Sara Pascoe: Comedian says rape shouldn't be off limits as joke material

The contentious question of whether rape can be joked about gained a great deal of airtime after an incident at a comedy festival in Melbourne last year

The question of whether rape can be joked about came to the public fore at a comedy festival in Melbourne last year (Andy Sheppard)

English comedian Sara Pascoe has said that rape is not off limits to joke about. The writer, stand-up comedian and actress who has appeared on Mock the Week, Being Human, QI and more, argues that if the joke is funny and strong enough rape can be broached humorously.

“So you can joke about rape but I’d like the comedian in question to first consider how it might feel if you have been a victim of it, because hearing certain language can provoke a physiological reaction,” the 34-year-old told The Telegraph.

“And if you still feel that it’s a joke worth telling, then great. That means you have total confidence in your material.”

Pascoe takes an in-depth look at whether rape can ever be joked about in her new book Animal: The Autobiography but doesn't decide on a firm opinion.

The question of whether rape can be joked about came to the public fore at a comedy festival in Melbourne last year after a male comedian made a joke about rape and a female audience member lay beneath a table as a display of protest. In due course, the incident was globally discussed on social media and proved massively divisive.