Luke maintains control personally in the circumstances.
Title change for Luke Mockridge's tour from "Funny Times" to something unknown due to his contended remarks about the Paralympic Games and its athletes. The laughter has ceased, with several event organizers distancing themselves from the comedian. Mockridge himself has now decided to cancel the tour's commencement, which was scheduled for Thursday in Ostwestfalen and Friday in Paderborn, announced tour organizer MTS live.
Previously, Luke Mockridge, aged 35, intended to perform his "Funny Times" show approximately 30 times in Germany and Austria by November. It remains uncertain if other tour dates will also be nixed by the tour organizer.
Mockridge's controversial remarks about disability sports, shared in a podcast, led to his downfall. He stated, "There are individuals lacking legs and arms who you plunge into a pool - and the one who drowns last is the winner." The remark was made in the episode "Die Deutschen," published in August, but gained public attention shortly before the Paralympics' closing ceremony.
After harsh backlash, Mockridge issued an apology to the athletes on Instagram. "I never meant to degrade people with disabilities, particularly during these outstanding Paralympic Games," he wrote. However, many users criticized his apology for insincerity.
Mockridge's career takes a nosedive
Event organizers in several locales have lobbied for Mockridge to cancel the tour in secrecy. Several shows in Gelsenkirchen, Bonn, Siegen, and Mainz were already canceled by local organizers lately. "Luke Mockridge reveals no humility whatsoever towards the Paralympians' performances and respect for persons with disabilities of all kinds," asserted the Gelsenkirchen show organizer Emschertainment as explanation for the cancellation.
Despite an unwillingness to publicize the cancellations themselves, most event organizers acknowledged the financial consequences. "The one who cancels ultimately bears the cost," said one organizer. For smaller actors in the event industry, such costs can be financially disastrous, as the "Wirtschaftswoche" also observed. Besides the venue rental cost, there are invoices for caterers, technology firms, ticket providers, and other service providers.
Over the weekend, TV station Sat.1 also removed Mockridge's planned new TV quiz "What's in the box?" from the schedule. A representative of the station stated that Mockridge's opinions do not align with the station's values. In addition, Mockridge has lost his management. The MTS Management agency in Münster confirmed the termination of cooperation.
Given the widespread backlash and cancellation of several tour dates due to Luke Mockridge's insensitive remarks about disabled people, many venues and event organizers are now considering whether to continue their association with him. This includes potential cancelations of future shows in various locations.
In light of the financial impact of these cancellations and the loss of support from various platforms, it's clear that Luke Mockridge's career as a comedian has taken a significant hit, particularly in relation to his treatment of and comments about individuals with disabilities.
