British comic upsets people with joke about amputee soldiers

From The Daily Mail in the UK:

Comedian Jimmy Carr was criticised Oct. 24 after insulting hero soldiers who have lost limbs in battle.

The 37-year-old comic stunned a 2,500-strong audience at a show by joking about troops who have been blown up on the front line.

Five minutes from the end of his show at the Manchester Apollo on Friday, he said: ‘Say what you like about these servicemen amputees from Iraq and Afghanistan, but we’re going to have a ******* good paralympic team in 2012.’

The joke was even more surprising given that Carr (pictured left) has visited seriously injured troops at Selly Oak military hospital in Birmingham and the Headley Court rehabilitation centre near Epsom, Surrey.

One man who saw the show said: ‘There was some laughter but most of the audience agreed there was no funny side. It happened with just five minutes to go, clearly deliberately. I just thought, “That’s sick.”

‘These guys are getting blown apart fighting for their country and he makes jokes about them. It’s in the middle of the Poppy Appeal, too. It was just too much.’
Yesterday, Carr, who was due to appear at the Manchester Apollo last night and again tonight, apologised for any offence he may have caused.

He said in a statement: ‘I’ve got nothing but respect for the young men and women who put their lives on the line for this country. I’ve visited Selly Oak and Headley Court on many occasions.

‘I’m sorry if anyone was offended but that’s the kind of comedy I do. If a silly joke draws attention to the plight of these servicemen then so much the better. My intention was only to make people laugh.’

However, Carr’s explanation has failed to reduce the offence caused by his remarks. Diane Dernie, the mother of wounded war hero Ben Parkinson, attacked the ‘offensive’ joke. The 25-year-old lost both legs and suffered 37 other injuries, including brain damage, when his Land Rover was blown up in Afghanistan three years ago.

Ms Dernie said: ‘I hope Jimmy Carr realises that these soldiers have lost their limbs fighting, before he makes jokes like that. Soldiers are fighting for freedom of speech. I hope Mr Carr remembers that when he makes offensive jokes ridiculing them.

‘There’s no one with a better sense of humour than the lads who have lost limbs. It’s unfortunate that people like Jimmy Carr abuse them.’

Colonel Richard Kemp, a former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, said: ‘These remarks are completely disgraceful. Carr clearly has little understanding of what these chaps go through.’

Patrick Mercer, Conservative MP and former infantry commanding officer, added: ‘This was a remarkably dim and foolish thing to joke about. It’s not funny and this man’s career should end right now.’

Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth was said to be ‘furious’ over Carr’s joke. ‘Our Armed Forces put their lives on the line and deserve the utmost respect,’ he said.

On his website, Carr warns audiences for his tour that his shows are ‘rude, crude and offensive’.