After a cancelled TV show and cancelled performances, Luke Mockridge is back on stage. He performed his new program in Vienna.
Around two weeks after the furore over his anti-disabled remarks in a podcast, Luke Mockridge (35) has performed again. After the opening of his “Funny Times” tour on September 12th in the East Westphalian Stadtgarten Bünde and other dates in Germany were cancelled, the comedian was on stage in Vienna on Wednesday (September 18th). It is the first of three dates in Austria. He also addressed the scandal.
“It is not right to threaten to kill me”
As reported, the Austrian tour could not be postponed for legal reasons. He introduced himself to the approximately 500 visitors in Simm City (which meant the hall was sold out) with the words: “I am known for bashing disabled people and the Gummi Bear Gang.” Mockridge continued: “It’s crazy that you are here, even though it is clearly written everywhere that I am the worst person in the world.” In a podcast “that aims to cross as many boundaries as possible,” he made a joke “that was really completely crap.” He was rightly criticized for this and he apologized because “it is important to me and it is right.”
He then criticized the critics. “It’s not right to threaten to kill me,” Bild quoted him as saying. “It’s not right to say: we’ll burn down the hall if that guy dares to play. It’s not right to threaten my friends, my family, my tour organizer – that’s not right! If the culture of debate is so dominated by the desire for destruction, then that’s not right.” If an apology no longer counts, then “three idiots sitting in a podcast” are the smallest problem. That’s why it’s important to play the show in Vienna and “the whole tour.” According to “oe24.de”, extra security personnel were even stationed in Simm City for fear of disruptive actions.
On tour until November 9th
The indignation was triggered by an episode of the podcast “Die Deutschen” by Nizar (40) and Shayan (33), in which Mockridge was a guest and which also covered the Paralympic Games. As a result, Sat.1 canceled the already filmed comedy quiz “Was ist in der Box?”, with which Mockridge actually wanted to celebrate his TV comeback. The comedian also did not take part in an event of the comedy format “Night Wash” in Paderborn at short notice, and dates as part of his new stand-up comedy tour were canceled.
However, it has not been cancelled entirely: After the opening in Vienna, he will be appearing in Leonding (September 19) and Salzburg (September 20). In Germany, the 35-year-old will appear in Munich on September 25 as part of the “Funny Times” tour, with other cities to follow. Mockridge is scheduled to be on the road with the program until November 9.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
