Audible gasps could be heard [at the Manchester Apollo on Friday night] when Carr quipped: “Say what you like about the servicemen amputees from Iraq and Afghanistan, we are going to have a f**king good Paralympics team in 2012.”
Lib-Dem Nick Harvey exclaimed: “Most people will think it in completely poor taste to try to extract humour from what are catastrophes.”
Tory MP Patrick Mercer added: ‘This was a remarkably dim and foolish thing to joke about. It’s not funny and this man’s career should end right now.'
Don't MPS have some important work to do, or are they desperate to stop us talking about their expenses.
It may seem poor taste to some but shock is in the nature of Jimmy Carr act, if you don’t like offensive gags, don’t watch him.
In a statement, Carr said: ‘I’ve got nothing but respect for the young men and women who put their lives on the line for this country. I’ve visited Selly Oak and Headley Court on many occasions. ‘I’m sorry if anyone was offended but that’s the kind of comedy I do. If a silly joke draws attention to the plight of these servicemen then so much the better. My intention was only to make people laugh.’
When Carr visited Headley Court earlier this year, he said it ‘really made him think’ about those injured in the line of duty.
British Forces Foundation director Mark Cann said at the time: ‘Jimmy was very funny, and the patients and staff alike thoroughly enjoyed his company.’
And at Selly Oak, Major Ian Cheesman told the comic: ‘It is not easy to meet personnel who have been seriously injured and whise lives have been dramatically changed, but your comfortable banter and obvious empathy proved to be a huge boost to both patients and their families.
He may even have picked the joke up on a visit to the guys there in rehab. The local media did a piece about the Paralympic training team going to Headley Court and other placers to give the Ex-soldiers/airmen some guidance on fitness for the future with a view to 2012/2016. So as distastful as it may seem to some, I suspect he's more guided and informed than most.
What is really offensive it sending soldiers over there in the first place and then not looking after them properly when they get back. And quite a few disabled service personnel do go into competitive sport. To say so hardly insults them.
Army Rumour Service debates this in a colourful way.
horseandhound are offended.
1 comment:
I was bemused by this story.
Carr's not my cup of tea really but this was pretty mild compared to some of his material - if the people who were 'shocked' at this (if they were) saw the rest of his show they'd have a heart attack!
One of the papers said that this was not a source of material for humour - well, I've got news for them, everything is a source for humour and that's fine. What it should not be is a source for hypocrisy where the same people who mock outrage at the joke support them getting blown to bits in the first place.
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