Channel 4 has now announced that Jimmy Carr is joining the line up for Amnesty International’s Secret Policeman’s Ball.
https://www.channel4.com/info/press/news/jimmy-carr-joins-amnesty-international-s-the-secret-policemans-ball
Given that Amnesty’s reason for existence is precisely to defend victims of prejudice and injustice, it is unbelievable that Carr has been seen as a fit person to appear at an event like this. He has a record of ‘jokes’ based on the most disgusting racism and sexism, and has also defended others targetting disabled people. Here are a few examples of the kind of jokes Jimmy Carr has made – and has defended:
“What do nine out of 10 people enjoy? / Gang rape.
https://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/sep/10/rape-jokes-in-comedy
When called to account for this last year, Carr responded by naming his next show Rapier Wit.
“Why are they called Sunshine Variety coaches when all the kids on them look the ****ing same?”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2065573/Jimmy-Carr-blasted-sick-Downs-syndrome-joke.html
“Say what you like about those servicemen amputees from Iraq and Afghanistan, but we’re going to have a fucking good Paralympic team in 2012.”
https://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2009/nov/05/jimmy-carr-paralympics-joke
“The male gypsy moth can smell the female gyspy moth up to seven miles away – and that fact also works if you remove the word ‘moth’.”
https://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2006/jan/05/raceintheuk.bbc
We need to pile the pressure on Channel 4 and Amnesty to pull the plug on Carr’s appearance.
Please complain to Channel 4 at https://www.channel4.com/4viewers/contact-us
Please complain to Amnesty by e-mail at sct@amnesty.org.uk
“we cannot change the line-up at this stage”
Looks like the Secret Policeman has no balls.
I do find a lot of Carr’s material offensive. I don’t think he’s funny even when he’s not being offensive.
Therefore it pains me to say something in his defence, but:
The Paralympic joke, while not funny, I don’t find offensive. The reason? Because it’s true. War torn countries that you would expect to not have the money to pour into training, equipment, etc, frequently have very strong Paralympic teams. Why? Because of fit, strong, healthy soldiers who’ve acquired an impairment taking up sport post-injury.
Most of Carr’s cruel jokes usually rely on perpetuating negative, untrue, stereotypes. In the case of that one joke; it’s not lacking in truth.
response from Amnesty
Dear Matt,
Thank you for contacting us to let us know your views about the upcoming Secret Policeman’s Ball (SPB). All of the feedback that we receive on our work is recorded, and reported regularly to the wider organisation and to the Board of Amnesty UK. We will use all the feedback received about this particular event in our evaluation of the Secret Policeman’s Ball project.
In making decisions about each artist taking part in SPB, especially comedians, we have had to use our judgement to navigate through the complex debate that exists about humour stereotypes and discrimination, and where this crosses over into offence. Judgements in this area are difficult and subjective, and in relation to Jimmy Carr we recognise that his style of humour can be controversial. We appreciate that you may feel that in the past he has crossed the line and caused offence, and are sorry to hear that our decision to have Jimmy Carr on the SPB bill has upset you.
The purpose of the SPB is to raise awareness and encourage people to support us in our work protecting human rights around the world. Having artists on board who are well known enables us to reach the widest possible audience. None of the comedians or artists who are part of the Secret Policeman’s Ball do so as representatives or ambassadors of the Amnesty cause. They take part as guests with views, values and opinions which may or may not differ from our own, and we cannot change the line-up at this stage.
At Amnesty International UK, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and have just developed a new equality and diversity policy. We are also in the process of setting up a high level scrutiny committee to look at all our equality and diversity work. We are prioritising work on gender for the next 18 months, and an organisational-wide gender action plan and development plan will help us to do this. Alongside this work we will be promoting disability and race equality as part of our broader equality and diversity action plan.
Thank you again for getting in touch.
Best wishes,
Gordon Bennett
Supporter Care Team
Amnesty International UK
The Human Rights Action Centre
17-25 New Inn Yard
London
EC2A 3EA
Has amnesty lost the plot?
Dear Amnesty,
I was highly disappointed to see you’ve added Jimmy Carr to the lineup for this year’s Secret Policeman’s Ball. As an organisation whose purpose is to fight injustice and persecution, I find it shocking that you would provide a platform for a comedian with an enormous record of racism, misogyny, disablism, homophobia and transphobia.
I urge you to withdraw your invitation to Jimmy Carr. To go ahead and host his act would legitimate and perpetuate prejudice against many of the groups Amnesty is intended to represent, and I and many others would find it difficult to draw any conclusion other than that Amnesty is ultimately prepared to put its fundamental principles aside in order to benefit its fundraising.
Regards,
[angelica]
* Examples of Carr’s homophobia and transphobia – as well as more of the racism, misogyny and disablism mentioned above – can easily be found with a Google search.
It goes against Amnesty International’s ethos to invite a comedian who makes rape jokes, racist jokes and disablist jokes. And he is unapologetic about it. If it is not okay for police or soldiers to say to a female prisoner “we are going to rape you, oh it’s only a joke.” Why is it ok for a comedian make rape jokes? Boys are growing up in a society with the message that it is ok to make rape jokes, which has the effect of trivialising the act of rape. And girls are growing up with the message that “it is a boy’s right to take sex or demand sex from a girl WITHOUT her consent: https://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/feb/18/being-raped-by-gang-normal?INTCMP=SRCH.
Please withdraw your invitation to invite Jimmy Carr. His appearance has no place at an event held for a human rights organisation.