Featured Image Credit: Netflix
Topics: Netflix, Twitter, no-article-matching
Poppy Bilderbeck
Eight out of 10 cats star Jimmy Carr has come under fire for a 'truly disturbing joke' he makes in His Dark Material.
The 49-year-old comedian, while known for his dark humour, has been the subject of widespread criticism online for a comment made about the Holocaust in his Netflix stand-up special.
Carr has since been branded a 'sick racist' by one Twitter user.
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In a section of the stand-up, originally shared on social media by TikTok user @rooterdoot, Carr tells his audience to 'strap-in,' asking if they're ready.
He says: 'When people talk about the Holocaust, they talk about the tragedy and horror of six million Jewish lives being lost to the Nazi war machine, but they never mention the thousands of gypsies that were killed by the Nazis. No one ever talks about that because no one wants to talk about the positives.'
However, the joke has spurred on intense backlash against the comedian.
Watch the clip here. Warning: Offensive language surrounding the Holocaust.
The Traveller Movement, which describes itself as 'a leading national charity working in partnership with Irish Travellers, English Romany Gypsies and Roma, challenging discrimination and promoting inclusion,' called Carr's joke 'truly disturbing' and accused the comment of going 'way beyond humor'.
'We need all your support in calling this out. #StopTravellerHate @StopFundingHate,' it stated to followers.
Another user called Alfie Best took to Facebook to share the clip. He wrote: 'Really goes to show what some people think. I have one thing to say thank you for sharing your views on gypsies as this spreads hate. And it’s shows the world the abundance of abuse we take as gypsy people, glad the audience found it funny. Looking Forward to meeting this comedian soon Jimmy Carr.'
Another Twitter user reflected: 'I am sickened to my stomach and will never watch this heathen of a man again. The suffering and horrors that these ppl,men,women and little children experienced and he gets a cheap laugh out of it. You disgust me @jimmycarr.'
The comedian has yet to address the controversy, leaving other internet users raging in the comments. 'I haven't watched the clip and I won't but @jimmycarr and those responsible at @netflix need to listen to the @AuschwitzMuseum podcast about the 20,000+ Roma and Sinti people who were murdered by the Nazis', one said.
A second commented: 'That's an abhorrent statement, utterly disgusting and sure, humour is subjective, but suggesting that it's good that a certain race or group of people, who were horrifically killed by a murderous regime is actually good, is not funny.'
Fellow comedian Mark Grimshaw also addressed the backlash, writing: 'Speaking as a comedian, I find it genuinely concerning how many people now seem to find the words comedy & offensive synonymous, how many times people responding to controversy say “comedy is supposed to be offensive”. No, the primary goal of comedy is actually to be funny, lads.'
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact Stop Hate UK by visiting their website www.stophateuk.org