Netflix faces new laws in wake of Holocaust joke controversy
The UK says it may soon have laws targeting Netflix and other streaming services over controversial content like Jimmy Carr’s Holocaust joke Read Full Article at RT.com
Comedian Jimmy Carr’s jokes about the Holocaust “shouldn’t be allowed on television,” the UK culture secretary believes
UK Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries said on Saturday that issues like the recent controversial Netflix comedy special by Jimmy Carr, who joked about the Nazis killing Roma, could “very shortly” be addressed in a new legislation that would “bring into scope” the types of comments allowed to be broadcast.
Speaking to ‘BBC Breakfast,’ Dorries claimed Carr’s special, which contained a “trigger warning” from Carr for audiences, was “not comedy.” The comedian has been under fire in recent weeks over material joking about the Holocaust and calling the murder of Gypsy and Roma one of the “positives” to one of history’s darkest points.
Dorries called Carr’s material, which has faced protests from groups like the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust and Auschwitz Memorial, “abhorrent and unacceptable” even after being confronted about a past tweet of her own, bemoaning “leftwing snowflakes” killing comedy.
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“Well, that’s not comedy. What Jimmy Carr did last night is not comedy. And you know, I’m no angel on Twitter, nobody is, but I just would like to say that nothing I’ve ever put on Twitter has been harmful or abusive,” she said.
Dorries said the government currently has no “ability” to legally target Netflix over airing the jokes, “but very shortly we will.”
This new legislation, she told Sky News in an interview, would “impose sanctions” on streaming organizations for airing material like Carr’s recent choice in comedy.
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries says govt are looking at introducing a new ‘media bill’ which will “impose sanctions” on streaming services and video on demand platforms for the “kind of comments Jimmy Carr made” pic.twitter.com/2on0VlpD9R
— Samuel Gould (@iamsamgould) February 5, 2022
Carr addressed controversy surrounding his special at a recent show, according to the Mirror, where he told the audience he was likely getting “canceled,” but he planned on “going down swinging.”
Carr’s special, titled ‘His Dark Material,’ was released on December 25, but a clip of the comedian’s Holocaust bit received new attention this week, sparking calls for the special to be removed from Netflix’s service.
@jimmycarr Learn about fate of some 23 thousand Roma & Sinti deported to Auschwitz.
— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) February 4, 2022
Our online lesson: https://t.co/4oNbsPuWdU
&
podcast about their story: https://t.co/uURtCUYjt7
It's sad to hear words that can fuel prejudice, hurt people & defile memory of their tragedy.
Here is a statement from our CEO @OliviaRMW on the abhorrent jokes made by Jimmy Carr about the Roma genocide.
— Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (@HMD_UK) February 4, 2022
We urge everyone to learn about Nazi persecution of Roma people and follow accounts such as @RomaSupport, @GypsyTravellers and @GypsyTravellerM.https://t.co/lqkdIQ6bWN pic.twitter.com/9SweGA8rOV
I have written urging Netflix to remove Jimmy Carr’s vile anti-GRT and antisemitic material.
— Nadia Whittome MP (@NadiaWhittomeMP) February 4, 2022
I have also requested an update from @DCMS on progress to bring streaming platforms under Ofcom regulation.
My full solidarity with GRT communities, today and always. pic.twitter.com/We6MRJVyjb