Chris Lilley has uploaded a series of deleted Jonah From Tonga scenes to social media despite a wave of outrage over the use of blackface in the caucasian comedian's portrayal of the Tongan schoolboy character.
Lilley's frequent posts over the last week have been seen as an act of defiance after Netflix axed four of Lilley's controversial shows in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.
The Australian writer and actor has not made an official comment about the situation, with his recent uploads of previously unseen Jonah footage being his first posts on social media in a month.
Fans commented in support of Lilley and his sharing of the clips, saying they loved his controversial characters and his claiming shows didn't deserve the criticism.
"How do people think this is racist? This is heartwarming," one YouTube user wrote.
Others insisted that despite Lilley's talent, Jonah shouldn't have been played by a white person: "Jonah From Tonga was beautifully written, just shouldn't have been you playing him," a Facebook user commented.
Lilley has continued to share more Jonah From Tonga clips even after The Sydney Morning Herald reported on the story of Filipe Mahe, who believes the character of Jonah was based on him.
"This is one of the saddest and most awful stories I've read in a long time," one Twitter user responded to the article.
"Chris Lilley took a real-life schoolkid, struggling with dyslexia and family tragedy, and turned him into a minstrel skit."
Media outlets have noted overwhelming similarities with the ABC documentary Mahe appeared in as a schoolboy and Lilleys character Jonah. Mahe told The Sydney Morning Herald he felt "embarrassed, full of hate, angry and exploited," after watching the show.
Lilley has portrayed several other characters that have prompted outrage over the span of his career, including an African American rapper named S Mouse who frequently uses the N word.
