NI comic defends McCann remarks

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7068017.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Northern Ireland comedian Patrick Kielty has defended his decision to discuss the case of missing child Madeline McCann during his comedy act.

Last month, some members of a Dublin audience walked out of his show over his jokes about Kate and Gerry McCann and their daughter.

Mr Kielty, who apologised to anyone who took offence, said his act focussed on the way the media handled the case.

"I didn't do any jokes about Madeline McCann," he told BBC Radio Five Live.

Madeleine, four, of Rothley, Leics, went missing during a family holiday in Praia da Luz in the Algarve on 3 May.

In his show, Mr Kielty made jokes about the case and asked the audience to vote on the McCanns' innocence.

Some people felt this was offensive and walked out.

Routine

In an interview with Simon Mayo, Mr Kielty said talking about the week's news events was a typical part of many comedy routines.

"As a comedian, one thing you always do when you walk out on stage is, you talk about what's going on in the week's news," he said.

"I talked about the case and the way the media were treating the case, I talked about the hypocrisy of the PR machine around the whole thing and about the Pope and different things.

"And, you know someone just heard that word 'McCanns' walked out and then, suddenly, it is all over the newspapers that I did this material.

"Three people walked out of a show, 1,000 people were at it, I am happy to stand over that."