'Embarassing and upsetting'

Ali G is facing a backlash for his comments on Radio One yesterday.

Creator Sacha Baron Cohen has been labelled a 'schmuck' by the country's biggest Jewish website for his comments on Sara Cox's breakfast show.

And the mum of Pop Idol star Gareth Gates has attacked him for making sick jokes about her son's stammer.

Jewish.co.uk said the comedian, who is Jewish, was 'out of date, out of touch' and that they will not be covering his activities 'until he learns to be less insulting to others'

In an open letter, the site's editorial said: "The country's bored and the Jewish community is embarrassed by your out-of-touch character."

"The fact that you are now resorting to cheap insults and even cheaper material to get attention just proves the character has run its course."

Meanwhile, Wendy Gates, said she was hurt when the comedian called her son "spasticated" on Sara Cox's Radio One show yesterday.

She told his local paper: "It is not just putting Gareth down, but a lot of other people who suffer from stammers as well.

"Gareth is a big fan of Ali G so he will be really disappointed. I am not surprised a lot of people are upset. It's not a very nice thing to say at all. When you hear people on the radio putting him down like this, it's very upsetting. "

Melvin Hunter of the British Stammering Association added. "We have had quite a few of these ignorant comments recently and we just assume they are an attempt at getting some publicity."

The Broadcasting Complaints Commission is to investigate complaints about the live interview.

Published: 20 Feb 2002