Following his set of shows in Belfast, the Brummie comedian found himself in hot water after a member of his audience called the police on one joke in particular.
Famous for his camp nature and iconic TV appearances, Joe Lycett is used to facing backlash from viewers, although he’s never quite received a response as harsh as a phone call to the police… until now. Appearing in Belfast earlier this month with his new stand-up show ‘More, More, More. How Do You Lycett? How Do You Lycett?”, he debuted plenty of new jokes, with one specifically causing an uproar with an angry fan.
Posting on Instagram, Lycett revealed he had been in conversation with the Northern Irish police after the complaint but that the case was now closed. He sarcastically labelled the outcry a “perfectly understandable response” to what he considers to be “one of the best [jokes] I’ve ever written”. Even after the complaint, he is adamant to keep the gag in the show and will continue to perform it “unless I am jailed”. Seems like nothing will stop him from making people laugh!
The comic has shared his desire to keep his show under tight wraps, so the joke in question will not be named, however it does include a heavily edited video of himself. For those of you who have seen the joke unfold on stage, it’s rather hard to explain without giving too much away. In his own words, Joe best explains it via the phrase “giant donkey dick”, so let your mind roam free with that image.
With modern comedy needing to be woke to avoid a comedian facing cancel culture, it’s easy to understand how some individuals take personal offence at what are meant to be harmless jokes, but calling the police does seem a step too far. Joe, however, saw the funny side of things, ultimately labelling the incident “very bizarre… but quite enjoyable”.
The rest of the show remains complaint-free currently, but who knows what else may prove problematic in the future! There’s a whole plethora of material covered on stage, ranging from Alan Sugar to a covert operation that took him four years to carry out. You’re guaranteed to laugh until your sides ache.
So if you fancy finding out what this now-infamous “experience” is, Joe Lycett continues his tour until September. And if you like what he posts on social media, you definitely won’t be disappointed with the show.