Jimmy Carr is in trouble. Big trouble. He stands on the trial in the Supreme Court of Social Media for… telling a joke. Holy Shitttt!!! He told a joke!!! Bastard. You just can’t do that in 2022, its simply not allowed. Even if its funny. Which it probably is to some degree, hence the word ‘joke’ rather than ‘socio-political position held deeply and sincerely in which others are held in contempt’. Jimmy Carr, a man I’ve never felt too fondly about, made a joke about the Holocaust. He’s not the first. And the Holocaust is fine for jokes, some would say ideal, as humour always dilutes horror. And many jokes about that subject are fine and dandy. The general rule is, if its a joke about the Germans at the Holocaust, its fine. Anyone else… beware! Here’s Jimmy’s joke: everyone talks about 6 million Jews dying in the holocaust. But they also murdered thousands of gypsies, so there were positives.

I don’t like to analyse jokes too deeply, they’re either funny or they’re not. That one, unless you’re a Gypsy, is funny. But gypsies are now something of a ‘persecuted minority’ and thus enjoy the status of being protected and supported by the twittering hypersensitive liberati who start every day as ‘deeply offended’ and move up from there. To show their support for the gypsies, every champagne socialist smashed their fridge and left it in their driveway in solidarity. Hampstead resembled a breakers yard.

But this is no joke. They want to ‘cancel’ Jimmy Carr. Who is actually a very very funny man. Who likes to act ‘creepy’ and does it to great effect. Others are supporting him. Mainly comedians, probably concerned about their own fate.

It all comes down to whether there should be limits to what is ‘fair game’ for comedians. And if I’m honest, for me, what is ‘fair game’ is ‘absolutely everything’. I’ve never liked rules, hate censorship, despise the socially acceptable. And if I find a joke or a sketch or a comment ‘offensive’ then I reckon its ‘my problem’ because to some people eating babies is just fine. And then I just wait for one that doesn’t offend me. Because humour is inviolable and if some of it doesn’t appeal then we have the right to not laugh. We have the right to cringe, walk out the room, turn off the tv, throw the book away. But not ‘cancel’.

I am greatly offended by what you joke about but would defend with my life your right to make that joke. Ok, maybe with your life, mine’s too valuable.

Happy Tuesday

A xxxx