Jimmy Carr sparks fury with Holocaust routine in Netflix specialon February 4, 2022 at 7:48 pm

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

The comedian is described as “truly disturbing” for a segment of his latest Netflix stand-up special.

Jimmy Carr's His Dark Material

Image source, Matt Frost/Netflix

Comedian Jimmy Carr has sparked outrage for a routine about the Holocaust in his latest Netflix stand-up special.

Carr has been described as “truly disturbing” for making light of the murders of hundreds of thousands of people from Europe’s traveller communities during World War Two.

The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust said it was “absolutely appalled”.

Netflix, which has been urged to remove the special, declined to comment. Carr has also not commented.

Between 200,000 and 500,000 Roma and Sinti people were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators, according to the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust.

The charity’s chief executive Olivia Marks-Woldman said: “We are absolutely appalled at Jimmy Carr’s comment about persecution suffered by Roma and Sinti people under Nazi oppression, and horrified that gales of laughter followed his remarks.

“Hundreds of thousands of Roma and Sinti people suffered prejudice, slave labour, sterilisation and mass murder simply because of their identity – these are not experiences for mockery.”

Anti-racism campaign group Hope Not Hate said Carr “celebrates” that suffering, and called on Netflix to “take action”.

The Traveller Movement – a charity supporting the traveller community in the UK – also asked Netflix to remove the one-hour special. It said the segment in question was “truly disturbing and goes way beyond humour”.

It added: “Joking about the genocide of an ethnic minority is not funny.”

SNP MP Martin Docherty-Hughes, who is co-chairman of the House of Commons All Party Parliamentary Group for Gypsies, Travellers and Roma, wrote on Twitter that he was “utterly speechless at this disregard for the horror of the holocaust” and its impact on the Gypsy community of Europe.

He added: “A community butchered by the Nazi regime. @NetflixUK care to comment?”

Carr’s programme, titled His Dark Material, was released on the streaming platform on Christmas Day, and he introduced that part of his routine as being “a career ender”.

Banner Image Reading Around the BBC - Blue
Footer - Blue
- Advertisement -

Discover

Sponsor

Latest

Winter Olympics: How freestyle skier Eileen Gu won medals in three different eventson February 18, 2022 at 2:29 pm

How China's Eileen Gu, 18, became the first freestyle skier to win medals in three different events at the same Olympics - claiming gold...

Brianna Ghey: Why teenagers who killed her can be namedon February 2, 2024 at 5:59 am

A ban on naming the two 16-year-olds who murdered Brianna Ghey will be lifted at their sentencing.Image source, Family handout/Cheshire PoliceBy Nick Garnett &...

Bank of England says recession expected to be shorter and less severeon February 2, 2023 at 6:12 pm

Interest rates rise to 4% as the Bank says the slump will last just over a year rather than almost two.Image source, Getty ImagesBy...

China diplomats leave UK over Manchester protester attackon December 14, 2022 at 2:14 pm

The group includes the consul-general, who denied beating a pro-democracy protester in Manchester.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to...

Worcester Warriors owners ‘agree terms of sale of club’ to interested partyon September 13, 2022 at 4:32 pm

Worcester Warriors' owners say they have agreed the terms of the sale of the troubled club to an interested party.Worcester Warriors' owners say they...