‘Unacceptable’ Jerry Sadowitz Edinburgh show cancelled over ‘extreme racism, sexism and homophobia’

Controversial comedian Jerry Sadowitz has spoken out against the Edinburgh Fringe venue that cancelled his show due to “offensive” content. 

The comedian had been booked to perform at one of the Fringe’s largest venues, The Pleasance, for two nights starting on 12 August, but on 13 August the show was officially cancelled. 

Although there was an official content warning for “strong language and themes some may find distressing” audience members felt the jokes went too far. 

One audience member told The Scottish Sun: “I was at the show. He called Rishi Sunak a ‘P***’; said the economy was awful because it is run by ‘Blacks and women’.

“He got his penis out to a woman in the front row. The problem was not the audience – I knew he was an acquired taste. It was his indefensible content.”

Following the first show, The Pleasance released a statement saying: “Due to numerous complaints 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.

“In a changing world, stories and language that were once accepted on stage, whether performed in character or not, need to be challenged. There is a line that we will not cross at The Pleasance, and it was our view that this line was crossed on this occasion.”

Sadowitz responded with his own statement on Sunday (14 August).



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