Jake Short apologized after a resurfaced 2024 podcast clip went viral, with backlash over a “disrespectful” joke he made about his now-ex fiancée, Mika Abdalla.
Jake Short didn’t wait long to address the uproar—after an old podcast clip resurfaced and spread fast online, he took to Instagram Stories early Saturday to apologize for what he called a “disrespectful, juvenile joke.”
The former Disney Channel star said he’s aware the comment was inappropriate and that he wants to take responsibility. In his statement, Short wrote, “I made a disrespectful, juvenile joke in a clip that recirculated this week. It’s imperative to me that I take accountability as I am aware that it was inappropriate.”.
The backlash traces back to a now-viral segment from a 2024 episode of Short’s podcast, “The Sit and Chat.” In the clip, Short referred to Abdalla as “some bitch” while speaking with cohost Bradley Steven Perry.
Short pushed back on the idea that the remark reflects who he is or the relationship he shared with Abdalla, the “Off Campus” star. He added in his Instagram statement, “I continue to learn from this situation and work to show people the respect they deserve.”
The apology arrives shortly after Short and Abdalla announced their split on June 1. As the old footage gained new attention. the exes responded to speculation about their relationship with a joint statement to Us Weekly. In that message. they said. “We’ve seen a conversation around clips of us together when we were in a relationship. and people making harmful and inaccurate assumptions about our dynamic. We were in a loving, respectful relationship for five years … it’s hurtful to see playful moments dissected in a way that does not reflect the respect and love we had and still have for each other.”.
Now, with the resurfaced joke driving fresh conversation, Short is putting the focus back on the moment he says crossed a line—and the accountability he says he should have taken earlier.
Jake Short Mika Abdalla The Sit and Chat Bradley Steven Perry Disney Channel Off Campus podcast controversy Instagram Stories apology viral clip