: “The show will go on.”
Auditions are currently underway.