Jimmy Carr: Sheffield City Hall bosses respond to calls for shows to be cancelled over Holocaust joke
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Jimmy Carr’s Netflix special, His Dark Material, was released on Christmas day 2021, but in January this year one controversial joke from the special has garnered negative attention.
The joke in question, which involved Carr referring to the ‘thousands of Gypsies’ killed during the Holocaust as ‘the positives’ of the event, has led to some suggesting his Terribly Funny show at Sheffield City Hall should be cancelled.
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Hide AdShaffaq Mohammed, leading Liberal Democrat councillor at Sheffield City Council, voiced support for Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown last year when his performance at Sheffield City Hall was cancelled.
Regarding Jimmy Carr, Shaffaq said: “I value freedom of expression and the freedom to be entertained. I would not go to watch Jimmy Carr even if I was given a free ticket, but who I am to ban him?
“I am not for banning, unless it is against the law of the land. I don’t agree with their comments as part of their act."
"Some of the topics Jimmy Carr has talked about will be genuinely hurtful to the Roma Gypsy community, but I for one go back to my liberal principles. If they were saying stuff on the street you could cancel them. But it is at a private venue. If you don’t like their comedy don’t go to their gig.”
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Hide AdA spokesman for Sheffield City Trust, which runs Sheffield City Hall, said: “We are aware of the current situation surrounding the comedian Jimmy Carr and are currently in discussions to determine the best course of action.”
Carr was criticised by Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who described the joke as ‘horrid’, while Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said it was ‘abhorrent’ and suggested new legislation would hold streaming platforms like Netflix to account.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman said that the joke was ‘deeply’ disturbing, and the CEO of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust also criticised the comic, and said the trust was ‘appalled’ by the comment.
Sheffield Council leader Terry Fox has also been approached for comment.