Added on January 25, 2012  Giggle Beats

Newcastle councilor calls for ‘Chubby’ Brown ban.

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Roy 'Chubby' Brown | Giggle Beats

Roy

A Newcastle councilor has called for Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown to be banned from performing at Newcastle City Hall next month.

Newcastle Council leader Nick Forbes, who represents Westgate Ward (which includes Newcastle City Centre), took issue with ‘Chubby’ Brown – real name Royston Vasey – after a performance at the council-owned venue back in 2005.

At the time, Forbes told the Evening Chronicle: “My view is, given the nature of his material, it would be inappropriate for the council to make any further bookings and I’m vehemently opposed to the comedian performing at the venue.”

However in a statement released today he said: “Back then I said that it would be inappropriate for the council to make any further bookings of Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown. Today, I stand by that and still believe it would be inappropriate. Personally, I find his brand of humour highly offensive and would never ever consider attending one of his performances.

“Roy ‘Chubby’ Brown says some pretty vile things about religion, race and so on, so I have requested that any members of staff at the City Hall who could be offended by his material are not required to work on the night.”

David Faulkner, leader of the council’s Lib Dem opposition, said: “Our view had been that however unpleasant and offensive ‘Chubby’ Brown’s humour might be, it is up to the public, who are warned what to expect, to decide for themselves whether they should go or not, and it is also a breach of his rights as a performer to ban him.

“We also wondered why target ‘Chubby’ Brown when comedians such as Jimmy Carr and Frankie Boyle make remarks that many consider offensive about disability and other issues. It’s a slippery slope to start banning people.”

In an interview with editor Andrew Dipper, Vasey told Giggle Beats: “My act is adult humour for adult people. My crowd want jokes they can go to the pub and tell their mates about. I don’t make jokes about paedophiles because I think it’s disgusting, I don’t crack jokes about children in general, I very rarely joke about religion because I don’t train my mind to go that way.”

The decision to let the Vasey perform at the City Hall will be discussed on Wednesday 1st February at a council meeting.

Given the foundation of any art is based on freedom of expression, do you think offensive comedy should be banned? Let us know your views by leaving a comment below.

by Giggle Beats

  • Rocking Magpie

    While no fan of Chubby’s nor a lot of the New Wave of comedians, primarily because of the amount of swearing they use in their acts – that’s MY choice and mine alone. To ban him would be the thin edge of the wedge in a battle against censorship (in general).
    Most people know where to draw the line and will ultimately vote with their feet if he goes too far (whatever that means).

    Bloody busybodies!

  • Thierry Henry

    i fink that thiz iz all ded silly. roy iz a geeneeuss, e shud b alloowed 2 say wateva he wantz coz es ded fune

  • http://www.tombeasley.co.uk/ Tom Beasley

    Beginning to ban comics is a slippery slope. As soon as you start saying that their are certain things people can’t joke about, you start infringing on free expression, which is not good at all.

    Surely adults should be able to make their own decisions on entertainment?

  • bert

    that will never happen because we have freedom of speech so that the far right cannot impose its religious views on the rest of us. people vote with there feet and chubbs is as popular today as he was back in the 70s… why because he works on his act and is a damm fine musician as well as banging out the gags as well. the interviewer asks himself was it worth it? well roy is a millionaire with several homes and is legend with both youngh and old hes nothing to prove as bernard manning told his critics “when i die he said it will be on the news the traffic will be stopped etc now when you die youll be lucky if the undertaker turns up” ill rest my case there lol :-)