Jimmy Carr joked on stage about Russell Brand's jail term for rape, hours after he was sentenced, and the clip has 3m views. Fair game for comedy, or too soon?
Brand, 51, was jailed for ten and a half years on 9 November after being found guilty at Southwark Crown Court of one rape and three sexual assaults between 2004 and 2009; he was cleared of three other counts. Carr answered a heckler with jokes about consent and posted the clip on X. His representatives had not commented.
What happened
Russell Brand was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court on 5 November, after a four-week trial, of one count of rape and three of sexual assault, relating to four women between 2004 and 2009. He was cleared of two further rape charges and one of attempted indecent assault. On 9 November Mr Justice Bennathan jailed him for ten and a half years. Hours later Jimmy Carr, who has appeared with Brand on shows such as Roast Battle, posted a tour clip in which he answers a heckler's question about Brand with jokes about consent. It had almost 3 million views by 10 November.
Why people disagree
Defenders say Brand has been convicted in court, so he is a fair target, and that comedians have always joked about famous people who fall; some fans praised Carr for thinking quickly when heckled. Critics say joking within hours of sentencing makes light of a serious crime and of the women involved, and accuse Carr of cashing in on the case.
What's still unclear
Whether Carr will respond to the criticism or keep the material in his tour, and where audiences now draw the line on jokes about real criminal cases.
Sources
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