Jimmy Carr’s anti-vaxxer joke isn’t funny

Jimmy Carr was once the smug face of shock comedy. As a stand-up comedian, and a host of various comedy shows, he used to joke with his trademark poker face about looks, disabilities and sexual violence. The Welsh, the Scots and obese women and children were also targets.

When controversy inevitably came, Carr stood his ground. He caused uproar in 2009 by joking: ‘Say what you like about those servicemen amputees from Iraq and Afghanistan, but we’re going to have a f**king good Paralympic team in 2012.’ Carr said sorry for that gag, but he insisted: ‘My intention was only to make people laugh.’

Does Carr still hold true to that view? His new special on Netflix suggests his comedy has changed. A clip of the stand-up gig features him asking the audience: 

‘Who’s not going to take the vaccine because they think it might be dangerous? Raise your hand…Now take that hand and slap yourself in the f**king face.’