Comedian says Anthony Albanese 'knew what he was getting into' before podcast interview

By CAITLIN POWELL - NEWS REPORTER and ANDREW BROWN FOR AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: 02:45, 14 August 2026 | Updated: 02:46, 14 August 2026 A comedian said Anthony Albanese knew what he was getting into when he joined her podcast, which prompted comments about Kylie Minogue and a gift of melons from the Japanese Prime Minister that became a media firestorm. Albanese appeared on Nikki Osborne's Bush Deep podcast on July 3, where he was asked to choose which celebrity to sleep with, marry or date: Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman and Rhonda Burchmore.  'Kylie, clearly,' Albanese said. When Osborne asked if he would 'marry, shag or date' the singer, Albanese replied: 'All of the above... She's terrific.'  He apologised 'unequivocally' for his remarks but has since faced scrutiny over controversial comments and hand gestures referencing 'melons'.  Albanese said Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi gifted him crown melons during a May visit to Australia. 'She brought two and they're beautiful,' he said, gesturing with both hands in front of his chest. He has rejected calls to apologise over the incident and said on Friday the interpretation of the melon comments was incorrect.  The same day, Osborne appeared on Australian businessman Mark Bouris' Straight Talk podcast during which she said she thought she got the 'real' Albanese. Anthony Albanese appeared on Nikki Osborne's Bush Deep podcast on July 3 during which he made remarks about Kylie Minogue and a gift from the Japanese Prime Minister Comedian and podcast host Nikki Osborne (pictured) said Albanese 'knew what he was coming into' when asked about the interview by Australian businessman Mark Bouris Osborne, who interviewed the prime minister twice while hosting Nova 106.9's breakfast show in Brisbane, said she messaged Albanese on social media to invite him onto her podcast. 'I went, "Oh, the Prime Minister follows me", which was quite the shock. And then I'm like, "I'm gonna DM the PM and invite him",' she told Bouris. 'He got back to me straight away and went, "Sure, sounds like a lot of fun".  'He's watched the show. He knows my podcast, so he knew what he was coming into.' Osborne told Bouris she had insisted there would be no politics during the interview. 'I said, but "I don't want to talk policy. I want to talk personality, I want to come to your house, and I want to see your tie collection. I want to hang out with your dog",' she told the businessman. Bouris asked if she thought she had interviewed the real Albanese or 'the alter ego of him trying not to be the prime minister and just be Anthony Albanese, the Aussie'.  'I think I got the real one,' she said. Some of the scrutiny around Albanese's podcast appearance focused on his description of crown melons gifted to him by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (both pictured) Bouris said Osborne 'broke him down', to which she replied: 'Yeah, just through a few whiskeys. It wasn't hard. And a bit of Scrabble.' 'I personally think it was dumb that he had agreed to do it, and dumb that he fell into the question,' Bouris added. But Osborne said she thought Albanese was a 'good guy who just wanted to have a laugh'. 'I knew exactly what I was doing because that's why I organised the interview and it has kind of thrust my character – Bush Barbie did an interview with the Prime Minister – but it has created that moment that I was looking for,' she added. Albanese said on Friday that it was still appropriate for him to do interviews on podcasts. 'I do a range of interviews, including one with Ozzy Man Reviews, who puts words into his videos for animals that are engaging with each other,' he said. 'In modern media, I talk to a range of people, many of whom I don't agree with everything that they say.' Coverage of the podcast comments prompted a letter from Tokyo to Canberra, stating there had been 'sensationalised reporting in the Australian media' about the interview and that no action would be taken by the Japanese government.  Bouris (pictured) said he thought it was 'dumb' Albanese agreed to the podcast The letter was leaked to media outlets, prompting the Coalition to refer the issue to the Australian Federal Police, which Albanese dismissed as a political stunt.  The Prime Minister said on Friday that his comment and gesture had been misinterpreted. 'When I give interviews, anyone who has sat down with me... will see that I don't do them with my arms crossed,' he said while speaking to reporters in Canberra. 'The interpretation that some have put on this is simply not correct, and the Japanese ambassador has made that clear as well. 'I'm responsible for my words, and I note that of all of the words that have been written on this, none of my words have been criticised.'