2022 Edinburgh Fringe

After scabrous comedian Jerry Sadowitz has had his Edinburgh Fringe shows cancelled by the Pleasance venue for featuring precisely the sort of content he has been performing for at least four decades, the Times wheeled out several big guns to defend the right to offend.

"The fear of upsetting people is the road to self-censorship, not self-improvement; the erection of new taboos a fresh means of hiding the truth," agonised Alex Massie. "It is depressing to appreciate that so many people are incapable of distinguishing between speech they do not like themselves and speech so dangerous it must be suppressed."

James Marriott pointed out: "An honest defence of free speech acknowledges that it inflicts pain on vulnerable people, disperses power unequally and has no scientifically identifiable principles - but that it is precious nonetheless."

And Sarah Ditum got straight to the point: "The galliest thing of all, the gall mother lode, is the Pleasance's claim to 'champion freedom of speech'. Now there's some faux liberal pish for you."

Fine words all - but somewhat pishy coming from a newspaper which, only two months earlier, deleted a news article about Boris Johnson pushing for his then mistress Carrie Symonds to be given a job at the Foreign Office because it offended not the general public or even its readers' sensibilities but those of Carrie herself, whose "people" intervened with representatives of News UK CEO Rebekah Brooks to complain about its appearance in the first edition of 18 June.

Despite a deluge of correspondence, complaints and even subscription cancellations from readers about the truth-hiding and self-censorship, the Times has declined to explain its actions, or to print a single further word about the matter. And unlike Sadowitz's act, the Times story didn't include the filthy bits (but we did - see Eye 1576).

Jerry Sadowitz cancelling was as lamentable as it was avoidable

The cancelling of Scottish comedian (and accomplished magician) Jerry Sadowitz by major Fringe producer Pleasance, was as lamentable as it was avoidable.

Silencing comics will lead to a dark destination, says Andy Shaw

The decision to cancel Sadowitz was an act of cowardice.

Kate Copstick: "This is a frightened Fringe. And that is unacceptable."

The Scotsman comedy critic on the Jerry Sadowitz controversy and why the Fringe shouldn't be aligning itself with corporate values.

The backlash against Sadowitz is no laughing matter

It's an extremely clever sales and publicity trick that Jerry himself would have been proud to conjure up, if only it had been deliberate. It wasn't; but it's proof, if any were needed, that there is still a huge public demand for his outrageous brand of dark comedy and unsettling social satire.

What happened when I produced a Jerry Sadowitz TV comedy special...

The Last Laugh with Jerry Sadowitz was recorded to be a 55-minute show though it was later transmitted as a 45-minute show (for general scheduling reasons, not because of content).

Letters: Jerry Sadowitz and the shifting boundaries of free speech

Readers on freedom of expression and hate speech, following the cancellation of the comedian's Edinburgh Fringe show.

It's funny how all of Jerry Sadowitz's defenders are white men

Racial slurs and a man exposing his penis don't hit in quite the same way for them.

What Malcolm Hardee thought of Jerry Sadowitz

As the Jerry Sadowitz row at the Edinburgh Fringe is still rumbling on (see my previous three blogs), below is an extract from the late Malcolm Hardee's autobiography I Stole Freddie Mercury's Birthday Cake.

Render unto Pleasance: Our editor with his personal opinion on the Pleasance v Sadowitz controversy

There are three things that should debar you from debates about comedy. The first is using the phrase "so-called comedian". The second is deploying your own subjective "it's not funny" as a trump card. The third is the Reductio Ad Jim Davidson - the strange logic by which if you're not a full on cheerleader for the currently dominant wave of progressive comedy, you obviously want to sit around laughing at Chalky and watching Up The Elephant reruns.

Jerry Sadowitz back doing voiceover work at Edinburgh Fringe

The controversial comedian has been signed to record the scene-setter for a performance by Mark Borkowski, a celebrity publicist whose previous clients have included Noel Edmonds, Graham Norton and Joan Rivers.

Who went too far: Jerry Sadowitz or those who cancelled his Edinburgh fringe show?

Questions of free speech offer no simple answers, but it's clear that this is a watershed moment in comedy.

President Obonjo on the Pleasance's dangerous Edinburgh Fringe decision

Benjamin Bankole Bello, who performs comedy as President Obonjo, is rather concerned by the Pleasance venue's banning of comedian Jerry Sadowitz's show at the Edinburgh Fringe...

They finally came for Jerry Sadowitz

Comedians dismiss cancel culture at their peril.

Was cancelling Jerry Sadowitz's Fringe show justified?

For context: I have never seen Jerry Sadowitz's penis.

Policing comedy is no way to fix society

The banning of an 'offensive' Edinburgh Fringe performer shows that free speech is losing out to liberal consensus.

Jerry Sadowitz is too good to cancel

He may be a monster, but at least he's talented.

Let's give these woke comedy hypocrites a taste of their own medicine

Threats to free speech are far more damaging and offensive than any joke Jerry Sadowitz could tell.

Jerry Sadowitz often pushes boundaries, but that's exactly the point

The comedian offers one of the purest forms of risqué comedy out there.

Why did the Edinburgh Fringe cancel Jerry Sadowitz?

I suppose it was inevitable that cancel culture would eventually catch up with Jerry Sadowitz.

Should Jerry Sadowitz have been cancelled?

The stand-up's show was shut down at the Fringe after complaints. I'd still rather see him than most other, more morally digestible acts, says Dominic Maxwell.

Should Edinburgh Fringe have cancelled Jerry Sadowitz?

Controversial comedian's show pulled from world's largest arts festival over 'not acceptable' material.

"I was at the Jerry Sadowitz show... The Pleasance are just making **** up..."

As an addendum to the blog I posted earlier today about the Jerry Sadowiz/Pleasance venue contretemps at the Edinburgh Fringe... My eagle-eyed, eternally-un-named friend has spotted a Tweet posted yesterday.

Opinion: Jerry Sadowitz and being cancelled

This could run and run. And in the process Sadowitz has become entangled in the latest round of culture wars.

Jerry Sadowitz, "freedom of speech" and The Pleasance paving the Road to Hell...

The aftershock of The Pleasance venue cancelling the second of Jerry Sadowitz's two comedy shows at the Edinburgh Fringe rumbles on.

Call for Pleasance boycott after Jerry Sadowitz cancelled

Comedians and figures from across the political spectrum have condemned an Edinburgh Fringe promoter for cancelling a show by a notorious stand-up.

Jerry Sadowitz branded 'abhorrent' by Scottish Tories after comedian allegedly called Rishi Sunak 'a p***'

It's claimed Glasgow comic Sadowitz referred to Sunak as a 'p***' in a gag during a performance at the Edinburgh Fringe on Friday.

Why it's hypocritical of the Fringe to cancel comedian Jerry Sadowitz

Jerry Sadowitz allegedly exposed himself to the audience and told racist jokes. He's been doing this since the 1980s, so why the faux shock?

Pleasance faces censorship backlash after pulling plug on Jerry Sadowitz

Actors, comedians, writers, poets, singers and broadcasters have hit out after controversial Scottish stand-up and magician Jerry Sadowitz had his Edinburgh Festival Fringe scrapped in the wake of complaints from audience members and staff.

What I told LBC Radio about Jerry Sadowitz's Fringe show being cancelled

I was interviewed by Andrew Castle on his LBC radio show this morning.

Edinburgh Fringe 2022: The comedy lineup so far

Here's a small fraction of some of the comedy coming up at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe.