A KIWI comedian is under fire after making a joke linking gay marriage to beastiality during a performance in Mandurah on Friday as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow.
Guy Montgomery was heckled and booed off stage by audience members after he made the joke.
Sydney-based Rick Monk, who was at the show during a visit to Mandurah, took to Twitter following the performance to see if Montgomery would apologise for the joke.
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“I vented because I was angry,” Mr Monk said.
“I said something to him after the show as well.”
Mr Monk said he has been “out and proud” for 26 years and thanked an audience member called Renee who heckled Mr Montgomery following the joke.
Mr Monk said he felt embarrassed to say something at the time, but went and shook Renee’s hand after the show.
“I don’t know how you can equate gay marriage and sex with animals,” Mr Monk said.
“I’m glad someone spoke up.”
Mr Monk said he worked as a photographer for a gay newspaper in Queensland in the ’90s.
“I worked for equality and to get to this point,” he said.
“What he said directly affected me.
“I’ve spent 30 years living this life and I didn’t choose it.”
Mr Monk said he had a strong sense of humour, but Montgomery’s joke was just not funny.
He said it was in particularly poor taste considering the debate around legalising same sex marriage in Australia right now.
Montgomery was Nominated Best Newcomer at the 2016 Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
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