Ricky Gervais has defended telling a joke about dead babies, saying “offence is the collateral damage of free speech” after bereaved parents walked out of his show.
Suzi and Ryan Gourley, whose son Eli was stillborn last year, left the gig and complained after the comedian made a joke at his Humanity tour show in Belfast on Tuesday.
Suzi told Belfast Live it was a gag she “wouldn’t have expected in a million years from anybody” adding: “I just think ‘Why? What is the need?’ 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.”
After the show on Tuesday, Ricky tweeted:
Still buzzing from last night's amazingly warm and unshockable Belfast crowd.
Can't wait to do it all again tonight. #Humanity pic.twitter.com/CgZexVSuyp— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) March 29, 2017
He has since defended his material, writing:
"Is there any subject you shouldn't joke about?" is no less ridiculous a question than "Is there any subject you shouldn't talk about?"
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) March 30, 2017
Discuss. pic.twitter.com/8DjwSiMxVX
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) March 30, 2017
Offence often occurs when people mistake the subject of a joke with the actual target. They're not always the same.
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) March 30, 2017
Jokes about "bad things" don't have to necessarily be pro those bad things. Surely, a joke that's anti bad things is a good thing, no?
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) March 30, 2017
Basically, offence is about feelings, and feelings are personal. People simply don't like being reminded of bad things.
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) March 30, 2017
All jokes should be banned in case anyone is offended. Discuss.
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) March 30, 2017
I wish I had a pound for every time I offended someone. Wait, I do.
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) March 30, 2017
The charity Stillbirth And Neonatal Death Support NI shared a warning about the show on Facebook, cautioning bereaved parents about what they might hear.A screenshot of the message has been shared online.
I hope this isnt true @rickygervais a dead child is not something to be made a joke off, @SandsUK xxx pic.twitter.com/411uWrgjzK
— chloe walker (@chloewalker10) March 29, 2017
Ricky will next take his Humanity tour to Sheffield on April 3.