After her exit, some even walked off the show in solidarity.
US comedian Urge Barker came under fire after he told a mother and her baby to leave his stand-up set. at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Accordingly New York PostThe incident happened on April 20 when Trish Frenda was attending a comedy show with her seven-month-old daughter Clara and a friend. After Clara makes some humming noises, Mr. Barker stops and later cracks a few jokes about the situation. However, after some time, he approached the mother again because he was upset.
”I was breastfeeding when he came and stood in front of me and he was telling me to go,” Trish said. ”People were laughing and I don’t think he was joking. So I said to him, do you want me to go? And she said, “Yes I do,” Mrs. Feranda said. After walking out of the show, a few others also walked out in solidarity.
Heated debate on social media
This incident has also sparked a lot of debate on social media. While some said the woman shouldn’t have brought the baby on the show, others slammed the comedian, insisting that being a new mother is tough and she should have shown some compassion.
Australian politician Alain Sandel tweeted: “I’m disappointed to hear this. It’s hard enough for new mums to participate in society with all the barriers in front of them – it’s terrible to be humiliated like this for trying to enjoy a comedy festival.”
Another defended the comedian, saying, “I’m a parent and I think she was right to ask her to leave because she failed to consider the other paying audience members.” Most comedy shows are no longer than an hour. Arrange a donor or don’t go.”
The comedian defends his decision
Meanwhile, the US comedian stood by the “weird” decision, telling People that “the baby was interrupting my performance” and that he “politely told her the baby couldn’t stay.”
“The baby was crying and not screaming, but in the Athenaeum, there are voices and you can hear a pin drop. The lady didn’t even know if I was serious or not, and I said ‘I was.’ (Joking) I made the decision for the audience who wanted to watch the show and I shouldn’t have been in that position, it’s a 15+ show,” he said.
He later shared a more detailed statement on Instagram. “It is unfortunate that any embarrassment has been caused to him or his family, but again, if the demonstration policy had been followed, this situation would not have happened,” he said. He also offered the woman a refund for the ticket.
In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, a different attendee of the show said that “the kid was making a bit of noise, as kids do”. An attendee named David said SMH That “while people were laughing, the baby started making baby noises and maybe I think there’s a whinge” This is when Barker asked the woman to take the baby outside.
The woman’s reaction
Ms Franda said she felt “humiliated” and “unwanted” after she was kicked off the show. He told A current affair She was looking forward to the comedy festival.
“You lose yourself a little bit in motherhood. You’re so focused on other people’s needs that you don’t have time for yourself,” she said.
She also claimed her baby was “not screaming” and hit back at critics who said she shouldn’t have cast a young child on the show. “She wasn’t screaming, she was just a baby, she choked a bit, she had to scream a bit… nothing loud,” the mother said. Ms Franda added that she deliberately K had booked seats at the front and side of the theater so she could make a quick dart to the exit if her baby got too noisy.
Statement of comedy festival
In a statement given to ABC NewsA Melbourne International Comedy Festival spokesperson said: “The request is independently produced and not managed by the festival in one place, however, any interaction between performers and their audience requires sensitivity and respect. happens
“In our managed festival venues, babies in arms are usually allowed but we ask people to sit in the back with their baby so they can move quickly and easily if the baby makes a noise, so as not to disturb the artist and other patrons.”
