Matty Healy sparks backlash over interview that mocks Japanese, Hawaiian and Scottish people

Matty Healy has sparked a backlash over a podcast interview in which he and the hosts mocked Japanese, Hawaiian and Scottish people.

The 1975 frontman appeared in the latest episode of The Adam Friedland Show with comedians and podcast hosts Friedland and Nick Mullen.

During the conversation, Healy, Friedland and Mullen appeared to make a number of derogatory remarks about women, as well as mocking the indigenous Scots language, and Chinese and Hawaiian accents.

At one point in the podcast, Healy mentioned US rapper Ice Spice, whom he claimed he tried to message on Instagram, sparking a conversation about her. The group then appear to confuse her heritage by referring to her as Hawaiian, Inuit and Chinese, mocking the accents of each.

Further on in the podcast, the British singer encouraged the hosts to do impressions of Japanese people working in concentration camps, later joining in himself.

The Independent has contacted Healy’s representatives for comment.

The group made a number of derogatory comments about women during the interview.

Within 15 minutes of the podcast beginning, Healy told Friedland that he would “f***” Friedland’s sister because “she’s hot”.

The group later joked about women’s periods and suggested that the moon controls menstrual cycles.

“It’s so funny that woman get f***ed up by the moon,” Friedland said, adding: “Meanwhile we went there – men!”

Healy laughed along with the comments and added: “F*** yeah, f***ing too right!”

At another point during the podcast, Healy complained that singer Harry Styles had been given a “pass” for “queerbaiting” – the term relating to suggesting that individuals are teasing queerness for personal gain in the LGBTQ+ community.

“I don’t think the gays really like it. I think it’s young girls who think it’s a new thing who are like ‘Oh my God’,” he added.

Styles has never confirmed whether he identifies as straight. In an interview with Rolling Stone published on 22 August last year, he appeared to defend himself from queerbaiting accusations.

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“Sometimes people say, ‘You’ve only publicly been with women,’ and I don’t think I’ve publicly been with anyone,” he said. “If someone takes a picture of you with someone, it doesn’t mean you’re choosing to have a public relationship or something.”

Further on in the chat, one of the hosts asked Healy about the meaning of the term “lairy” in England.

When asked if it was in reference to aggression, Healy called it a “stupid English word”, adding that it was a word “we make up to sound tough which makes us sound gayer”.

(Getty Images for KROQ)

During the chat, the hosts and Healy also discussed Scots, a recognised indigenous language, which they appeared to confuse with the Scottish accent.

“Scots is its own language which is like retard English,” one of the hosts remarked, while Healey could be heard describing it as “medieval”.

At another point, while talking about a gambling website, one of the hosts joked that “they have child porn on the website”.

“Shout out!” Healey responded.

On Twitter, listeners branded the conversation “f***ing gross” and called out Healy for taking part.

Another tweet accused Healy of “disaraceful behaviour”.

“Matty Healy wtf is wrong with you,” one person tweeted.

Healey has previously caused controversy on tour by kissing fans on stage and appearing to perform a Nazi salute while marching on the spot during a live show.

His representative did not respond to The Independent’s request about the gesture.

His band, The 1975, are up for several awards at tomorrow’s (Saturday 11 February) Brit Awards, including Album of the Year, the biggest prize of the night.

The Independent has contacted a representative of the Brit Awards for comment.