Comedian and actor Ricky Gervais has come out in defense of a “dead baby” joke he reportedly made during a stand-up performance earlier this week in Belfast, Ireland.
The Office star’s joke reportedly prompted a grieving couple who had just lost a child to walk out of the show.
“I just think, ‘Why? What is the need?” Suzi Gourley, the grieving mother who bolted Gervais’ show, told Belfast Live. “This is our life, we have no choice but to live with this.”
“I know people take things differently and I know our emotions are raw, but why joke about a baby being dead? It’s just wrong,” Gourley continued. “Some people might read this and think we’re over sensitive and maybe we are – but it’s just not funny.”
In response to the growing controversy, an unapologetic Gervais hopped on social media Thursday to defend his material.
In a series of tweets, the comedian said making jokes “about bad things” doesn’t mean he supports those things.
Injecting some levity into his response, Gervais wrote “All jokes should be banned in case anyone is offended. Discuss.” To which he followed up with, “I wish I had a pound for every time I offended someone. Wait, I do.”
Gervais sent one last message cautioning audiences of the controversial material his standup comedy involves.
“Warning: My stand up mentions AIDS, cancer, Paedophilia, famine, race, terrorism, rape, murder, drugs, death and even food allergies,” he wrote.
The Waterfront Hall, where Gervais’ Humanity tour Belfast show was played issued a statement, according to Sky News: “Unfortunately we have no control at all over the material artists choose to use on stage, but we do of course appreciate this particular theme will have caused distress.”
Gervais has a history of sticking up for non-politically correct jokes. In January of last year, the comedian defended jokes he made about Caitlyn Jenner at the Golden Globes after critics labeled him “transphobic.”
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