Jimmy Carr has been criticised as “despicable” over jokes he made about convicted sex offender Russell Brand during his new stand-up tour. Brand was sentenced this week to 10-and-a-half years in prison after being found guilty of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault.
Carr's response to audience question
Asked by an audience member what he thought about the latest developments, Carr repeated the question and said: “This is interesting! It’s crazy to think that Russell Brand is going to jail for something he didn’t do: get consent.” He added: “I think Russell Brand’s views on sex and consent are gonna radically change in the next week.”
On social media, many fans accused the comedian of “cashing in” on the trial and its victims. One tweeted: “Cashing in on this is beyond despicable.” Another referenced a past TV appearance, writing: “Big Fat Quiz. You, [Jonathan] Ross, [Noel] Fielding and Brand laughing at the discomfort and embarrassment of Lily Allen, while [Rob] Brydon and [David] Mitchell look on. 6 men, 1 woman… is it any wonder we don’t speak out?”
Social media backlash
Others echoed the criticism, with one person writing: “Okay, so… someone asks you about a man recently convicted of rape, and your response is two rape jokes. Very on brand.” A fourth said: “Trying to sell tickets on the back of a rapist being sent down is a scum move.” A fifth added: “Turning rape into a punchline is what passes for comedy when wit, originality and basic human decency are all in short supply. You're not pushing boundaries or being daring.”
Some also noted that Carr did not publicly support fellow comedian Katherine Ryan when she spoke out about Brand in 2018, accusing him of being a “sexual predator” during the recording of Comedy Central series Roast Battle. After the sentencing, Ryan said: “I will never be someone who like, dances on graves. There has been some justice done today. There’s a level of relief, but there’s grief alongside relief. Everything’s nuanced, and it was proved in court that a terrible thing happened, and that means that a terrible thing happened.”
