COMEDIAN STANHOPE DEFIANT AFTER DOWN’S SYNDROME CONTROVERSY
Outrageous U.S. comedian DOUG STANHOPE has taken aim at Britain’s Down’s Syndrome Association for criticising a radio presenter who urged listeners to check out the stand-up’s expletive-laden skit about politician SARAH PALIN online.
BBC Five Live host Richard Bacon encouraged fans to visit YouTube.com and witness his guest Stanhope’s six-minute rant about the former U.S. vice president candidate, during which he attacked her son Trig, who was born with Down’s Syndrome.
The radio presenter never made mention of Stanhope’s Palin comments and the comic didn’t repeat them during the interview that followed on 4 August (11), but Bacon’s suggestion that listeners should visit YouTube was enough to upset DSA officials.
They filed a formal complaint to the BBC, stating, "The DSA is shocked that a BBC employee has publicised the work of a comedian which is nothing more than a vile offensive rant and conflicts with BBC guidelines which state a responsibility to protect the vulnerable and avoid unjustifiable offence." Bacon has since apologised for his remarks, insisting he wasn’t condoning his guest’s humour, but encouraging listeners to check out why Stanhope has such a controversial reputation.
But the comic is defiant - he has chosen to fan the flames of the controversy by blasting DSA officials on his Facebook.com page.
He writes, "I just wrote this to the site @ info@downs-syndrome.org.uk saying in part ‘The best and highest use of your organization’s webpage is to give me publicity? How dare you pretend this is about you helping people rather than about your own personal, ego-driven agendas. Remember, you are supposed to be caring for victims, not making victims of yourselves. You are reprehensible.’"
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