Jerry Sadowitz

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Jerry Sadowitz

Postby Mandrake » Aug 14th, '22, 07:07



According to BBC News:


    An Edinburgh Festival show by controversial comedian Jerry Sadowitz has been cancelled by venue bosses.
    The comic and magician had been due to play two nights at The Pleasance at Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Friday and Saturday.
    The Pleasance said the second night would not go ahead as his material "does not align with our values".
    Sadowitz, 61, an American-born Scot, is known for aggressive stand-up performances.
    He said on Twitter: "Did a show last night, 75 mins, thought it went well. Didn't see any walkouts.
    "Today I'm told my show's been cancelled. Great stuff. I'm truly sorry for everyone who travelled to see the show tonight."
    The venue's original listing carried the warning: "This show contains strong language and themes some may find distressing."
    However, on Saturday the Pleasance Theatre Trust said the second performance was cancelled "with immediate effect".
    It said in a statement: "Opinions such as those displayed on stage by Sadowitz are not acceptable and The Pleasance are not prepared to be associated with such material."
    It is understood complaints had been received from some audience members who attended Friday night's performance.
    The Pleasance declined to give detail about what aspects of Sadowitz's material led to the cancellation.
    Its director, Anthony Alderson, added: "The Pleasance is a venue that champions freedom of speech and we do not censor comedians' material.
    "While we acknowledge that Jerry Sadowitz has often been controversial, the material presented at his first show is not acceptable and does not align with our values.
    "This type of material has no place on the festival and the Pleasance will not be presenting his second and final show"
    The venue said that refunds would be issued to those who bought tickets to the Saturday performance.





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Re: Jerry Sadowitz

Postby Barry Allen » Aug 14th, '22, 18:29

As I wrote earlier today over on the Genii Forum.

I'm not surprised - that's the way things roll these days.

Whilst his humour isn't particularly my cup of tea, people buying tickets for his shows know in advance that they aren't going to be listening to a lecture about basket-weaving.

The sheer hypocrisy here within the UK annoys me somewhat.

Our News/Media can show the sickening horror of people blown to pieces in illegal wars. It can show people dying of famine. It can show (and write about) people fleeing for their lives across the English Channel; only to be demonised by many to be sub-human, not worthy of us reaching out to offer compassion and support.

However, a (very talented) performer has his shows cancelled, because his act is considered 'inappropriate'.

I wonder how many of those making this decision to ban Jerry's shows have never told an 'inappropriate' joke; or forwarded an 'inappropriate' joke or message via WhatsApp? I'd guess none of them.

As I've said above, I don't particularly find all of Jerry's humour very funny. However, what I do find most offensive is people having their freedom and choice(s) taken away from them.

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Re: Jerry Sadowitz

Postby Mandrake » Aug 15th, '22, 11:44

Thanks Barry, all excellent points. I had the pleasure of meeting Jerry some years ago and off stage he was the most polite, considerate and friendly person. As you rightly say, folks buying tickets to his shows know what to expect so for some puritanical numpties to decide to censor him is most unacceptable.

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Re: Jerry Sadowitz

Postby Mandrake » Aug 15th, '22, 18:22

More from BBC News:


    Comedian Jerry Sadowitz has hit back at the Edinburgh Fringe venue which cancelled his show for "extreme racism and misogyny".
    The Pleasance axed the second of his two nights at the festival after receiving an "unprecedented" number of complaints about the show's content.
    But Sadowitz said he left the venue "with no hint of anything going wrong".
    The 61-year-old said his act had been "cheapened and simplified" by the decision.
    Sadowitz, known for his provocative stand-up shows, performed in front of 600 people at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Friday.
    The Pleasance said a "large number" of people walked out of the show as they "felt uncomfortable and unsafe to remain in the venue".
    The comedy show operator - which claimed it did not censor its comedians' material when explaining why it cancelled Saturday's performance - said Sadowitz's act was "extreme in its racism, sexism, homophobia and misogyny".

    However, writing on his Twitter page, Fringe veteran Sadowitz said: "I did a 75 minute show for 600 people that went pretty well with no hint of anything going wrong.
    "In addition to now being told there were multiple walkouts and abuse of staff my act is now being cheapened and simplified as unsafe, homophobic, misogynistic and racist."
    Sadowitz said his act contains "a lot of silly, exaggerated irony and nonsense, real fake and exaggerated anger and bile... for the purpose of the funny line which follows it".
    Sadowitz was booked by The Pleasance for the Edinburgh International Conference Centre
    He added: "I have never once courted a mainstream audience to come to my shows because guess what? In real life I really don't want to upset anyone.
    "The show is what it is, for those who enjoy it. The rest of you...please stick to Carry On Films."
    Sadowitz also called on The Pleasance to apologise to the people who had bought tickets for the cancelled show.

    Mark Cameron, who was in the audience on Friday, told BBC Scotland that Sadowitz exposed himself on stage as part of his act but added that had also been part of the comedian's previous shows he had seen.
    He said: "Everyone around me was laughing, seemed to be enjoying the show. I didn't get a sense of people being shocked, there was no heckling of him and there was a very positive reaction at the end.
    "He used words that were racist, absolutely and I would say, defending him, that is the character he has created - if I for one second thought I was giving money to a person who was a racist I would not buying tickets."
    Mr Cameron added that his view was that it was "a character show, a satirical show and that is not who Jerry Sadowitz is as a human being."
    A stand-up and magician, Sadowitz made his name on the UK comedy circuit in the 1980s and 90s with deliberately offensive and aggressive stage routines.
    He has performed at The Pleasance numerous times at the Edinburgh Festival.
    The venue's original listing carried the warning: "This show contains strong language and themes some may find distressing."

    However, The Pleasance said it did not vet Sadowitz's material in advance and it "could not have known the specifics" of his act when he was booked for 2022.
    Sadowitz has won the support of other comedians.
    Katherine Ryan, the comedian and BBC presenter, tweeted: "Very strange to cancel someone's entire run for apparent offense when there's a content warning right on the booking page".
    Writing on his blog, Richard Herring, said: "To complain about him being offensive is like asking the actor who plays Macbeth to be arrested for murder."
    In a statement issued on Sunday, The Pleasance said: "We became immediately aware of content that was considered, among other things, extreme in its racism, sexism, homophobia and misogyny.
    "We will not associate with content which attacks people's dignity and the language used on stage was, in our view, completely unacceptable.
    "We received an unprecedented number of complaints that could not be ignored and we had a duty to respond."

    Analysis by Pauline McLean, BBC Scotland Arts Correspondent.
    The Edinburgh fringe was born out of anarchy. A small band of theatre makers who hadn't been invited, decided to gate-crash anyway.
    Across the decades, it has continued to channel that spirit as a place where anything goes, from Avant Garde art to outrageously offensive comedy.
    Stand-ups often use the festival to hone material for their mainstream shows. It's a test lab for comedy, which doesn't always make it into their mainstream shows. Audiences seem to know that. It's rough and ready, and often pushes boundaries.
    Stewart Lee, a veteran of this festival, has two shows at this year's festival. One, a work in progress, and another Snowflake, a completed show which ironically is about 21st Century comedy and what you can and can't say.
    He didn't want to comment on the Jerry Sadowitz cancellation but the show speaks for itself, as did the overheard conversations of young staff leaving the venue when I was at Lee's show.
    They weren't offended but they didn't enjoy the show either.
    And it's that disconnect which seems to be at the heart of the Pleasance cancellation.
    According to the Pleasance "a large number of people walked out" and they "received an unprecedented number of complaints".
    Were they audience members - in which case they had been informed of the nature of the show?
    Or members of staff, who had no choice in the show they were expected to attend?
    Either way, the Pleasance's decision to cancel has sent a ripple of anger and outrage through the fringe, which may prove even more damaging than the original show.
    Meanwhile, Jerry Sadowitz is resting up ahead of his autumn tour, and tickets seem to be selling quite nicely.


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Re: Jerry Sadowitz

Postby mark lewis » Aug 16th, '22, 04:11

Mandrake wrote:Thanks Barry, all excellent points. I had the pleasure of meeting Jerry some years ago and off stage he was the most polite, considerate and friendly person. As you rightly say, folks buying tickets to his shows know what to expect so for some puritanical numpties to decide to censor him is most unacceptable.


I suspect you met him at my lecture in London for International Magic. I know you both attended. He is indeed perfectly polite and friendly off stage. I was surprised he was cancelled when they obviously knew well in advance what to expect. Mind you exposing himself on stage is going in a bit strong! I bet that's what did it!

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Re: Jerry Sadowitz

Postby Mandrake » Aug 16th, '22, 08:12

You suspect correctly Mark!

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Re: Jerry Sadowitz

Postby mark lewis » Aug 17th, '22, 00:35

I found the fact that he attended a lecture of that nature to be quite surprising. I think it showed another side of him that people might not associate with him. He really enjoyed it too from the comments he made to me afterwards.

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