IT takes just nine minutes for John Safran and the ABC to plunge to new "comedic" depths this week.

Under the notion of exploring his attraction to Eurasians, Safran is filmed stealing the underwear of prominent Australian women - actress Dichen Lachman and singer Mahalia Barnes, among others - before sniffing them in a science laboratory.



The distasteful sketch features in the debut episode of John Safran's Race Relations, due to be screened on Wednesday.



Lachman, based in Los Angeles, has privately questioned the intention of the sketch, but she declined to discuss it with The Sunday Telegraph.



She and Barnes, the daughter of iconic Australian rocker Jimmy Barnes, were approached by Safran to discuss their mixed ethnicity.



During the interviews, Safran excused himself before being filmed allegedly stealing the women's supposedly unwashed underpants.



Later, he is filmed sniffing undergarments - also taken from Jewish friends - as part of a "scientific" test to discover if he is biologically predisposed in an attraction to Eurasians or Jews.



Safran said he expected some backlash over the series debut, in which he is also shown masturbating to an image of US President Barack Obama.



"I thought episode one was my mainstream episode ... maybe I got it wrong? There's seven and three-quarter episodes where I'm not masturbating. I can't be any more accommodating than that," he said.



Noting the underpants sketch was "set up", Barnes agreed the piece could prove publicly odious.



"People will be offended, but they shouldn't be watching the show. I wasn't personally offended," she said.



Australian Family Association spokesman John Morrissey described the show as "filth".



"It's the lowest point in Australian television history," he said.



Safran's new series prompts further questioning of the ABC's comedy approval processes.



In June, Amanda Duthie was removed as department head after allowing the screening of a Chaser skit, in which the troupe made light of the Make A Wish Foundation.



The skit drew widespread public condemnation, from the Prime Minister down.

