Cherie's stand-up gaffe
'Crap joke' to disabled comic
Cherie Blair embarrassed aides yesterday by asking a wheelchair bound comedian ‘Are you a stand-up?’
Her comment was meant in jest, but comic Laurence Clark simply replied: ‘Everyone makes that joke.’
The Prime Minister’s wife, wearing an I Love TB was introduced to him at the party conference in Brighton.
According to the Independent, she joked: ‘Are you a stand-up comedian or a sit-down comedian?’
Later Clark – known for his live show The Jim Davidson Guide to Equality, said: ‘I don't think she made a mistake. I think she was cracking a crap joke. She should stick to the law.’
‘I did not take offence at all. She was not embarrassed but she did seem a little nervous around disabled people."
Mrs Blair did not stick around to watch Mr Clark's show after their brief encounter yesterday lunchtime.’
Also at the conference, Blairite chief whip Hilary Armstrong leapt to the defence of the PM when he was ridiculed at a BBC party.
The Dead Ringers team, who provided the entertainment, were mimicking Tony Blair's preachy mannerisms when Armstrong ‘aggressively heckled… at some length,’ according to The Scotsman.
Also at the conference this week has been Eddie Izzard, a Labour donor.
Published: 28 Sep 2005
