JOE BROLLY HAS said that he was not talking about presidential candidate Heather Humphreys while he made gestures mimicking oral sex on a recent episode of his podcast.

While appearing to impersonate a presidential candidate, Brolly mimicked someone performing oral sex while giving mundane answers to questions a presidential candidate might receive. 

A clip of that part of the episode has been widely shared and roundly criticised online, with Humphreys calling it “very misogynistic”.

In a post on social media today, Brolly sought to clarify what he was talking about at that point in the episode. 

“Just to be clear, on the podcast I was talking about Jim Gavin being unsuited to the insubstantial nature of the presidential campaign,” Brolly said.

“It was nothing to do with Heather.”

The podcaster then shared a transcript of the segment of the episode in question. 

Just to be clear, on the podcast I was talking about Jim Gavin being unsuited to the insubstantial nature of the presidential campaign. It was nothing to do with Heather. Transcript below. Podcast available on all platforms. pic.twitter.com/kwPYqvsqHx

— Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) October 10, 2025

He later posted a separate statement saying his actions were “in poor taste and never should have happened”. 

“During the podcast I made a childish, crude and inappropriate gesture,” Brolly said.

He said it had “nothing to do with the presidential candidates” and that he was making fun of “the stock questions and responses that happen in a presidential campaign”. 

The clip featured Brolly also saying that an Irish presidential campaign is “exactly like a nasty Rose of Tralee”. 

Asked about the it today, Humphreys said the video and Brolly’s comments were “targeted at women”.

“And I can tell you now I will not accept that. Many women across this country have been targeted like that, but I will stand up for the women of Ireland.

“And I can tell you one thing, it won’t knock me back.” 

Humphreys’ opponent in the race for the presidency, independent candidate Catherine Connolly, said she had not seen the video when asked about it this evening, but commented that “what has been reported is crude and disrespectful to women”.

“Women in public life deserve respect, not ridicule. Misogyny has no place in our politics or our media.”