Actor who starred alongside Prince Harry in skit was suspended for saying ‘Jews were expendable’

A Kiwi comic who starred alongside Prince Harry in a bizarre video skit promoting eco-travel once called Jewish people ‘expendable’, said Hitler ‘had a right’ and that HIV sufferers deserved to be ‘roasted’ in a brutal comedy roast more than a decade ago, it has emerged.

Dave Fane, the creator of animated TV series Bro’Town, appears in Harry’s five-minute video as a ‘rating agent’ who ambushes the British royal as he jogs through California, which doubles as the backdrop for New Zealand woodland.

In the clip, Fane claims he is meant to be assessing the duke, saying: ‘I’m supposed to be rating Harry. You’ve got Harry Styley and I’ve got the stylish Harry.’ 

It has since reemerged that the 56-year-old came under fire for making a string of allegedly racist and homophobic comments at the inaugural Radio Roast in 2010.

Fane told an audience at the comedy event that ‘Hitler had a right’, that ‘Jews were expendable’, and that HIV sufferers deserved to be ‘roasted’, Stuff reported. 

At the event, he said: ‘Would you roast an HIV person? You’d roast them because they’re expendable, like the Jews. Hitler had a right, you know.’

The jokes were so incendiary that at the time, Fane was suspended from his position as host of breakfast radio show Flava for a week, with Radio Network chief executive John McElhinney saying that the remarks were inappropriate even in the context of a ‘roast’.

Apologising to the New Zealand Aids Foundation and New Zealand Jewish Council, Fane said: ‘They were dumb words, said by a dumb man.’ 

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Fane and the Duke of Sussex for comment. 

In the five-minute video, published on the YouTube page of Harry’s non-profit organisation Travalyst today, the Queen’s grandson is ambushed by ‘rating agent’ Rhys Darby and accused of dropping a lolly wrapper four years earlier on a trip to the country with Meghan.

The bizarre skit, which also features Kiwi actor Rena Owen, launches the first-ever initiative launched in New Zealand for the British prince’s non-profit Travalyst organisation, founded in 2019, in which holidaymakers, rather than holidays, are rated for how sustainable they are. Kiwis now have access to a rating tool on the Travalyst website as part of a pilot initiative encouraging travellers to consider sustainable options during planning for their next trip.

It is unclear why the duke chose New Zealand for the project, but Harry is known to love the country and considered moving there with his wife when they acrimoniously quit as frontline royals, before opting for LA instead. 

He told Maori television’s current affairs programme Te Ao with Moana: ‘The Maori culture inherently understands sustainable practices and taking better care of our life-giving land, which are critical lessons we can all learn and that is why I’m here with you to share a new kaupapa.’ 

In the skit, Harry – who is dressed in a grey ‘Girl Dad’ t-shirt and sporting Apple Airpod headphones – is at first given three stars out of five, and then three and a half – as stamps on his arm – for only using one towel and for buying local honey. He is also praised for not leaving the tap running while brushing his teeth.

‘I never do… Hang on a second. How do you know that?… That’s really weird,’ Harry quips.

The duke insists the wrapper is not his, with comedian Darby saying: ‘It might have been a confusing time, it was windy.’ Harry responds: ‘I don’t think it was confusing. It was an incredible time. We had an amazing time in New Zealand. It’s beautiful.’

Fane, who plays another rating agent, arrives claiming he is meant to be assessing the duke, saying: ‘I’m supposed to be rating Harry. You’ve got Harry Styley and I’ve got the stylish Harry.’

The duke delivers several phrases in Te Reo Maori as he chats with Star Wars actress Owen, who pulls up in a van to check on the disorganised agents during the skit which was filmed in California. Asked how he is, the duke responds back in Maori with ‘Kei te pai’ [I am fine] and admits the rating ‘has got me thinking’.

Launching his campaign on Maori Television’s current affairs programme Te Ao with Moana, Harry described New Zealand as a country of ‘sustainability pioneers’ and called his project his ‘new kaupapa‘ – the Maori word for work that is considered principled and for public good. 

He went on to praise Maori culture, which he said ‘inherently understands sustainable practices and how to take better care of our life-giving-land, which are critical lessons which we can all learn’. 

Travalyst CEO Sally Davey said New Zealand was an ‘obvious fit’ for the new project, telling Stuff Travel: ‘We really wanted to start this journey in a place where sustainability is already embedded in the destination – particularly in the local community.

‘The Duke in particular is very aware of Maori culture and kaitiakitanga [guardianship] and felt very strongly, as we all did, that Aotearoa was just an ideal setting for the pilot.’ 

In a statement, Harry said: ‘In a world where we’re tasked with rating so many things, we’re now asking: what if your destination rated you? 

‘Starting in beautiful Aotearoa New Zealand, we’re launching our first campaign. There is a well-known Maori proverb: Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, ēngari he toa takitini (success is not the work of an individual, but the work of many) – we invite you to be a part of our many.’ 

Referring to the country in its Maori-language name Aotearoa, Harry told Te Ao with Moana: ‘A few years ago I founded Travalyst, a non-profit dedicated to making sustainable tourism mainstream for all of us, and through that making systemic change. 

‘Every year more and more of us want better options, and for the first time Travalyst is striving to make that reality for everybody who wants to support local communities… and looking after nature and wildlife.

‘For our first campaign, we are encouraging people to flip the script. We’re always being asked for our feedback on our trips and experiences, but what would happen if our holiday rated us? It’s an important question to ask, and we want all of you to help us answer it.’

Harry added: ‘I’ve been to Aotearoa a number of times throughout my life, and I’ve always felt a deep connection and respect towards the Maori people, who make me feel so welcome every time. 

‘Most recently when I visited with my wife, we were touched by the connections we built and the incredible memories we have from our time there. 

‘We were particularly honoured to meet with young people, who are dedicated to the Maori culture and to giving back to their communities and their country. They are rightly determined to make this world a better place for the next generation.

‘Guided by Maori knowledge and practices, Aotearoa is a country of sustainability pioneers. The Maori culture inherently understands sustainable practices and how to take better care of our life-giving-land, which are critical lessons which we can all learn.’

‘It’s interesting to hear someone who’s a royal speak about Maori values, given our history but also given the current debates about having Maori values at the forefront of decision making and relationships,’ she said. 

‘We are open to talking to anyone… anything that particularly resonates with our values as Maori – whether we agree or not. We talk about the Crown every week. I’m hoping that we will have an interview further down the track to tease out that relationship between Maori and the Crown.’

Te Ao with Moana host Moana Maniapoto said Harry had been inspired by Maori values around kaitiakitanga, which translates to ‘guardianship and protection’.   

In 2018, the Prince returned to New Zealand with Meghan Markle. 

The pair discussed moving to there according to the Queen’s representative in the country.

That was more than a year before they stepped back from royal duties and moved to the US.

Former governor-general Dame Patsy Reddy recalled the couple saying they ‘could imagine living in a place like this’ and questioned whether it would be ‘theoretically possible’. 

She told Associated Press in an interview: ‘They were looking at how they might raise their family. And obviously they’ve made some decisions since.’ 

Harry and Meghan, shocked the world when in January 2020 they announced their intent to step back from senior royal roles, become financially independent and spend more time in North America. 

Recalling the couple’s trip to New Zealand, and how they appeared tired, Dame Patsy, 67, said: ‘I remember they’d just been down to the Abel Tasman National Park when we sat down and had a drink.

‘They said that they could imagine living in a place like this and wondered whether we thought it would be theoretically possible. Even possible for them to have a place in New Zealand.

‘Of course, we said, ‘Sure. It would be fine’. There are lots of opportunities to live in New Zealand, but that would be something that they’d have to explore.’

The discussion suggests the couple were considering options outside Britain less than six months after they married and well before their eventual move to the US. 

Dame Patsy said she did not view it as a formal request for assistance but more of an informal discussion about the couple’s hopes for the future.

She said they seemed impressed with access to the outdoors and their interactions with New Zealanders.

During a widely watched interview with Oprah Winfrey last year, Harry and Meghan said they had  offered to take a step back from royal life in a Commonwealth country such as South Africa or New Zealand.

Dame Patsy said she watched the interview but did not want to comment on internal royal family business.

‘I thought they were a lovely couple and I hope they’ve got a great future where they are,’ she said.

Harry feeling the heat? Prince goes semi-shirtless to get some sunscreen at California polo match as Palace aides ‘hatch plan to STOP the Sussexes taking Netflix crew into Queen’s Platinum Jubilee events

Prince Harry bared his chest at his latest polo match in California on Friday as a row brews over he and Meghan’s attendance at the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations in London next month.

The Duke of Sussex was changing his shirt on the sidelines and having sun cream or an ointment applied, before warming up for the match, held the same day as his son Archie’s third birthday.

He was spotted at the game as it was announced that he and Meghan, along with Prince Andrew, will not appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony on Thursday, June 2.

Palace aides are said to be concerned that attention surrounding a Netflix film crew following Harry and Meghan as part of their multi-million deal with the streaming giant could detract from proceedings.

Aides are reportedly planning to prevent the Netfilx crew filming inside any Jubilee events.

At the game in Santa Barbara, California, the prince was helped with the wardrobe change, with attendees catching a glimpse of his chest as he switched clothing.

The prince recently joined polo team Los Padres, having played the sport for most of his life. 

The club is run by his friend Nacho Figueras, who said he was ‘excited’ for the duke to join the ranks. 

‘My polo team has a platform where we use the sport and the platform to raise awareness for charities. Harry’s going to be a part of this team,’ he told KCLU. 

On Friday, palace officials announced that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not be allowed to stand on Buckingham Palace balcony for Trooping the Colour, in a decision made by the Queen.

She has decided that non-working royals will not stand on the balcony, with the plan also removing Prince Andrew from the viewing platform. 

Moments after the announcement, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed that they will attend some of the Jubilee celebrations with their children Archie and Lilibet.

But a team of palace aides will be put in place to stop the Netflix crew from filming inside the palace for any of the documentary about the couple’s lives.

They do not want the celebrations to be ‘exploit[ed]’ by the production team, after the couple signed the £112million deal in September 2020. 

‘Even if they accept that their Netflix crew can’t go into Buckingham Palace to film, they could cause problems – and at the very least cause a major distraction,’ a source told The Sun. 

‘Senior courtiers believe that Netflix will see it as one big opportunity to exploit their mega-millions agreement with the couple.’

It is understood that courtiers have said Netflix cameras will not be allowed in Royal properties including Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.

However the film crew could mix with crowds and shadow the couple while they are in VIP areas at public events for the Jubilee.

They may also try to join the couple inside other key locations, such as St Paul’s Cathedral, during the four days of celebrations. 

Last month, around 30 crew joined them at the Invictus Games, in The Netherlands.

On Friday, royal experts warned that Harry and Meghan’s return to the UK risks becoming the ‘focus’ of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

The couple announced their comeback just minutes after it was revealed they were banned from the Buckingham Palace balcony. 

A sensational statement at 3pm said the couple – as well as the Duke of York – would not be invited onto the balcony for Trooping the Colour, the spectacular start of her long weekend of celebrations. 

Tom Bower told MailOnline on Friday: ‘They have been forced to accept a downgraded role – grouped with all the other VIPs – but are clearly desperate not to be excluded. If the Palace is not remarkably careful, the Sussexes will milk the celebrations for their own benefit.

‘Hopefully, the Sussexes will be kept firmly in check to avoid their selfish interests dominating the celebration of the Queen’s awe-inspiring service to Britain.’

Royal author Angela Levin said the Queen had made a ‘great decision’ to restrict the balcony to working royals, adding: ‘It will have such a different positive atmosphere if there are working royals who support Her Majesty.’ 

On the Sussexes’ decision to attend other events she said: ‘The focus will be on them and how they behave, which the Jubilee shouldn’t be about’. 

Richard Fitzwilliams, another commentator, added: ‘There was [a danger] in the run up to it if this hadn’t been settled. I expect there will be an element of this in the US coverage.

‘However though there will still be a lot of speculation about what they will attend and what they will do, this is about one person. It is the Queen’s wish that they attend.

‘Although when they planned to do the Oprah interview they didn’t know Prince Philip would be ill, they nonetheless went ahead. That won’t be forgotten.

‘But the Queen wants the family to put on a united front. A huge amount has gone on behind the scenes to achieve this.’

Meghan Markle REMOVES all references to her doomed Netflix animation show ‘Pearl’ from Archewell website after woke production was axed by the streaming giant

Meghan Markle has wiped all references to her doomed Netflix animation ‘Pearl’ from her Archewell website after the series was axed by the streaming giant.

Pearl, the working title for the Markle-created show, was officially canceled last week as part of a wave of cutbacks prompted by Netflix’s drop in subscribers.

A prior description of the series under the Archewell Productions subsection was nowhere to be found on Sunday, 

‘Like many girls her age, our heroine Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome life’s daily challenges,’ a now-removed quote from Meghan read.

It continued: ‘I’m thrilled that Archewell Productions, partnered with the powerhouse platform of Netflix and these incredible producers, will together bring you this new animated series, which celebrates extraordinary women throughout history.

The quietly deleted references come a week after Netflix announced the cancelation of the animated show, in which Meghan was taking the role of executive producer along with David Furnish, Elton John’s husband.

Pearl, which focused on 12-year-old Pearl’s exploring achieving women throughout history, was only in the development stage.

The Archewell website now features ‘Heart of Invictus,’ a docu-series about competitors on their journey to the Invictus Games in The Hague in 2020, as the Duchess’ sole active media project.

It is Meghan’s and Harry’s second attempt within a week to salvage their status, after the Queen sensationally banned the couple from appearing at the palace’s balcony for Trooping the Colour, the start of the Jubilee commemorations.

The defiant Sussexes later revealed in a tweet via their friend and journalist Omid Scobie that they will still fly in from California – with Archie, three, and Lilibet, 11 months – for the events to mark the monarch’s 70 years on the throne that begin on June 2.

Meghan and Prince Harry established Archewell Productions in the autumn of 2020 to create scripted series, docu-series, documentaries, features, and children’s programming.

Pearl was expected to be the first animated series created by the production company.

It was set to see a young girl inspired by Meghan – whose name means ‘pearl’ in Welsh – take on various social injustices, while highlighting the work of feminist icons.  

Despite dropping Pearl, insiders claimed Netflix remains optimistic about the Archewell deal and has several projects planned, including a documentary series called Heart of Invictus, which follows the recent Invictus Games.

Netflix made several cuts in late April and early May, including dropping two other children’s shows and firing staff.

The streaming service scratched Dino Daycare, which was created by Jeff King, and the South Asian-inspired adventure Boons and Curses. Both shows were already in production.

Sources familiar with the cancellations told Deadline that Netflix had warned producers to take projects still in the development stage elsewhere.

It is unclear if they offered Archewell Productions similar advice. The streaming giant shelled out a $100million in the deal with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in September 2020.

As of yet, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are yet to produce any published content for the streaming giant. But the company has pinned hopes that their upcoming series documenting the recent Invictus Games will prove value for the money.

Meghan announced the now-canceled program last July. She was taking on the roles of ‘creator and executive producer’ – marking the first time the former actress and Suits star would work in the position of EP.

Filmmaker David Furnish, husband to musician Elton John, was also expected to serve as an executive producer on the series.

Meghan said Pearl would ‘weave together fantasy and history’ while focusing ‘on the adventures of a 12-year-old girl’ as she attempts to ‘overcome life’s daily challenges’.

While few details had been released about the series, many believed the show was based – at least in part – on Meghans own childhood, citing how she named the show and its title character Pearl, the original meaning of her name.

The name Meghan originated in Wales, where it is traditionally spelled Megan, however, it originally came from the Greek name Margaret, derived from the word margaritēs, which translates to ‘pearl’.

Pearl was not the first time that Markle has seemingly chosen to draw on her own life as the inspiration for her professional projects – something that she did most recently with her debut children’s book The Bench, which was firmly panned by readers on both sides of the Atlantic.

Meanwhile, over half of Netflix’s own reality TV shows and dramas released in 2018 have not been commissioned for a second series, compared with more than a third launched in 2017 and 28 percent in 2016, The Times reported.

It comes as the streaming behemoth has lost 200,000 subscribers in just three months, while shareholders of the US firm have been warned to expect another two million subscribers to leave in the three months to July.

Bosses say a second price rise in a year has played a part, while the company has lost 700,000 following its decision to pull out of Russia in the wake of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Netflix said the Covid boom had ‘created a lot of noise’ and blamed the slowdown on the return to normality after two years of lockdowns.

It also blamed password sharing for the rise in canceled accounts, as it estimated that about 10million households worldwide are watching its service for free by using the account of a friend or another family member.

The company has now started testing different ways of curbing password sharing in Chile, Costa Rica and Peru – and could extend this elsewhere if it proves successful. Bosses are also considering turning the service into a low-fee subscription supported by ads.