Guy Earle's hecklers may get the last laugh

Back in May, comedian Guy Earle was heckled while hosting a comedy night at Zesty’s Restaurant on Commercial Drive. Earle responded to the hecklers by launching into a slew of insults allegedly aimed at the sexuality of the hecklers, who were a lesbian couple. Lorna Pardy, one half of the couple, then filed a human-rights complaint against Earle, Zesty’s, and restaurant owner Salam Ismail. On June 24, the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal ruled that there is enough evidence for the case to be heard.

Is this political correctness gone too far? Certainly, by all accounts, Earle’s tirade was offensive and unfunny. (The comedian denies he discriminated.) But when does something cross the line from being merely offensive to being an affront to human rights? On the one hand, this does seem ridiculous: isn’t there a long tradition in comedy of comedians giving hecklers what-for? But then again, had Earle launched into a racist tirade, í  la Michael Richards, we might not dismiss this episode as PC mania.



Watch Earle discuss the episode in an interview with fellow comics:

Comments

13 Comments

Social Justice Rocks

Jul 1, 2008 at 12:34pm

"The patio is closing, we have a table for you inside."
Being in a foul half drunk mood, that move was a tad too much for the comic causing him to go 'sideways'. THEN, the 'heckling' began. At least this is what I heard from direct witnesses to the incident.
He should have followed the advice on my sign...

Social Justice Rocks Part Deux

Feb 7, 2010 at 11:52am

Two sides to every story... he seems to be a little premature about alot of things.

Free Speech Enthusiast

Mar 29, 2010 at 12:33am

Please refer "Ms" Pardy to s.2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which guarantees the right to free speech. What next?

Steven

Mar 29, 2010 at 2:57am

How is this not Lenny Bruce all over again? (I don't find Guy Earle funny and I would have been on the side of the hecklers had I been in the bar.)

fem lez

Mar 29, 2010 at 6:04pm

Ok so Guy Earle, gets TWO drinks thrown at him by the womyn(gotta be politically correct) and HE is the one going in front of a tribunal...hmmm. Is that not ASSAULT!?Ok, so lets start at the beginning, these gals were outside, then came inside were apparently obnoxious, making out heavily and drawing a tremendous amount of attention. He felt they were being disrespectful, and dealt with the situation. It's ok for them to be rude?
I laughed when the media used the term "dyke" apparently Guy referred to this term when addressing them..oh NO! BUT its ok for lesbian's to use the term e.g. The DYKE March or Dykes on Bikes or Superdyke.com. But when its convient to them, they pull the victim card. Giving me a break! Well good thing he didn't call them women because they would have clearly nailed him to the cross for this. Remember they are womyn...so get it write people.
These womyn were clearly attention seekers and WHY are we giving it to them?!!! BTW, I am a feminine lesbian who choose NOT to attention seek or play the victim card!!! These women make all lesbians and gays look like freaks as does the Gay pride parade.

Gary

Mar 30, 2010 at 10:39am

This heckler/lesbian needs to grow up, suck it up, and be responsible for her own hurt feelings. Geez, already.... This country is getting ridiculous when someone like this can manipulate the courts like this. I am 100% on the side of the comedian.

V. Malaise

Mar 31, 2010 at 2:09am

Is there such a thing as a legal extortion attempt?

Singo

Apr 1, 2010 at 5:41pm

there was plenty of room inside, but they chose the closest booth to the stage, why? there were 10-15 people in the restaurant including them and comedians.and it was almost time to close. her friend was humiliated the most and did not sue! its extortion, if u don't know, read the shake down by Ezra levant

JR

Apr 17, 2010 at 5:32am

I am offended and traumatized by this event do to my religous convictions that all people should be treated equally no matter how stupid and offensive they are.

Can I take the entire PARDY team, including the court, to a HRC/HRT outside of BC to get justice?