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A breastfeeding mother said she felt “humiliated” after she was kicked out of a Melbourne comedy show over the weekend.
Popular comedian Arj Barker was performing the show in front of a large crowd at the Athenaeum Theatre on Saturday night when he was distracted by a baby.
He told 3AW Mornings with Tom Elliot he made the “difficult” but necessary decision to request her to leave.
The US comedian said he felt “really awkward” but said the baby couldn’t stay.
“The baby wasn’t crying and screaming, but in the Athenaeum, sounds (does) travel and you can hear the drop of a pin,” he said.
“The woman didn’t even know if I was serious, and I said ‘I wasn’t (joking)’.
“I made the decision for the audience who wanted to see the show and also I shouldn’t have been in that position, it’s a 15+ show.”
Trish said she left the show feeling embarrassed.
She was supported by seven or eight members of the crowd who also walked out in solidarity.
“He was intimidating and he was standing right in front of me,” she told 3AW Mornings with Tom Elliot.
“She was just being a baby – she gurgled a little bit, she had a bit of whinge – nothing super loud.
“I didn’t feel comfortable to stay.”
Trish said she had no issues after taking her baby to see Dave Hughes’ comedy show last week.
“It didn’t seem to impact him,” she said.
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival said they had been advised of the situation.
“Arj is independently produced and at a venue not managed by the Festival, however, any interaction between performers and their audiences require sensitivity and respect,” the festival said.
“In our Festival managed venues, babes in arms are generally allowed but we do ask people to sit up the back with their child so they can quickly and easily leave if the baby gets noisy so as not to disturb the artist and other patrons.”
Greens MP Ellen Sandell said the comedian should take a “good look at himself and apologise”.
“It’s hard enough for new mums to participate in society with all the barriers put in front of them – to be humiliated like this, for just trying to enjoy the comedy festival, is awful,” she said on X.
“A note to men who don’t get it: when a baby’s breastfeeding you literally have to be attached to them most of time and can’t be separated for more than an hour or so.
“So if you don’t allow bf babies in public places, you’re actually saying women/mums aren’t allowed in those places.”
