Daniel Tosh apologizes for gang rape joke (Update)

By Dylan P. Gadino | July 10, 2012 at 5:27 pm | 140 comments | News, TV/Movies | Tags: controversy, daniel tosh, tosh.0

One of the pitfalls of hitting the big time, is that every word out of your mouth can become news. And that’s the case today, when a blogger wrote about her experience at a recent Daniel Tosh show at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles, the comedian’s home club. After the Tosh.0 star got heckled during a bit on rape, things got messy. Below, is an excerpt from a blog post one of the female audience members that night, posted on her friend’s Tumblr:

So Tosh then starts making some very generalizing, declarative statements about rape jokes always being funny, how can a rape joke not be funny, rape is hilarious, etc. I don’t know why he was so repetitive about it but I felt provoked because I, for one, DON’T find them funny and never have. So I didnt appreciate Daniel Tosh (or anyone!) telling me I should find them funny. So I yelled out, “Actually, rape jokes are never funny!”

I did it because, even though being “disruptive” is against my nature, I felt that sitting there and saying nothing, or leaving quietly, would have been against my values as a person and as a woman. I don’t sit there while someone tells me how I should feel about something as profound and damaging as rape.

After I called out to him, Tosh paused for a moment. Then, he says, “Wouldn’t it be funny if that girl got raped by like, 5 guys right now? Like right now? What if a bunch of guys just raped her…” and I, completely stunned and finding it hard to process what was happening but knowing i needed to get out of there, immediately nudged my friend, who was also completely stunned, and we high-tailed it out of there. It was humiliating, of course, especially as the audience guffawed in response to Tosh, their eyes following us as we made our way out of there. I didn’t hear the rest of what he said about me.

Moments ago, Tosh took to his Twitter to apologize, albeit half-heartedly. “All out of context misquotes aside, I’d like to sincerely apologize,” he began, linking up to the aforementioned blog. “The point I was making before I was heckled is there are awful things in the world but you can still make jokes about them #deadbabies.”

So, what do you think? Did Tosh need to apologize? Did the audience member take Tosh’s words too seriously? Is Tosh’s apology good enough? Sound off in the comments section.

———————-

UPDATE 11:20 pm ET

The author of the blog has left this follow-up message on her Tumblr:

My friend and I wanted to thank everyone for there support and for getting this story out there. We just wanted everyone to know what Daniel Tosh had done and if you didn’t agree then to stop following him. My friend (who wishes to remain anonymous) is very surprised to have gotten any form of an apology and doesn’t wish to press any further charges against Daniel Tosh. We also wanted to thank those that started petitions and the like, it’s more than she ever wanted and those that helped make this story so popular it went to the media.

She does plan on returning to comedy shows in the future, but to see comedians that she’s seen before or to at least look up artists before going to their shows.

Again, thank you to everyone!

Meanwhile, Laugh Factory owner Jamie Masada gave a statement to E Online:

Comedians sometimes tell jokes and sometimes they can be off color. I think Daniel Tosh is one of the funniest comics alive. He is one of the most caring people I know. He had no intentions of hurting anyone. understand where she is coming from, but Daniel Tosh did not attack this young lady. I feel bad for her and I apologize to her. If you are a member of the audience and you start dishing out something to a comic and try to be funny, you better be able to take it.

About the Author

Dylan P. Gadino

Dylan is the founder and editor in chief of Laughspin. He launched Punchline Magazine in 2005 (which became Laughspin in the summer of 2011) with childhood friend Bill Bergmann. Dylan lives in northern New Jersey with his wife and two sons. He hopes the Shire is real.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=38411563 John Daugherty

Apologizing for jokes is almost as lame as getting offended by them.
JSYM

Don’t go to comedy shows if you’re the type to get offended at jokes.
- nicecomment
  
  “Don’t wear a short skirt if you don’t want to get raped”
  - JSYM
    
    Clearly the same thing. You’re a genius!
  - http://twitter.com/NickKanner Nick Kanner
    
    at a comedy show your consenting to listen to who is performing, hell in this case not only would you have to no a) pay to listen to the daniel tosh but also b) realize that daniel tosh’s humor has an emphasis on shock value.
  - YourLittleBrother
    
    That’s what your mom said.
  - nicercomment
    
    A better analogy would be “Don’t go to prison if you don’t want to get raped”
  - Huge Jackman
    
    I think you may have gone full retard.
- http://twitter.com/random_tangent Random_Tangent
  
  Or really, don’t just wander into a place because it says “comedy” on the door and expected to be entertained. Do you just walk up to the box office at a multiplex and say “One movie please, sir!”
  
  What Tosh said to her was over the line, in my opinion, but you don’t heckle a comedian on stage. Some of the dipshits in the audience paid good money and might have differing tastes.
- riiiiight
  
  I am the type to expect jokes at a comedy show. You know, like funny jokes, not some junior high “lol u should get raepd lol” level verbal acrobatics. Because that is, you know, not really funny. At all.
- Boo-urns
  
  So when Michael Richards (Kramer) went off that was ok? because he was on a stage? Can you deconstruct what Tosh did and show me the punch line? Where is the joke? Pushing the boundary with a grin isn’t a joke. There was no surprise. Sarcasm is not irony. everyone is stupid.
  - JSYM
    
    Michael Richards called someone a nigger because he interrupted his set. A set that had nothing to do with race at all. Tosh was explaining how you can make fun of anything and make people laugh, which is what was hapenning aside from this disgruntled person who said something. You’re comparing two very different situation.
  - Huge Jackman
    
    You too have also gone full retard. Lotta dumbfucks on this post.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=163904803 Adam Quesnell

Dumb. Daniel Tosh lives in a house built on irony, if you don’t understand that you should probably leave whatever comedy club you are at and rape yourself to death.
- Bill Squire
  
  I love you Adam.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Tamara-McCollough/1473832188 Tamara McCollough

Did she even know who Daniel Tosh was before going to this show? Like, at all?
- Derpette
  
  Maybe if you read the blog post, you would know she actually didn’t. She went there with an open mind about what humor would be there, though realized quickly that this wasn’t for her.
Bob

stupid bitch.
sircharlington

What a bitch.
Donthatewomen

Wow
phxaz

Laugh Factory should ban her. For heckling and for acting like a tool.
Silly Boys Make Me Laugh

I’m a fan but…if I hadn’t heard the same from Patrice O’Neal years ago it would have been funnier.
- Dirtbag
  
  Was it rape, or rape-rapity-rape-rape?
  - Mr IDGAC
    
    that just made my day XD
  - Silly Boys Make Me Laugh
    
    Pretty sure gang rape would be more than a bit rapey so I’d go with rapity-rape-rape
  - Lucia R.
    
    Probably just rape-rapity-rape-rape, like she could’ve played along, hopped her butt onto a table and a bunch of guys could’ve just pretend raped her, for the sake of spontaneity and comedy, of course. Tosh had let the joke progress naturally and I also think it’s cool that he abologized. People say to each other “you just don’t get it”; and that might be a way to describe what happened.
Comedian Kevin Piastra

Incidents of this nature occur in comedy clubs all the time so for this to make news is absurd. If you are at a comedy club and know Daniel Tosh is playing, what do you expect? It’s perfectly fine for him to joke anout that topic, this is 2012. He wasn’t condoning rape. Dane Cook does rape jokes. Louis CK is one of the bestcomedians of all time and he jokes about rape all the time. The absolute greatest comedian ever George Carlin did a whole long routine on rape that’s as funny as hell just to prove to people that context is what matters. There are no taboo topics. We have first amendment rights, for a heckler to show her ignorance–to be prudish to come on like that and small mindedly heckle Tosh was pretty lame. She embarrassed herself. And the audience was laughing, so obviously it is funny. Most people act offended because they think they have to. Daniel was just covering his own ass by apologizing on twitter. Agent or manager probably told him to.
Shitbrains

I did it because, even though being “disruptive” is against my nature, I felt that sitting there and saying nothing, or leaving quietly, would have been against my values as a person and as a woman.
saying nothing and walking out would’ve been the correct thing to do in this situation, but as this woman is an absolute cunt, she decided to speak up like the loudmouth she probably is. I bet no one she’s ever met likes her and her husband shot himself. Fuck this woman and anyone like her. Don’t ruin comedy because you’re a blabbering whore. Just don’t go.
- Lol
  
  Shitbrains indeed. Saying nothing and walking out would be more convenient for you, that doesn’t mean it’s the “right thing”. And all the “cunt”, “blabbering whore”, etc., makes it pretty clear you’re just trawling the internet for any excuse to bash women. Have fun dying alone.
- FU12345
  
  You know what’s really funny? You’re a worthless, small dicked, no balls loser who should be gang-raped by 5 dykes with strap-ons!!! Go fuck yourself, POS! Oh, you can’t! Small dick! You wish you had a cunt so you could fuck something!!!!!
  - AF
    
    Don’t use emotions and anger to argue with the good points “Lol” made. This is the exact point the author tried to make. People are using the word rape jokingly beyond the point of excessive, which is DESENSITIZING each male’s reaction by blindly defending Tosh. I truly hope the women out there dumb all the idiots like you. They deserve so much better!!
    - Heyzeus
      
      That woman most definately is a cunt. I’m not saying that to bash women, i’m saying that because it’s true. And because I want to bash women. She’s a whore and should masturbate with a serrated knife.
Nope

These commenters are pathetic.
- jb
  
  Your comment is the most pathetic
Sam Whipps

The bad part, people, isn’t the rape joke to begin with. It’s that Tosh then went out of his way to wish upon the girl, saying it’d be funny, if she just got raped right then by five guys.

That’s out of line.
That is not funny.
- Dannyhirtler
  
  What’s out of line is interrupting a comedy show because you don’t like what the comic said. If you really feel that strongly about it just leave or approach the comic after the show. Did anyone else yell shit out? Doesn’t seem like it so wtf makes her so special?
- BarndogKarck
  
  Saying the worst thing you can think of to a heckler to shut them up is not out of line. It’s tactical. If an audience member yells one thing without consequences, they’re more likely to keep being disruptive.
- http://twitter.com/peppermint6789 Sage Basil
  
  Comedians get heckled all the time. And this is how they respond. At a play, if someone were to try to heckle, security would come around. If you heckle a comedian, they’ll joke about you being raped and shit to humiliate you until you leave on your own. Don’t like being humiliated? Don’t go to comedy shows and heckle comics.
  
  But if you’re good at heckling, eventually the comic gets booed off stage and you take the stage.
youdisgustme

Argue about the merit of rape jokes all you like, but there’s a line between joking about something terrible happening in general, and something terrible happening to a particular person. I see there is a majority of male commentators here; I imagine most of you don’t live with the looming threat of having your life altered in such a drastic and nightmarish way– so I guess no one could expect you to empathize with what it might feel like to have a public figure intentionally humiliate you in front of a large crowd of people by joking about one of the most real and terrifying threats that pervades your life.
- JSYM
  
  So male rape jokes are ok then?
  - Anon
    
    That makes no sense whatsoever
    - JSYM
      
      Sure it does. If men do not live with that fear constantly, then male rape jokes are not off-limit. This is great news! A clear set of rules to make sure no one is offended is what comedy needs!
      - Aaaa
        
        You realize male prison rape jokes are pretty much a staple?
      - Person
        
        Boondocks! …… sorry your comment just reminded me of Boondocks
  - http://twitter.com/Mexicant808 Jonathan sotello
    
    yes they are.
- Mr IDGAC
  
  its a comedy club. anyone stupid and selfish enough to disrupt a show deserves to get their ass verbally handed to them
- Ephrom
  
  http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/men-outnumber-women-among-american-rape-victims/ Please familiarize yourself with reality.
- http://www.facebook.com/lukdragyn Taz Howard
  
  I’m a woman, who’s been raped, assaulted, and involved in a domestically violent relationship.
  Having said that, I *still* think rape jokes are funny. If you go to a comedy show-especially when the comedian is one known to make off-colour humour-it’s your own fault for getting offended. Leave! That’s like coming into someone else’s home and telling them to change the paint because you don’t like white walls. Was he out of line for saying it’d be funny if she got raped? Yeah, a little-I’ll give you that one. But we have to learn to laugh at things in life or we’ll be bitter, stuck-up bitches who never leave the house.
- gavbo
  
  You’re right.
  
  And as a woman, you don’t have to worry as much as I do about EVERY OTHER VIOLENT CRIME. As a man, my safety takes a looooong backseat to yours, so I guess it is harder for me to empathize regarding how rape jokes aren’t funny, but it’s way harder for you to understand why they can indeed be funny. Either that or stop laughing whenever you hear a joke about something that has ever hurt anybody. Ever.
  
  As a man, I’m more likely statistically to be murdered, robbed, assaulted, beaten up, and threatened with physical harm than you are, but I can laugh at any of those jokes. In fact, I’ve BEEN robbed, beaten up, assaulted and threatened, and I STILL laugh at those jokes, and so do a whole lot of other guys and gals.
  
  I’m Jewish and I laugh at Holocaust jokes, I’m gay and I laugh at gay jokes. I laugh at AIDS jokes, 9/11 jokes, and everything else that gets made fun of. The reason why is that YOU HAVE TO sometimes to be able to deal with it.
  
  Also, Daniel Tosh is not a public figure, he’s a shock comedian performing live onstage that has to deal with insecure, unaccountable, irresponsible individuals who lack self-control and then blog about how they were victimized even though it was them that started it. I don’t feel sorry for her. When you heckle a comedian, the gloves come off.
  - Jennie
    
    dude I get what you’re saying and I agree that people should be able to joke about anything. I don’t feel sorry for that woman either…. but you lost me on your rant about how as a man you are in so much more danger and are thus entitled to contempt towards women who fear or are uncomfortable with the subject rape. .. I’m not sure you really get what rape means to women. I often think I’d rather be killed than raped. I’d certainly rather be robbed, assaulted or beaten up (Which by the way are the same thing)… and I’d definitely rather be “Threatened with physical harm” HA. You really must be a pussy. As an EMT I get the grim view of what violent rape is like in real life. Torture, shit shoved into your body, massive trauma… both physical and mental. Women are more likely subjected to THAT. Not some threats and a black eye.
    - Noname
      
      Also I don’t think you understand how excruciating or scary death can be especially if your beaten to death which is a reality guys live with and actually happened to my neighbor who was a 17year old bmx rider that was about t go pro. Also you must some kind of bitch to say that the guy above you was being contempt and then you turn around and call him a pussy.
      
      Actually what hanoend to him was a lot worse than just getting beaten to death and what’s really scary about it is that we live in a normal quite middle class suburb where you think that type of crap wouldn’t happen. He was actually beaten hospitalized for almost 2months half that time he was in a coma and less than a month after they released him from the hospital he was riding his bike home starting to get his skills back cause the assault also left him partially paralyzed and the same people ran him over killing him. So whatever you can keep being stupid and believe rapes worse than death but its not.
      
      Also I don’t think you realize but the traumatic death of a loved can scar your whole family and have multiple people dealing with psychological issues. At least if you get raped you’ll still be around to comfort your family and your family will be there to comfort you.
      - Anon
        
        Men get raped too,less, but deal with it differently. Women it scars them forever. Yeah I’ve been robbed, extensively bullied, I’m German, I’m bi polar and I laugh at all those jokes. Women are too damn touchy. Most take things way too personally. They’re no explaining why, the death or rape thing is bullshit. Women just can’t disconnect emotions. I can laugh my ass off to things that should offend me. It’s good for you. Being uptight and letting it get to you gets you no where.
    - Noname
      
      I don’t think you understand how excruciating or scary death can be especially your beaten to death which is a reality guys live with and actually happend to my neighbor who was a 17year old bmx rider that was about t go pro. Also you must some kind of bitch to say that the guy above you was being contempt and then you turn around and call him a pussy.
      
      Anyways what actually happened to him was a lot worse than just getting beaten to death and what’s really scary about it is that we live in a normal quite middle class suburb where you think that type of crap wouldn’t happen he was actually beaten hospitalized for almost 2months half that time he was in a coma then less than a month after they released him from the hospital he was riding his bike home starting to get his skills back cause the assault left him partially paralyzed and the same people ran him over killing him. So whatever you can keep being stupid and believe rapes worse than death but its not.
      
      Also I don’t think you realize but the traumatic death of a loved can scar your whole family and have multiple people dealing with psychological issues. At least if you get raped you’ll still be around to comfort your family and your family will be around to comfort you.
- Youdisgustme2
  
  I’m sorry that you feel that way but I guarantee if you make good choices with your life you’ll never have to live in fear of that.
  
  And do you really think that badly of men to think that a joke is ganna make a guy go rape a girl? Seriously come on.
  
  So your right I can’t empathize with JOKES that were made to make one of the most real and terrifying threats that pervades a woman’s life bearable. You know why cause sometimes people need to joke about stuff like that to get over it!
http://www.facebook.com/mariaciampa Maria Ciampa

I’ve heard plenty of funny rape jokes. Tosh’s comeback to the heckler wasn’t funny. It would be absurd in an awful awful terrible way if she got raped by five guys right then, but not funny.
- Cstevens21
  
  How obtuse are you? He didn’t think that for one second, even one (let alone five) guy would begin raping that girl. He was saying it to shut her up! People, please stop being so uptight and literal. It’s comedy for God’s sake. Nobody’s getting raped because of what Daniel said and I’m sure Daniel Tosh doesn’t condone rape. His joke doesn’t condon rape. He’s just trying to be extreme and get people to laugh. It’s really that simple. If you don’t like what you hear, shut your mouth ask the owner for a refund and leave, period.
  - Durandal
    
    Oh, because saying someone should be violently gang-raped by a group of people is a perfectly reasonable and acceptable way to get someone to shut up. Idiot.
    - Educating Retards
      
      Its not supposed to be reasonable or acceptable. This is a FUCKING COMEDY FEATURING DANIEL TOSH! He has never been reasonable or acceptable with anything he has ever said so why would you expect him to suddenly follow that rhetoric now? Especially considering the fact that that kind of behavior is what made him famous and is considered acceptable in most comedy club. You absolutely reek of dumbfuckery. Next time your parents fuck tell your father to pull out. Wouldn’t wanna have another ”
      Durandal” walking the earth.
    - Educating the Uneducated
      
      He responding to a heckler. Why would he be reasonable or acceptable? Its not a discussion its a comedy show. Visit the real world sometime will ya?
http://twitter.com/garythorn Gary Thorn

It probably would have remained a fairly obscure episode if Tosh hadn’t tweeted about it. What a dope.
http://twitter.com/Drueisms Drue

The controversy is not that he made a joke about rape, it’s that he essentially attacked this woman saying it would be funny if she got raped right then and there. That is a poor attempt at irony or coincidental humor, her being upset about what he was saying before wasn’t the issue. Him handling a heckler isn’t the issue. Attacking anyone in the audience like that just isn’t appropriate, some people are just better at handling heckles than Tosh. People can make jokes about anything, they don’t even have to be funny(most jokes out there aren’t funny, that’s why there aren’t hundreds of amazing comedians dominating the scene right now.) Once they get mean spirited and start to delve away from actual comedy to personal attacks(even if the comic is being heckled!) they lose a lot of their moral protection, and move away from being “jokes.”
- AF
  
  Thank you, one of few rational empathetic thinkers.
  
  Additionally, it wouldn’t be funny if the “joke” triggered a repressed memory she or someone close suffered. If I were her, hearing hundreds of people laugh at my expense would kill my respect for society. 1 in 4 girls are sexually abused by their 18th birthday. There is nothing funny!!
  - joel
    
    soooooo, its joke, tosh is a crazy mofo, she says hes not funny, he has every right to make a rape joke at her, alls fair in love and and war, btw, pearl harbor jokes, so under used, and the whole omg, couldve triggered a repressed memory thing is just you googling shit and i would lose hope in society when 1 joke, which ive heard way worse from middle schoolers btw, makes everyone flip shit and try to feel all big and smart online because some in is funnier than they are
TomWithTheWeather

why are we all shocked that Daniel Tosh said something unfunny recently? the last time he said anything funny was his comedy central presents in 2003.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003065040406 Jess Kidding

I’m offended that you called Tosh a comedian.
http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/L5CV467HWMM6XDY3DT3P7DLDDQ Lawrence

No way should he apologize. It is not this girl’s business to make any political statement at a comedy show. It’s no different than going to a movie and loudly talking at the screen. It’s a performance. The audience didn’t come to see her dumb ass.
Mr IDGAC

in a comedy club you are to sit their quietly and watch the comedian- you do not call out to them because you disagree, you do not yell out punchlines, and you do not talk in general. doing so immediately makes you a heckler- the cancer of the stand-up comedy business. and EVERY heckler deserves to be verbally abused, kicked out of the club, or both. sure daniels response could have been better- but when you are rudely interupted mid thought the response probably isnt as funny and well thought out as it could be, and you tend to go straight for the jugular.

it does matter if you were offended, it doesnt matter if you agree with the joke, it doesnt matter if you thought it was funny- the minute you open your stupid fucking mouth, you are open season to whatever verbal assault the comedian has to offer. end of discussion. just shut the fuck up and sit there- you know, like EVERYBODY with manners and common sense is doing. its her own selfish, cunty, attention seeking fault.
http://www.facebook.com/justin.caprye Justin Caprye

The only way to actually make this any worse is to go out and get raped by 5 guys. I guess she doesn’t care enough about ruining Tosh’s career.
http://twitter.com/MomJokes Mother Joker

Saw this first on BoingBoing. Xeni piled on the insults, then closed comments. Not very classy. I must say, I find Laughspin to be very classy so far, and I’m glad they have comments open.

The complaining female blogger is at fault for heckling. Xeni’s at fault for whining and bullying with her Boing powers. Tosh is Tosh. You never heckle, then play victim — doesn’t work that way.
- Tom
  
  Seriously? He said she should be raped. I’m sure he and all his drooling fanbois think that’s the height of edgy comedy, but most actual human adults can recognize that as pretty inhuman behavior. Not to mention old and boring.
  - http://twitter.com/MomJokes Mother Joker
    
    ”He said she should be raped.”
    
    Nope. Come on, that’s the kind of thing Fox news does. He never said that.
    
    If anything, he said, “Let’s pretend she gets raped, after heckling me about a rape joke, wouldn’t that be funny?”
    - Corncob
      
      He introduced a hypothetical about her getting raped. Problem is, this hypothetical is too close to reality, and is more like a veiled threat. If she had stayed in that club til the end, I don’t doubt for a minute that some guy(s) would have tried something afterwards (by “something” I mean anything in the realm of an aggressive or threatening approach). Because, wouldn’t that be funny?
      - Spectral_trail
        
        That is a leap in logic so large that if Evel Knievel saw it he’d exclaim loudly and clearly “Fuck that, I’m not gonna to clear that, rocket car or not.”
      - come’onnnnn
        
        Complete bullshit
Dannyhirtler

Seeing as how her blog is named “cookies for breakfast” I think it’s pretty safe to assume she’s a pretty big, and not likely to get raped kinda girl. Woulda been pretty funny though. Like 5 guys gang banging a fat chick in the middle of a comedy club… I mean, like not right then and there, but like if you think back of it years from now you’d laugh
- Tom
  
  Nothing better than clueless people shooting their mouth off about crime. Rape actually has almost no correlation with physical attractiveness. Little girls and old ladies and fat and disabled people all get raped fairly frequently in our world. I’m sorry for you that you think that’s funny. I know people who have been raped (some of them fat, even!) and even though some of them were raped years ago, I still don’t find it funny.
  - Dannyhirtler
    
    Well I don’t find Carlos Mencia funny, but you don’t see me going to his show and then yelling stuff out. Some people think it’s funny when fat people get raped, some people don’t. That’s life.
- khaotica419
  
  ..seriously? This might just be the stupidest comment I’ve ever read. What are you, 12?
- Corncob
  
  The blog does not belong to the woman who experienced this. Try improving your reading comprehension before you say idiotic things.
- Truth Has No Agenda
  
  Would you like nasty jokes about your sexual orientation? I bet you & your group would not only want an apology but that would want him fire and taken off the air. The NOH8 group are the biggest haters on twitter & the internet. Not sure why gay people and especially gay comedians think they are so special and are allowed to spew vile hate mongering.
- Narutofox50
  
  I appreciate the trolling kind sir.
Pbjman44

I dont care how good or moral a person is. Heckling is inexcusable under any circumstance. If you TRULY feel uncomfortable with the jokes, leave and write the comedian a letter or something. What people don’t realize is that what comedians are doing onstage is carefully planned and executed: it’s a performance that they’ve practiced probably dozens of times to get it just right, and when someone heckles, it throws them off. Imagine someone coming into your workplace and completely screwing up something that you’ve been working on for a long time because they felt entitled to.

I don’t think Tosh needed to apologize. Maybe he could clarify that he would never want the heckler to get raped (by one or multiple men), but never apologize for a joke.
- ladyJ
  
  LIFE IS HARD, MAN.
Twilightgirl019

For those who agree to this type of shit don’t know what rape does to a person. ITs not a matter of wearing short skirts or tight tops, it can happen to girls who wear baggy stuff and don’t show off what they have. Like seriously, what the f*ck is wrong with you people?! They didn’t know about the rape jokes, they’re not psychic. Rape scars a girl, for life, and mentally too! Get a f*cking heart!
- Mr IDGAC
  
  everybody has something that hits close to home- whether its being the victim of a terrible crime like rape or child molestation, having a recent death in the family, battling a terrible disease like aids or cancer, dealing with racism or homophobia, living with a serious disability like alzheimers, parkinsons, mental retardation, paraplegia, tourettes, or alzheimers- but comedians joke about all these things and more.
  
  despite how individual members of the audience feel, no topic is off limits for use in a joke- especially with shock, cringe, or off-color humor like daniel uses- and that a comedian cant cater their entire act and greatly limit what they can talk about because 5% of the audience might be offended by that particular joke. when a topic that hits close to home came up did all the other audience members yell out or heckle in protest? no. because they understand that they’re jokes and that not everything has to be about them. they sit their and wait for a minute til the comedian moves onto something else. Daniel tells all sorts of mean jokes and this woman sat there watching the show until it came around to HER thing. she sat through the gay jokes, retard jokes, shit jokes, old people jokes, and racial humor- but the minute it came around to something that SHE doesnt find funny- THATS when she decides to to take umbrage, speak up and say its not funny; even though moments before she was probably laughing at all the other groups getting mocked. Choosing to be offended by 1 thing just because its close to her, and trying to make a scene- what an enormous show of hypocrisy and self-centeredness on her behalf- which is why she deserves every bit of hate and ridicule she receives for it.
  
  sure what daniel said was mean, but the minute you heckle the comedian you are basically asking for it. you disrupt them in the middle of a topic- and then have the gall to be offended when they insult you directly, after you blatantly disrupt the show and tell him he’s not funny. thats like calling the guy cutting your hair a faggot and then getting angry when he doesnt finish cutting it, or if he ‘accidentally’ nicks your ear.
  
  its not about having a heart- its about common courtesy and respecting that you are not the only person with baggage. if you dont like rape jokes thats fine. its a terrible thing and is not a joking matter for people affected by it- but at least know that these types of jokes are everywhere and to do a little research before you go and see a comic; and that if they do say something that upsets you either leave or shut your mouth like the hundreds of other people trying to enjoy the show, rather than disrupting and making it about yourself.
Ben

I assume Tosh’s fame and television show are what forced him to apologize. Shouting at a comedian, interrupting his show, and then complaining after he puts you down is like jumping into a boxing ring and complaining that you got punched. If you put yourself out there, you have to deal with the consequences.
Blablah

No. Heckling in some (maybe even most) circumstances is both unnecessary and annoying. However, if the “comedian” is doing something that IS actually promoting violence they need to be called out on it. You don’t sit silently and let someone promote the kind of thinking that actually leads people to believe that rape is a less awful crime than it actually is. If she had remained silent and just sat there and then complained afterwards she would have been complicit in spreading acceptance for rape. Yeah, MOST people know that it is wrong to rape/assault other people. But when you are saying that rape jokes are always funny, and/or telling jokes about rape, you are making light of a situation and showing a sort of twisted acceptance for it. That tells the potential rapist that what s/he is thinking about doing/has done/is planning to do is socially acceptable, and hey, maybe they can even get a few laughs out of it.

Rape is not funny. Rape is real and it can happen to anyone. She was right to call him out on bullshit like that.
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christopatten

That sucks for her but Heckling is a tight rope, you need all kinds of charisma to swing a crowd at a professional comic. In these cases you should just leave, trying to heckle a vet may have seemed noble but it was social suicide.
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Truth Has No Agenda

Not sure what Daniel Tosh would know about rape unless he is talking about the kind that happens in a men’s prison. Just another fine example of a hate filled liberal.
http://twitter.com/xacid Jimi

I find the “doesn’t wish to press any further charges against Daniel Tosh” part funny because what charges can you get him on? You voiced your opinion and he took it as a heckler so he retorted and you obviously got offended. Grow a back bone and take it. Its only words and you allowed those words to offended you. Welcome to Reality~
JSYM

The worst thing when a comedian gets caught telling a heckler off is when Gawker readers decide to make it their agenda to denounce them. Grow some balls assholes. It’s co-me-dy.
sickmuthafucka

somebody out there please rape this bitch!
http://www.facebook.com/theestarman Christopher J. Starman

So it is OK to be offended by a joke, AND it is OK to interrupt a comedian.
Is it then OK to interrupt a play or other performance if I disagree with the content?
Can I disrupt her blog if I disagree with her statements?
Her friend does not wish to press charges? Really??? There was no illegal action done.
This woman did nothing more than act like a fool, was humiliated for it, then spun it to promote her blog and twitter. Congratulations, in America you can get famous for complaining about stuff!
numbers56

She heckled a comedian known for having a sick sense of humour. Reminds me of the time Richard Herring heckled a guy and then suggested everyone in the audience stab him. Curiously that didn’t receive anywhere near as much negative attention as this…
- numbers56
  
  *was heckled by a guy. Apparently I’m writing like an idiot today.
  - Dogfucker
    
    Well if the cap fits, fucko.
Roblowmancomedy

FUCK BLOGGERS. Jesus Christ! Showcase clubs are made for experimentation. Imagine if a blogger slammed Andy Kaufmans early work for not getting it and there was a story about how could the club let a man go on whose reading the great Gatsby? Clubs need to be accountable to put on acts that at least have jokes. Fuck you. What gave you the right to judge the art form? I think tosh and myself think rape is funny because it makes no sense. I had rape jokes and cut them out of my act because to me it isn’t worth offending people, but when I was making rape jokes I was making fun of how I didn’t understand how it could exist. The point is tosh has worked really hard and has his own dark brand of humor with a lot of people who appreciate it and who are you to judge him or the people who do like it? It’s a joke. If you don’t get it, accept that you don’t get it and move on. Don’t make declarative statements that it is immoral for the joke to be made. Sense of humor is kind of an intimate personal thing. The fact that I think horrible statements are funny is my own sick sense of humor. The fact that someone is good at constructing sick statements that appeal to my sense of humor and make me laugh and make my life more tolerable and then you shit on it because it isn’t your sense of humor. FUCK YOU! He did nothing wrong or offensive and people need to quit being so G-d damn righteous and whiny.
Erin Tiesman

Hey, he got a heckler to
leave the room so everyone else could enjoy the show. So mission
accomplished. I would never interrupt a comedian — it’s a COMEDIAN. I’m a woman – a feminist, too – but I know a comedian when I see one. And
why would she not know what kind of material he does in advance?
Where’s she been the last 3 years?
Jeff

He’s a fuckin insult comedian. What did you expect when you went to his show? I’m disappointed in him for apologizing.
Jeff

”My friend (who wishes to remain anonymous) is very surprised to have
gotten any form of an apology and doesn’t wish to press any further
charges against Daniel Tosh.”

First off your friend is a coward for not putting her name behind her words. Secondly, what charges were you going to press? He told a joke you didn’t like? Good luck with that lawsuit.
Johnicaroca

You are too easily offended. The fact that you or your cowardly friend wanted to file a lawsuit against him is absurd. Have you ever heard of the First Amendment? I’m glad you decided to leave and I hope he continued to rip you a new one after exiting. Actual rape is not funny but what Tosh said is a joke. Grow up.
SMH

Who else thinks that she could’ve made a better “statement” by simply walking out without disrupting the performance like an attention seeking loudmouth?
http://twitter.com/RockabillyJay Jay Skarlow

“doesn’t wish to press any further charges against Daniel Tosh”- are you fucking kidding?
http://rockabillyjay.tumblr.com/post/26984485386/the-7-words-you-cant-say-in-comedy
http://twitter.com/tinybadass Joy Barr

Dylan, check out Jamie Masada’s statement to BuzzFeed. He mentions he has been getting more and more complaints recently from people being offended. This is interesting. Do you think people are not used to live, raw comedy any more? I would have thought meta humor and culture would be preparing folks for something “off color.” What’s up with these ruffled feathers in 2012? http://buzzfeed.com/amyodell/comedy-club-owner-says-daniel-tosh-incident-has-be
Stefanie92j

Wow, most of you on here are horrible people that are completely missing the point. Tosh said it would be funny if the woman was raped, by 5 guys no less. He could have handled the situation far better then that, but instead took his rape jokes even further, directing them AT her, and made the woman feel extremely uncomfortable and humiliated. That shit is disgusting. I’m usually a Tosh fan, but this was not a good move.

Also, being a comedian is not equivalent to a get out of jail fee card. He shouldn’t get a pass just because it’s his career.
http://twitter.com/peppermint6789 Sage Basil

apologizing was the worst thing he could have done. it just legitimizes the criticism, and it’s not going to help at all. The leftists already hate Tosh, and they’re not going to stop until he loses his job.
Peachyprincess64

It was a joke. I mean come on. Am I saying it’s tasteful? No. But should he be receiving such a backlash for this? No. Obviously there is a time and place for a joke. If it was in a different context, such as at a work place or something like that, there would be an issue. However, at a comedy club during his performance? Come on, it is what he does. There are thousands of jokes that can be and will be interpreted differently. And I bet that most, if not all, have laughed at one or two, or have even retold some of them. Does that make you a bad person? Not at all. If she was that offended, what she should have done was leave. She was in what she perceived as an uncomfortable situation. Easiest thing to do? Remove your self from it, not add to the flames. When tosh replied back it was for the show, not as a dig towards her. I mean if you have seen some of his shows, he plays off the audience. I think some people need to lighten up. They hear jokes that can be incredibly offensive and laugh but one comes around that personally offends them and they throw a fit.There is a difference between a joke and an attack and some people need to learn the difference. Tosh shouldn’t have apologized for his joke/ act and society shouldn’t have expected him to.
JSYM

“You can’t make fun of ________!”

No, people can. Fuck you.
Sarah

“If you are a member of the audience and you start dishing out something
to a comic and try to be funny, you better be able to take it.” What? It sounds like she didn’t do it to be funny, it sounds like she did it to try and stick up for women who had been raped. Who the fuck would think that what she said was intended to be funny?
Utopia143

Tosh is a sick cookie!
ACheerfulOne_IAM

The nadir of human decency and humor.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=510641064 James Tripp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhyhzlL-hh8

Comedians do this all the time….keep your mouth shut unless you want to become part of the act
Poole

Bitch pleaz, go get raped
- ACheerfulOne_IAM
  
  You first, so you can come back and tell us some great and innovative jokes about your experience. Then we can say, “Is that an Emmy we smell or your festering rear end?”
  - Narutofox50
    
    I’m gonna rape you and your mother. Maybe you father. Now bite the pillow, I’m going in dry.
Paladoris

Isn’t it just blatantly obvious that the setup of how rape jokes are funny was satirical in its own right? This overly sensitive idiot didn’t get that and yelled out, so Tosh took her down like any comic would take down a heckler. It might have been overly harsh, but the only reason she felt threatened (the audience was laughing – has anyone ever contemplated violence while laughing?) is because she was ready to be offended before Tosh even opened his mouth. The fact that this has turned into a ‘are rape jokes funny?’ debate is just ridiculous. People are just as eager to be outraged as this cunt was, and it makes me sick.
Heyzeus

For what it’s worth, I still think it would be funny if that woman got raped.
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Michael

Haha I love rape jokes, and tosh is right they are always funny, so stop giving him shit for doing his job telling jokes
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http://www.facebook.com/stephen.york.9 Stephen York

I think it is a bit ridiculous as far as she had taken his initial jokes about rape, ” not directed towards her.
The fact that she felt the need to take it personal was very over the top. Many people in the audience ” woman as well ” were not offended. She should have known better before going to the show what tosh.0′s sense of humor. Seriously who goes to a show not expecting any type of joke. That is
like going to a a concert and getting angry when you walk into a mosh pit intentionally and get hit. Well
a little different but same concept. She obviously KNEW NOTHING about tosh.0 and decided to just go to the show without expecting the worst of jokes.Yeah rape is a bad thing. Rape is a horrible thing. but do not go to a show and think that all he is going to talk about is small jokes etc.. The fact that she decided to take it upon herself and rudely interrupting the performance with her opinion on rape was un-called for. And if she also knew anything about tosh she would know that he would have a witty remark in response to her comment. You should know your comedian and what his material is before you go to the show. Just going there and getting offended un-like everyone else is to me a poor choice and she should have studied his material before going so she would not be offended on his usual stuff. For christ sake he talks about it on his show on tv! it is obvious what he talks about!
Marcy

The rape joke to begin with is distasteful. But I agree with Sam Whipps that the biggest issue is that Tosh tried to make a joke about a specific person in his audience getting gang raped. And I COMPLETELY disagree with that statement Jamie Masada gave. What the hell does she mean by “If you are a member of the audience and you start dishing out something
to a comic and try to be funny, you better be able to take it.”

Jamie thinks this girl was trying to be funny? Did she even read this girl’s blog post. She was offended! Not trying to laugh along with Tosh. She shouldn’t have to “take” anything when it comes to jokes about her getting gang raped.

Totally out of line.
Jared1017

Ok for one when going to a comedy show you must be prepared to hear something’s that may go against your moral beliefs it happens. So if this does happen you don’t stand up and voices your opinion becauses guess what you now made your self the target. And when your the target they will but you in the center of attention and probley try to affend you even more becauses it’s funny. Should Daniel of had to apologize. No we tend to forget we have a freedom of speech and the ability to voices are opinion his was about rape in a humorous way. Can he do this yes. Do you have to like it no. Can you voices your option about his yes, but be ready for back lash. Now these jokes are always going to have back lash from people who see it, but you write about it on fb or twitter, not stand up in a crowded theater and voice your opinion one it’s rude to the people around you who paid good money to go and see this man perform. If your an atheist you don’t stand up in a church and yell your wrong about your beliefs. Daniel tosh had done nothing wrong and should be demonized for doing what we the people pay him to do.
Irving Washington

God forbid this idiot woman went to an Anthony Jezelnik show or something. That’s the problem- Daniel Tosh is too popular. This bitch was expecting a Dane Cook set. Or Ned, the fake spic.

Yes, Tosh attacked her; she was being a loud obnoxious cunt. And when audience members do that, they better be able to take whatever the fuck the comic wants to say back.
growasenseofhumor

If you can’t take sexist and offensive jokes don’t go to the shows.
Barnabus Tibbs

If women just worked out a little, maybe carried guns with them, and grew some figurative balls, rape wouldn’t be a problem. If fact maybe there would be more women raping men, something I always wished there was more of.
Dante

Stop being such a pussy and laugh you uptight whore
siv

Funny how women think that all discussions, jokes and general life should revolve around them and their sensitivities. True that I did not personally hear what DT said about rape, but I have heard and read numerous jokes about rape and have not seen or heard anyone complaining till now.
Why does “youdisgustme” feel that there’s a persistent Rape Threat looming over him/ her?

Is it because you wander around late nights semi to totally drunk, clad in clothes with minimal material content so as to look good and confident in yourself?
I’ve heard that these types of clothing are meant for improving a woman’s self worth, self confidence, and not to flaunt her sexuality, and all fault (of rape) lies with men. Piece of advice – don’t believe these people.
If you feel threatened live, dress and move accordingly.
cutebunny777

rape jokes….probably funny if he is a funny comedian. i mean, to actually think he was promoting rape? you are taking the comedy too seriously. because then we couldn’t joke about…..religion, sex, getting kicked in the nuts, marriage, stupid people, really smart people……i could go on and on. and yes. i am female, and yes, i have had personal experience with the issue at hand. get over yourself.
Dr. Funke

“…because I, for one, DON’T find them [rape jokes] funny and never have.” Um…okay? But comedy is subjective. So what if you don’t find them funny? Maybe other people do? Why is it that you think you’re right when clearly it’s a subjective matter? Next time, just shut up and leave. This would have never happened if you just hadn’t said anything.
not rapist

“doesn’t wish to press further charges”
Bret

Breaking News: if you don’t like what you hear, DON’T LISTEN! How fucking stupid can this chick be! We all know as a society that it is a serious matter and not one person laughing at his jokes probably thinks rape is okay….but with that being said when you walk into a comedy club with Daniel Tosh none the less, you expect to hear vulgar comments. If it offends you just simply don’t go!
Jordan

Why go see a comedian who makes his very name by bashing at things people feel are “crossing the line” if you’re just going to take offence to it, then expect this very same guy NOT to lay you out to the crowd when you heckle him?

Watching Tosh.0 and both stand-ups I could have told you he would make a rape joke…it’s in his nature…it’s part of his act.

NOBODY thinks rape is a good thing…it’s called shock comedy. Don’t even start with “she didn’t know his set would have rape jokes.” That means she was the fool who bought tickets to see a comedian she didn’t even know she would like. That’s like buying tickets to a concert for a band you’ve never heard before.

Anyway, I feel tosh shouldn’t have issued an apology of any sort. If you don’t like it, shut up and walk out.

Keep me laughing Daniel!
World piece

Well Tosh definitely did the right thing by apologizing. Did he need to apologize probably not although the joke was alittle out a line but its a comedy show you don’t have to agree with what there saying also if you know who Daniel Tosh is you should know what type of comedian he is and if you disrupt a comedians like that at work prepare to get roasted! And honestly if you think about it that what you paid for you paid to see a shock comedian do his routine. If you go to a circus show and a performer dies doing there routine your not gonna go blog about how offensive it was right? No cause you know you took the risk knowing that something bad can happen at any time especially if you open your big mouth and perswayed it to happen!

What’s really sad here though is that women live in fear of men like that. Almost all my friends are guys and im a 99.9% sure that they’ve never tried to rape a a girl and probly never will. And I know I never will. Also ladies I’m saying this as helpfull advise but you need to make better judgment on who you go out with like what do you thinks ganna happen when you go out with that dude that’s partying all the time doing drugs and steeling shit, you need realize that’s not cool and to stay away from people like that or else something bad will happen… Here an example I’m 100% Puerto Rican wich is kinda black and I love rap music(mostly gangsta rap) but you’ll never see me try and make friends with a bunch of gangsters. Also here’s another example I do some drugs mostly the ones that don’t hurt you like weed and I love women & dont mind if a girls done some drugs but you’ll never see me or any guy like me date a chick that’s a fucking tweak or druggie!
Snarf

If you go to an comedy show, where you know this comedian does this kind of stuff, he goes on like this to make points, expect it to happen. If you heckle or get drink and loud or fall asleep, expect to be targeted out. It’s just like ANY job. Respect the person working. If you don’t like what he’s saying LEAVE. Don’t interrupt his set. That’s rude and your not making a point you’re making an ass of yourself.
She heckled then turned tail and ran, and actually mentioned not present charges? For what? Doing his job? His First Ammendment right? If you don’t find his material funny, and you should k is by now he makes rape jokes, DON’T GO!
rapist joe

Rape is always funny lol
whatever

yeah arguing this shit was sooooo important.

gg everyone.
Christina

Daniel tosh is known for his offensive jokes. If he wasn’t offensive, he wouldn’t be famous. Everyone knows that. So you can’t go to his show and act like you didn’t know he was going to offend someone. No, Tosh doesn’t think that rape is actually funny. This woman paid to see an offensive stand up, and that’s what she got. I don’t feel bad for her whatsoever.