Although controversial comedians give audiences endless fodder for discussion and debate, “never punch down” is the golden rule for humour for many Canadians. So when the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in 2021 on a Québécois comedian’s jokes about singer Jérémy Gabriel, its judges challenged Canadians to consider what comedy is about.
Gabriel was born with Treacher Collins syndrome, a condition that affected his facial bones and hearing. After getting cochlear implants, he learned to speak and then to sing. He went on to perform for the Pope and with Céline Dion. He released an album and published his autobiography by the age of 10. Fans affectionately called him “le petit Jérémy.”
