Glasgow comedian Jerry Sadowitz' axed Edinburgh Fringe show was 'extreme in its racism, sexism, homophobia and misogyny' and sparked 'an unprecedented number of complaints', according to venue chiefs.
Glasgow Live previously reported that the 60-year-old's performance of 'Jerry Sadowitz: Not for Anyone' was cancelled 'with immediate effect' over the weekend. His Fringe offering came with a warning of 'strong language and themes some may find distressing'.
But on Saturday the funnyman, who grew up in Glasgow's southside, announced on social media that his second and final show had been scrapped. On Sunday the Pleasance, the venue, released a full statement on the move.
Venue bosses slammed 'language' used by the stand-up as 'completely unacceptable' and claimed that a 'large number of people walked out' of the show because they felt 'uncomfortable and unsafe'. They also stressed that a 'line was crossed' regarding the alleged offensive material in the show.
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A spokeswoman from the Pleasance told Glasgow Live : "As previously stated, the Pleasance chose to pull Jerry Sadowitz’s second and final show. 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. A large number of people walked out of Jerry Sadowitz’s show as they felt uncomfortable and unsafe to remain in the venue.
"We have received an unprecedented number of complaints that could not be ignored and we had a duty to respond. The subsequent abuse directed to our teams is also equally unacceptable."
The spokeswoman added: "At the Pleasance, our values are to be inclusive, diverse and welcoming. We are proud of the progress we have made across our programming, which includes significant investment and support for Black, Asian and Global Majority artists, LGBTQ+ voices, those from working class backgrounds, and the strong representation of women.
"We do not believe that racism, homophobia, sexism or misogynistic language have a place in our venues. 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. We don’t vet the full content of acts in advance and while Jerry Sadowitz is a controversial comedian, we could not have known the specifics of his performance.
"The Pleasance has staged his work numerous times over the years, but as soon as we received complaints from those in the building which caused us great concern, we knew we could not allow the final performance to go ahead. The arts and comedy in particular have always pushed the boundaries of social norms but this boundary is always moving.
"Our industry has to move with it. However, this does not mean that we can allow such content to be on our stages."
Indignant Sadowitz thought Friday's performance 'went well' and he 'didn't see any walkouts'. Despite this, the comic said he was 'truly sorry' to all fans 'who travelled to see' Sunday night's performance.
He wrote 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 Pleasance said anyone who had booked a ticket for Saturday's gig would receive refunds for their tickets and that they "won’t be working" with the entertainer again.
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