21 Comments
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The Plucky Welshman's avatar

It was just a joke, and at no time was the community of Liverpool or the people caught up in the incident were the target, the joke was as self deprecating. Cancellation is a rabid response to a bit a dark humour that we all need to deal with the harsh realities of life from time to time.

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Steve Boronski's avatar

Time to boycott those “comedy” clubs. Let’s face it the shows are not likely to be funny anyway.

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Pallavi Dawson's avatar

I wish those who are all gung ho with cancellations would understand that there is humour in Andrew’s joke (what a surprise; a comedian making a joke) and at the same time what happened in Liverpool is tragic. Both things can co exist.

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David Vance's avatar

Absolutely

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Toffeepud's avatar

Free speech absolutist here. Offence is taken not given and people need to a) get a sense of humour b) get a sense of perspective c) grow a fecking spine. No wonder comedy is on its knees. Love both Andrew Lawrence and Simon Evans, both masters of self deprecating humour. Fully supportive of Andrew fgs you're allowed to make mistakes. I am old enough to remember Chubby Brown opening a gig in Bradford by complaining he wasn't invited to the barbecue. Was he cancelled? No. A few folk walked out but that was it. You knew what you were getting when you bought your tickets and if you were easily offended, you didn't go. 🙄

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John Mercer's avatar

I support his right to free speech too. Personally I think the joke was poorly timed (a little too soon) but I won’t get bent out of shape about it. If I owned a comedy club I wouldn’t have cancelled him, I’d have let the audience decide, same as when Roy Chubby Brown was booed off stage for making a joke about Ken Bigly.

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Bettina's avatar

Good for Simon Evans - he is such a decent chap.

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David Vance's avatar

Met him once. Good guy

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Linda Louise “Tosca” Hueston's avatar

Woody Alan made a film in which MASH actor Alan Alda ( Hawkeye) states the humour is tragedy + time. In this case the comic actor jumped into the joke too soon. And he should be forgiven. There are much worse things being said online and in public.

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David Vance's avatar

Well put!

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Linda Louise “Tosca” Hueston's avatar

Really good movie BTW

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Linda Louise “Tosca” Hueston's avatar

It was in Crimes and Misdemeanours …. Comedy is Tragedy plus Time.

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David Vance's avatar

Saw it! Great line and a good movie

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Linda Louise “Tosca” Hueston's avatar

It was a memorable line from Manhattan Murder Mystery - I think it was.

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Jamie Palmer's avatar

This highlights an interesting point. If the joke was made in a locality that wasn’t affected, it would get an apprehensive laugh, even this early. Because the internet has no geographical boundaries, this joke landed too soon. As an example, we can all now make jokes about 9/11.

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Toffeepud's avatar

Excellent point.

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Mike H's avatar

Ill timed if anything 🙂

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Waylander The Slayer's avatar

More like Tepid Piss Not-Comedy...🙄 They should change their name....

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Gus's avatar

Stereotypes and cliché work because there's an element of truth in them. You know that one about scousers being thin-skinned and perpetually offended?

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Jill's avatar

Andrew Lawrence at it again. Last time, he was taking the piss out of Auschwitz. He is fairly talented, but feels the need to find comedy in everything. Please engage brain and mouth, instead of talking out of your arse…………

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David Vance's avatar

Fair point

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