Comedian sparks row after complaining about crying baby 'derailing' Edinburgh Fringe show

17 August 2022, 10:16

A comedian who complained after a parent brought a crying baby to his show has sparked a row.

Matt Forde compared the infant to a mobile phone ringing continually and told parents not to bring their babies to adult shows.

The comic, who has been performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, grumbled about the audience member on Twitter which sparked a mixture of support for his position and criticism of his complaint.

Mr Forde said: "Someone brought their baby to my show last night. Sadly it derailed large parts of it because they wouldn't do the decent thing and just leave when it started crying.

Read more: Comedian Jerry Sadowitz's Edinburgh Fringe show axed by venue bosses for 'unacceptable material'

"I get that it must be tough as a new parent but please, don't bring babies to adult shows. It's always a problem.

"I realise this sounds a bit whiny but it’s just to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

"It's like someone's phone continually ringing and them not turning it off. I've had so many messages from people who were there last night who were very polite about the fact it pissed them off."

Twitter users were split on their reaction, with some criticising his outburst and others backing him.

"It's genuinely rubbish having to miss stuff because you can't get the kids watched. I wouldn't take my children even a babe in arms to a comedy show though," said one user.

"It's one of those things you have to accept being a parent that you might miss things, surely?"

"This topic splits opinion, I am a bus driver and a crying baby is by design very distracting but you're the bad guy if you say anything in real time!" said another.

One suggested: "It's tough being a parent of infants, you don't want to be isolated.

"Here is the thing - bring your baby, but you have to leave it if the baby starts to cry. That's the deal."

And another remarked: "Do you have children of your own, Matt? Perhaps those parents wanted to see your show."

"What about the baby on stage?" quipped one Twitter user.

Mr Forde, whose Clowns to the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right show has been running at the Pleasance Courtyard, clarified early on Wednesday: "It was all very friendly. I made a joke about it all and incorporated the baby into the show. Eventually it was just impossible."

He added, after criticism over whether he was complaining about a mother, that: "The baby was with its father."

More controversial at the Edinburgh Fringe was the cancellation of comedian Jerry Sadowitz's show.

He was alleged to have taken out his penis on stage and to have made a racial slur about Rishi Sunak.