Adelaide Fringe bans comedian James McCann’s Rising Sun poster

A stand-up comedian has hit out at Adelaide Fringe “censors” who refused to publish his promotional poster because it might offend Japanese people.

Comedian James Donald Frobes McCann outside Royalty Theatre with both of the posters. Picture: Dean Martin

Adelaide Fringe banned a comedian’s poster which depicted part of the Japanese Rising Sun flag for being potentially offensive – despite a similar graphic appearing on its own poster – but reversed the decision late on Thursday.

Stand-up comic James McCann had to print new posters at his own expense to change the red sun design to a yellow one with a smiley face after the Fringe said it would not publish the original graphic on its website.

“What was Orwellian and pernicious is that they didn’t enter into a dialogue or say what they were opposed to,” McCann said.

“We changed it from the Rising Sun to the yellow sun, and they’ve approved that.”

Not OK: Adelaide comedian James Donald Forbes McCann's banned 2023 Fringe poster with a red Rising Sun.

OK: Adelaide comedian James Donald Forbes McCann's banned 2023 Fringe poster with its replacement with yellow smiling sun.

However, after alerted to the ban by The Advertiser, Fringe director Heather Croall said it would now permit the image.

“After speaking today with comedian James Forbes McCann about the content of his show and the purpose of his new poster image, the Fringe is happy to change the image on his show’s web listing.”

The Rising Sun flag was originally used by feudal warlords in Japan during the Edo period from 1603–1868, was then adopted as the war flag of the Imperial Japanese Army and is presently flown by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

It is controversial in Korea and China, where it is still associated with Japanese militarism and imperialism.

McCann’s manager was originally told: “At Adelaide Fringe we reserve the right not to publish images that are liable to incite racial, ethnic, or homophobic hatred”.

President of the Japan Australia Friendship Association in Adelaide, Mike Dunphy, said the Rising Sun flag could be considered offensive.

“It represents a period of history that wasn’t very positive for many people – Japanese and their neighbours,” Mr Dunphy said.

“I think people probably would like to put that period behind them.”

The Adelaide Fringe 2023 poster, designed by graphic designer Alana Naylor, features a similar “rising sun” motif.

Australia Japan Association of SA president Kyoko Katayama also said the Rising Sun flag could be particularly offensive for older people who remember World War II, including those from countries which Japan invaded.

“Because of my age, as soon as I see the flag I think of the war,” Ms Katayama said.

“It’s more of a political matter – there are lots of Korean people here and Chinese people here, so I don’t feel comfortable if they (artists) use it.”

This year’s Fringe poster, which is also on the cover of its program, features an almost identical sun design – except in yellow with red rays – in its top left corner. It has been changed to blue and yellow for the Fringe’s schools guide.

“I couldn’t help but notice,” said McCann.

His show The James Donald Forbes McCann Catamaran Plan Extravagan(za)! is at the Royalty Theatre on March 10.

“There’s a part of the show which is a discussion of Japanese culture – but also it looks cool,” McCann said of his reason for using the Rising Sun design.

“As for the role of the censor in getting rid of it – they have done no explaining, nor sought an explanation for the sensitive and nuanced reasons why that may have been used.”

In 2020 the Fringe dropped a bondage show from its program after upholding allegations that its organiser wore racist costumes including a Ku Klux Klan-style hood.