Jimmy Carr show branded 'vile' after 'insulting remarks to deaf audience member'
Jimmy Carr has been criticised for apparent remarks made during a comedy show earlier this year, with his stand-up set having been branded "vile to the deaf community".
The comedian, 51, is understood to have performed at the Orchard West Theatre in Dartford, Kent, on February 29 in a warm-up gig ahead of his Laughs Funny tour. It's claimed that he "put down those who have a tough life" in his routine, with him having since been criticised over his set.
Carly Ahlen, 44, who is said to have been in the audience, has shared that she was left 'profoundly' deaf after serving in the army. She expressed disappointment over Jimmy's show and said that some of his remarks weren't "comedy". She told Metro that Jimmy - who is no stranger to sparking controversy with his routines - disappointed her with his approach on that evening. Carly said that he noticed her wearing a beret and asked why she was wearing it.
Carly said that she lifted her beret and exposed her hearing aid, having "hoped" that he would "move on" after realising she was deaf. She said that it "didn't work" and had the "opposite effect," describing herself as like a "sitting deaf duck".
She said that she was later using a transcribing app on her phone to follow what Jimmy was saying. She said that he addressed her again, referencing her beret and phone by asking if she was going to "call for backup from the French Resistance".
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Jimmy Carr has been criticised over apparent remarks made during a stand-up show earlier this year (Getty Images)As reported by the Daily Star, she also shared: "Then, he was talking about how you can say anything about deaf people because they can't hear you. I was shocked – this isn't comedy! Comedy is an amazing tool for progressive change, yet Jimmy decided to use his platform to put down those who have a tough life."
Carly suggested there is a difference between a "joke" and being "absolutely insulting," adding: "It's vile to the deaf community." She said that it is "just not acceptable" and told the outlet that Jimmy "doesn't need to do that" as he is "rich enough". She further commented that she has spent "far too long" feeling "miserable and ashamed" of her own hearing loss because of the "stigma attached to it".
She's said to have raised concerns over the remarks to the British Deaf Association. Hi Kent, a local charity that supports people in the county with hearing loss, expressed their sympathy for Carly's experience. "We at Hi Kent do all we can to promote inclusion and understanding of the challenges faced by those living with hearing loss and do not condone any lack of understanding for people with this 'invisible' disability," a spokesperson told Metro.
It comes following previous criticism of Jimmy's stand-up, including over a remark in his Netflix special His Dark Materials, which was released in 2021, about the traveller community. At one point, the comedian said: "When people talk about the Holocaust they talk about the tragedy of six million lives being lost to the Nazi war machine, but they never mention the thousands of Gypsies killed by the Nazis, because no one wants to talk about the positives."
Jimmy is set to embark on his Laughs Funny tour later this year. A note for a show at the venue in Kent on January 16 next year warns: "Jokes attract people, but they can also repel. Some people are repelled by Jimmy's dark brand of comedy. This show is not for them."
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