Latest news with #insensitivity
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘S**t joke': Aussie disability campaigner heckles British comedian over ‘insenstive' jokes
An Australian disability campaigner has slammed a British comedian over jokes about Type 1 diabetes. Campaigner Carmen Azzopardi was watching Paul Foot at the Moth Club in Hackney, in London's inner east, when the comedian launched into a 10-minute set filled with jokes about diabetics. In a video she shared on TikTok, Azzopardi claimed that Foot poked fun at people who wear glucose monitors, before mimicking someone having a hypoglycaemic attack by shaking. He also allegedly told the crowd that diabetics that suffer such episodes while wearing medical tech to help prevent them are 'idiots' because they 'don't know how to use their technology'. She said the comedian suggested diabetics have a 'victim mentality' and that it's 'not a real illness'. Speaking up during Foot's set, Azzopardi shouted from the audience: 'That was a s*** joke. I have Type 1 diabetes, that was extremely insensitive and miss-informative.' Foot rebuffed Azzopardi's heckling, insisting that he wasn't being insensitive toward people who live with diabetes. 'I don't think it's up to you to decide if it's insensitive or not,' continued the disability campaigner. The comedian then insisted that 'comedy is subjective' before going on to hit back at the Aussie woman for making the end of his set 'awkward' for everyone in the audience. 'Due to the failure of you to grasp that simple intellectual point, cause you fail to grasp the difference between these issues, cause of that it's ending in an awkward way,' he said. Foot then called out Azzopardi for talking during the end of his set and told the audience that she was on the 'emotional side' of an 'intellectual argument'. Azzopardi later added that the entire incident was 'deeply embarrassing' for the British comedian. 'All in all, deeply embarrassing for him, deeply, deeply sickening to witness as someone who is living with that disease,' she said in the TikTok video. 'It's probably one of the most blatant acts of ableism that I have ever personally experienced since being diagnosed with this illness, because that's what it is, it's an illness, not a punch line to a joke. I've never heckled/interrupted/called out during a show before but this was absolutely beyond disgusting and someone needed to say something.' Comments on TikTok were divided, with Aussie radio host Abbie Chatfield remarking: 'What a f**king loser … what is this niche diabetes beef???? Well done for standing up for yourself and others queen.' 'This is so weird? Did someone with diabetes break up with him? This is such a random gripe to have,' quizzed another. However, others inferred that the campaigner needed to grow a thicker skin when going to comedy shows. 'I understand how insensitive that must have felt but isn't this what comedy shows and satire is? It's joking and making fun of sometimes serious topics,' replied one. With another commenting: 'While I admit his jokes definitely weren't funny I don't agree with the 'you're so brave standing up' culture. I was at a gig were someone kicked off about a joke aimed at wearing glasses, it's a joke it's not real. If you are offended by jokes, even bad ones, just don't go to comedy shows.'
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Aussie is praised for booing at UK comedian after 'deeply sickening' joke sparks heated back and forth in front of audience: 'That was extremely insensitive'
An Aussie disability campaigner has been praised after furiously hitting out at an English comedian over a 'deeply sickening' joke about diabetes. Carmen Azzopardi, a type 1 diabetic, was appalled when Paul Foot launched into a ten minute skit on diabetes sufferers during his show at the Moth Club in Hackney, east London, last Wednesday. Ms Azzopardi called out the comedian on stage but Foot hit back and said he disagreed his comments were 'insensitive'. In the ten minute skit, Ms Azzopardi claimed Foot 'made fun of people' who wear continuous glucose monitors - a device diabetics use to keep track of their blood glucose levels. He then mimicked a diabetic having a hypoglycaemic episode by shaking on stage, before suggesting they die after suffering a heart attack. In footage shared on TikTok by Ms Azzopardi, she could be heard booing and calling out the comedian following the skit. 'That was a s*** joke. I have type 1 diabetes, that was extremely insensitive and mis-informative,' she said. Foot hit back and said he didn't believe he was being insensitive as he attempted to continue his set. 'I don't think it's up to you to decide if it's insensitive or not,' Ms Azzopardi said. The pair continued to clash in a tense exchange as the comedian argued 'comedy is subjective' while the audience could be heard nervously laughing intermittently. Foot went on to blame her for the show's 'awkward' ending. 'Due to the failure of you to grasp that simple intellectual point, cause you fail to grasp the difference between these issues, cause of that it's ending in an awkward way,' he said. Ms Azzopardi said her friends urged her to leave the gig, but she wanted to stand her ground and avoid the comedian making fun of her once she had left. Foot then called out Ms Azzopardi for talking while he was finishing up his set and said they would never agree over his comments as he was sharing 'an intellectual argument' while she was on 'the emotional side'. The disability campaigner explained why she was angered by Foot's comments in a video following the exchange. 'All in all, deeply embarrassing for him, deeply deeply sickening to witness as someone who is living with that disease,' Ms Azzopardi said. 'It's probably one of the most blatant acts of ableism that I have ever personally experienced since being diagnosed with this illness, because that's what it is, it's an illness, not a punch line to a joke.' Social media users overwhelmingly agreed with Ms Azzopardi. 'Is the joke in the room with us? I don't understand which part is meant to be funny. Well done for calling him out!' one said. 'This is so weird? Did someone with diabetes break up with him? This is such a random gripe to have,' another wrote. 'Why were people laughing? Not a single thing in this clip was funny,' a third added. 'I have type 1 diabetes and I used to do stand up and there is a way to make tasteful jokes about YOUR own illness and experience but this ain't it,' a third said. However, disagreeing with the campaigner, one wrote: 'God forbid a comedian tells a joke.'
BBC News
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Comedian Andrew Lawrence's show axed after Liverpool parade joke
A comedian's show has been cancelled after a social media backlash over a comment he made about a car ploughing into a crowd in LiverpoolAndrew Lawrence joked he would "drive through crowds of people" to get out of the city as well, in a post that has been commented on more than 7,000 times on least 65 people were injured in the incident on Monday, and comedy venue Caddies in Southend has cancelled Lawrence's upcoming gig.A spokesperson said it did not "condone or support the comment made online" and confirmed ticket holders would be contacted about refunds. Many of the comments on the 37-year-old comedian's post have expressed anger at its insensitivity, with one user describing it as "horrific".Police are continuing to question the suspected driver of the car that crashed into the crowd, which had gathered for Liverpool's Premier League victory parade."We send everyone impacted by the tragic events in Liverpool our support and prayers," the Caddies spokesperson on X, Lawrence said: "This venue lost their courage after being bombarded with abuse and threats of violence from online trolls. Understandable, but disappointing. "I will reschedule for later in the year at a different venue in Southend, sorry for the inconvenience, have a great day." Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
