Fritz Baffour, veteran Ghanaian standup comedian
Veteran Ghanaian standup comedian, Fritz Baffour, has cautioned comedians against making jokes about people’s disabilities.
According to him, there are politically correct and incorrect jokes.
Sharing his views on the sensitivities of jokes in today’s world on the Class Drive on Class91.3FM, Mr Baffour said: “There were jokes I use to make about stammers that now at my age, I wouldn’t do again because I’m also sensitive to the fact that a disability is not something to be laughed at, but when I was younger and we had a different kind of cultural milieu, I could do it…”
He explained that in today’s world under a different culture, “I’ve to be sensitive to someone who has a voice disability, someone who is disabled, because when I was a politician, I worked on that side, social protection, I was a member of the committee on social protection…”.
Mr Baffour’s comment comes on the back of the controversy between Hollywood movie stars Will Smith and Chris Rock at the just ended Oscars.
Will Smith slapped Chris Rock in the face on stage at the Oscars after the comic made a joke about the actor's wife Jada Pinkett Smith.
"Jada, can't wait for GI Jane 2," he said, in an apparent reference to her shaved hairdo - which is a result of the hair loss condition alopecia.
Smith walked on stage and struck Rock before returning to his seat and shouting: "Keep my wife's name out of your [expletive] mouth."
He later apologized on stage.
Touching on the comic industry in the country, Mr Baffour said the industry has “improved immensely.”
He told show host, Prince Benjamin, “I’m very happy about chaps like DKB and the others, they are doing well. I went to a comedy show and all the comedians, every one of them was a gem, so it’s fantastic.”
He suggested that Ghanaian comedians are given “more exposure and the promoters should use them more often.”