Comedians defending Jerry Sadowitz

[FenlandFuckwit]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-62533592

His latest gig has been cancelled after he told racist jokes and got his dick out. Why are other comedians defending his right to do this? This behaviour is not ok, AIBU to think this is indecent and disgusting behaviour and the venue were correct in cancelling him.

"It's totally beyond the pale to suggest that women should take on the responsibility of thoroughly researching every act they see ahead of time (in Edinburgh, where it's the norm to see ten shows a day"

Oh, so people just don't have to take any responsibility then? Everyone has to be babysat in case they ever see anything that might (gasp) offend them?
If you don't like it, walk out like an adult.
Don't try to dictate what everyone else should find funny or offensive.

And I would love to see anyone trying to attend 10 shows in a day. It's certainly not "the norm" as you put it. If every show was even 1 hour long, you would have to have them all lined up straight away one after the other, and even then that would take 10 hours of viewing, not to mention that the venues are all across the city and widely spaced apart.

"oh Dear, we seem to have booked 10 shows today, I can't POSSIBLY have the time to look up what they are about, let's hope for the best".

But then again, you seem to know loads about the Fringe.

Maybe there are such weirdo's out there.

I've been loads of times, although but since the late 80s and early 90s. I saw some shocking things going round doing random walk ins. If I was of a sensitive disposition then yes I would research the acts before I went

"The audience are encouraged to get wasted"
Not at any of the JS gigs I have attended over the last 25 years. In fact, you are often told once you are in and seated that's it. You are discouraged from going to the bar as if you get up to go to the toilet you are not readmitted.

Anyone who has seen JS or done a single Google search before parting with hard earned ticket money knows he does this (or possibly the 18+ rating is a bit of a clue to the likely content).

Where does it say that he shoved his penis in a woman's face? Because I can find lots of reports of the Pleasance's oddly worded press statements saying first it was audience then it was "staff feeling unsafe" but not one which reports any claims that he shoved his penis in a woman's face.

The venue itself refused to clarify what it meant by "unacceptable"' in the light of their claim to support free speech.

You also don't seem to be answering the point you are quoting - perhaps you quoted the wrong part?

I didn’t realise he was Ebeneezer Goode.

Oh, so people just don't have to take any responsibility then? Everyone has to be babysat in case they ever see anything that might (gasp) offend them?

Reading the show description and content warnings on the Edfringe website IS the research.

Edinburgh Fringe sets out very clear guidelines for their acts, that when they fill in the form, they MUST include anything potentially offensive or triggering in the "content warning" box. And it's explicitly stated in the email guidelines that if your show contains nudity or even potentially contains nudity, you MUST write this in the box.

Jerry (or whoever filled in the form for his show) did not do that.

Please don't gaslight women by pretending it's all women's fault and women are to blame, and accusing them of not researching: LOOKING AT THE FUCKING CONTENT WARNING AND SHOW DESCRIPTION IS THE RESEARCH.

It's not their fault that Jerry made a deliberate lie of omission by not mentioning that his show contained potential nudity when he filled in the box where he was explicitly told to write if his show contains nudity or not.

I also think it's shameful to frame women who are upset at a non-consensual exposed penis (and women who object to racial slurs) as being infantile, or overly offended.

Fuck the Pleasance and it's fucking plastic saintliness.

I've seen several times on twitter now different people saying that the penis isn't real.

""I also think it's shameful to frame women who are upset at a non-consensual exposed penis ""

And I think it's shameful to intentionally dramatize an incident and reframe it to make it sound 10 times worse than it actually was, by using phrases like "shoving" penises in people's faces, instead of what ACTUALLY happened, which is that they went to an adult show clearly labelled as strong with elements of offence performed by a comedian with a 30 YEAR history of exposing his genitals, and then decided to take offence.

I’ve found this thread really surprising, I’ve been to a few comedy gigs and none of the acts exposed themselves, I didn’t know it was a thing. After reading this thread it appears to happen a lot😮. I would personally find that a really horrible experience. It reminds me of joining online dating after my divorce, only to receive a deluge of dick pics, didn’t realise at the time that this is a common experience either. It seems that a lot of men get off on exposing themselves, maybe as a sexual thrill or because they want women to be uncomfortable/shocked. Whatever the reason, I don’t personally think that freedom of expression should extend to vile men being able to get their dicks out without explicit invitation.

I also think it's shameful to frame women who are upset at a non-consensual exposed penis (and women who object to racial slurs) as being infantile, or overly offended

And I think its absolutely ridiculous to attend a show where its made clear someone will get their knob out, and then attempt to libel the performer as a sex offender.
It's also offensive to genuine victims of indecent exposure.

Anyone who can actually still afford the kind of joyfully scattergun, 10-shows-a-day approach that you are describing at today’s Fringe prices, @JemimaPuddlegoose, probably also has a paid PA to do the research for them.

Seriously though — that sounds more like how things were decades ago than how they are now. I lived in Edinburgh too and I’ve been a Fringe-goer for a long, long time. It’s not so much like that now.

And although that may not be the main point of the thread, the fact that you’re asserting it so confidently does throw a bit of doubt by association onto some of your other points.

Such a load of crap. I really don’t give a stuff if some people get upset, they don’t get to dictate what other people want to see. They seriously went to see Sadowitz without knowing what he was like? They’re idiots.

Typo, I meant I live in Edinburgh, not past-tense “lived”

I personally would find it a horrible experience if I went to a comedy gig and the comedian got his penis out. Genuinely.

Unless it was someone who was well known for getting his penis out.

I guess I do tend to do some research on people I go to see before I spend money on the ticket.

I personally would find it a horrible experience if I went to a comedy gig and the comedian got his penis out. Genuinely.

Iggy Pop used to do his entire set in see through trousers. I was more worried about the sweaty state of him than seeing his knob.

Never ever ever sit in the front row at a comedy show though. Rule 1.

AlisonDonut and GinnyJelly I don't think its usual at all at comedy gigs for comics to get their dick out - I've been to a lot over the years and the scene has become much more corporate and strait laced. And most people think its puerile not funny, But it was something that could happen very occasionally at Edinburgh fringe over the years because of the sheer volume of shows that are on. The comedy circuit started out in the 80s as alternative comedy and the fringe personified that as being edgy, weird and random. Its very rare now I'd say - but Jerry Sadowitz is well known for it. And he has been going for over 35 years and is one of a kind - good or bad.

Really, well known for it? If only I'd known before I said he was well known for it.

I like fairly edgy comedy and I would NEVER go to a JS gig. He is famously offensive so, as I don't want to be deeply offended, I wouldn't go to his gigs. Anyone who goes to see a comedian without making themselves aware of the content of their act is asking for trouble: comedy is such a wide genre.

Making shit up and framing a comedian as a sex offender is one of the ways in which freedom of speech is being destroyed in this country. I also found JS' statement interesting. There was some defiance, but he did seem both surprised and hurt.

Not just Tories - didn’t Jolyon Maugham tweet Rishi Sunak to ask if he was sure his party was ready for a brown man? Or something along those lines.

I think someone with Sadowitz's long career would be pretty well-versed at saying what he means and I agree - his statement seemed baffled and hurt. Which is fair enough - he's been working with the programming team for decades. Anthony Alderson's been there since 2004.

The student summer job staff are censoring him. The venue is listening to those with limited life experience who believe they should be heard since they grew up with social media. Context is all I agree with, but Sadowitz is out of date in the eyes of today's values. Shame. Wrong

I wish the venue would publish the complaint that they responded to - I would love to know so we could then judge whether the reaction is reasonable or not..

It's a prosthesis. And it's not for very long. Whether that changes things, I don't know,

Me too.

I find it strange that some people are already very entrenched in their response to what little factual information we have, without knowing detail. Do we know exactly what was said by all involved yet? I've looked around and I can't find anything detailed or certain, unless my Google settings are somehow fucked?