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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Jimmy Carr’s Racist Joke

189 replies

Knutface · 06/02/2022 13:28

www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/feb/04/jimmy-carr-condemned-for-joke-about-gypsies-in-netflix-special

Not something that I find funny but it has highlighted something. Racism against Roma/Sinti people is widely acceptable and not treated in the same away as racism against other minorities. Years ago I worked for a local authority in an area with a fair few traveller sites and noticed that staff that would never dream of using slurs against black or Asian people openly did so against travellers. AIBU to think that this is the ‘joke’? Anti Roma sentiment is unfortunately widespread.

OP posts:
VladmirsPoutine · 06/02/2022 15:33

@DeeCeeCherry If Mo the Comedian or Munya had made that 'joke' I am willing to bet my house and life savings that they would have never worked again, not only in comedy but even the local steak house. They might have even ended up in jail for 'incitement'.

NutellaEllaElla · 06/02/2022 15:34

To be fair Baddiel has apologised a lot for that, is that not enough? It seems a little unreasonable to say he should never speak publically again.

MeSanniesareBrannies · 06/02/2022 15:38

@ElenaCouch

Because all i ever heard about travellors in general (not every individual) is that they are disruptive, litter, can be violent.

So I wouldn't choose to live close to a known traveler site, for fear of disruption to the neighborhood and also market value of my home.

I'm not trying to be offensive btw, I'm just trying to be honest and I guess, highlight my ignorance, so people know that there's a side that isn't hate filled.

You keep doing this and it’s driving me nuts. Travellers. There’s no ‘o’.

I’m not trying to be offensive. I’m also just being honest.

MeSanniesareBrannies · 06/02/2022 15:45

@NutellaEllaElla

To be fair Baddiel has apologised a lot for that, is that not enough? It seems a little unreasonable to say he should never speak publically again.
I don’t think that’s ‘enough’ for doing this to another human being, no.

talksport.com/football/708915/ex-nottingham-forest-striker-jason-lee-hits-out-david-baddiel-frank-skinner-fantasy-football/amp/

Jimmy Carr’s Racist Joke
MatildaJayne · 06/02/2022 15:48

It was a horrible, racist joke. It was also punching down, attacking those ‘lower’ in status or influence. Which is just plain cowardly. Who next, the disabled, the sick?

loislovesstewie · 06/02/2022 15:57

It's disgusting. Making a 'joke' about genocide? I mean how very, very funny!
Did you know that the Nazis perfected their mass murders by experimenting on Romany children? and then moved on to European Jewry once they had found out how to be 'efficiently' murderous? I suspect that they reasoned that no-one would disagree with murdering Romanies and once that was OK they then thought 'now for the Jews'.
I'm not saying BTW that the Nazis weren't going to try to eliminate Jews from Europe, but it has long made me wonder.

Staffy1 · 06/02/2022 15:57

It is taken just as seriously as any other racism by most people. Jimmy Carr is an unbelievable idiot if he thinks this is acceptable. He’s always looked like a relative of Hitler anyway.

lunar1 · 06/02/2022 16:04

I've been to see plenty of comedians live. Jimmy Carr is the only one where I left part way through. Some of his humour is vile. I think it was his jokes about date rape drugs that made me leave.

CorrBlimeyGG · 06/02/2022 16:08

It is taken just as seriously as any other racism by most people.

That's absolutely not true. There is no other minority group that so many people will openly generalise and negatively stereotype.

Sportslady44 · 06/02/2022 16:09

Jimmy Carr is vile and not remotely funny. End of.

titbumwillypoo · 06/02/2022 16:09

From what I've read I'm guessing most of you haven't actually watched the actual show. The point that I took away from actually watching is the ridiculousness of cancel culture and how people will cry "i'm offended" without the full facts or context of the thing they are SO offended by.

user1471447863 · 06/02/2022 16:19

@TheHaka

Let’s hope the travelers don’t catch up with him.
Why would he be worried? Apparently they are all fine law abiding upstanding members of the community that are unfairly persecuted. I doubt them telling him that he hurt their feelings and shouldn't do it again will bother him too much. Or are you suggesting something different? Hmm
DGRossetti · 06/02/2022 16:29

Surely the time to complain was when it was released ? Not two months later ? Because then it does look a little bit like people sniffing around for offence ?

I'm so disappointed in Victoria Coren Mitchell defending him as "a man full of goodness and kindness"

Maybe she knows him better than you ?

SmellinOfTroy · 06/02/2022 16:30

@TidyDancer

I don't particularly find Jimmy Carr funny but my take on it was more that he was highlighting how certain groups seem to be easily targeted. I don't necessarily think it should be taken at face value.
really??

If you think it’s unfunny and offensive, you are then gaslighted into thinking that the issue is with you, because your not getting the “joke”.

This with fucking bells on, if you don't find it funny then you are a 'snowflake'

BadHairDayExpert · 06/02/2022 16:30

www.theguardian.com/stage/2006/jan/06/comedy.bbc
He was being called out for making such jokes 16 years ago.
He has already predicted his own cancellation from ''untellable'' material he chose to do anyway - it is strange that it was released on Xmas Day but has taken a few weeks for the backlash to arrive.
Either Netflix will be happy that the publicity drives people to watch it or they will help with the cancellation.

OhWhyNot · 06/02/2022 16:37

The joke is that the majority of people still view travellers/gypsies with suspicion and are prejudice towards them why deny that

It’s not acceptable to be racist towards black people or Asian etc and as a society that upholds (of course we know too many people are racist)

Gypsies/travellers well they are often treated as if they are not worthy of thought

David Baddiel spent years defending offensive comedy I think he is jumping on a bandwagon with this one.

OhWhyNot · 06/02/2022 16:40

Jimmy Carr is an unbelievable idiot if he thinks this is acceptable. He’s always looked like a relative of Hitler anyway

Staffy1 that is funny. But many would say that is offensive or is it offensive to see humour in your observation….

DGRossetti · 06/02/2022 16:46

it is strange that it was released on Xmas Day but has taken a few weeks for the backlash to arrive.

It's almost as if the media wanted to crowd out some other big story and knew what dog-whistle to blow to achieve that.

Didn't Kate and Wills say that Jimmy Carr was one of their favourite comedians ?

SkiingIsHeaven · 06/02/2022 16:49

I know David Baddiel is no angel but I was specifically agreeing with what he said this time. I didn't want to pass it off as my own ideas/opinion.

DGRossetti · 06/02/2022 16:49

David Baddiel once appeared on a show with Michael Gove (when he was "Mikey" Gove the edgy Tory politician who "told it like it was").

I think we can leave it there, really.

You know that comedy has-been that became a rentaquote ?

I may have been made aware of his works

That's you, that is ....

If we need to remember the 90s.

Againstmachine · 06/02/2022 16:55

Whilst the joke isn't good I disagree with trying to censor or cancel comedians, we do need free speech on this country.

People still think the Germans episode of Fawlty towers Is offensive to the Germans it isn't, it's the English attitude to the war that is being satired.

Joinedforthis22 · 06/02/2022 16:56

*I'm so disappointed in Victoria Coren Mitchell defending him as "a man full of goodness and kindness"

Maybe she knows him better than you ?*

Yep, I'm sure she does. Diana Mosley said similar things about Hitler, she also knew him better than me.

Ihopeyourcakeisshit · 06/02/2022 16:57

What's the Baddiel controversy? I'm only vaguely familiar with him.

VladmirsPoutine · 06/02/2022 16:58

There is no other minority group that so many people will openly generalise and negatively stereotype.

Really? This is just not true.

Againstmachine · 06/02/2022 16:58

Yep, I'm sure she does. Diana Mosley said similar things about Hitler, she also knew him better than me.

Man tells joke , gets compared to Hitler Hmm