Liverpool lawyer takes on Sir Alan Sugar over circumcision jibe

May 9 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

APPRENTICE taskmaster Sir Alan Sugar may finally have met his match – in the shape of renowned Liverpool solicitor Rex Makin.

The well-known lawyer last night hit out at Sir Alan’s “bullying” of one of the contestants on the TV show about his Jewish roots.

The Amstrad tycoon, who is Jewish himself, confronted hopeful Michael Sophocles on Wednesday’s show asking if he wanted to take his trousers off to prove he’s circumcised.

Sir Alan questioned the half-Jewish contestant in the boardroom after the young businessman could not answer a question about what “kosher” chicken entailed.

Mr Makin, a prominent member of the Liverpool Jewish community, said the business guru had crossed the line.

Quizzing the telesales manager about his CV, the self-made millionaire demanded to know why he boasted about being “a good Jewish boy” without knowing what kosher meant.

Sir Alan said: “In your CV, the first thing you wrote on it is ‘I’m a good Jewish boy’, is this right?

“If you are unsure, we can always pull your trousers down and check.”

An embarrassed-looking Mr Sophocles replied: “I’m only half Jewish”, to which Sugar added: “You either are Jewish or you aren’t.

Mr Makin, one of Liverpool’s leading philanthropists, said Sir Alan’s comments were disgusting and the businessman should have known better.

Mr Makin added: “What Sugar said is absolutely disgusting. To bully someone like he did and demand to know the extent of their religious practices is terrible.

“If the boy was circum-cised, why should he have to drop his pants and prove it.

“Whether you are full or half Jewish all depends on your mother, not what phrases you understand.

“Sugar should know this.

“He is a positive horror and no-one with half a brain should watch him.”

But Leslie Bunder, editor of Jewish website Jewtas tic.com, defended Sir Alan’s comments and thanked him for raising Jewish issues.

Mr Bunder said: “The show was tongue-in-cheek and very entertaining.

“I would like to thank it for raising the profile of the Jewish communities and important Jewish issues.”

A BBC spokeswoman for The Apprentice show declined to comment.