Buddhists descend on South Melbourne pub over Dalai Lama gag

Outraged Buddhists have protested at the South Melbourne pub where a comedian made a joke about the Dalai Lama’s recent comment to a young boy.

A group of 100 furious Buddhists descended on a Melbourne pub to protest about a comedian’s joke referencing the ­recent video that showed the Dalai Lama asking a young boy to suck his tongue.

Lewis Spears was the target of their anger as he prepared to perform at the Rubber Chicken Comedy Pub in South Melbourne on Tuesday. He recently made the crack about the video seen around the world.

Spears was preparing to ­perform on Tuesday when the 100 members of the Buddhist community in Melbourne ­arrived in a silent protest at the venue. They held signs, and some were crying.

Organisers also created an open letter to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival organisers calling for Spears to be reprimanded and turfed from the festival line up.

One protest organiser, Tenzin Khangzar, said Spears’ joke was “disgusting” and the crowd was there to tell the comedian “what he has done is wrong”.

“He made fun of our most special spiritual leader, and has hurt the sentiment of the Tibetan community in Melbourne deeply,” Mr Khangzar said. 

Members of the Buddhist community to protest outside the Rubber Chicken pub. Picture: Grace Baldwin

“We demand an apology from Mr Spears because he has made fun of not just the current Dalai Lama, but also the whole institution of the Dalai Lama.

“Tibetan people have suffered enough under communist China, we came to Australia because we thought it was a multicultural country.”

Another woman, who did not wish to be named, said her people had suffered enough at the hands of oppressors.

“He cannot possibly know how deeply he has hurt our people,” she said. 

“He has taken a knife to the heart of our spirituality.”

The Aussie comic says he is known for his “dangerous material”.

He told the Herald Sun that while he never intended to make anyone cry or be genuinely ­offended, he would “under no circumstances” offer an apology to the Tibetan community in Melbourne. 

Lewis Spears skewered the Dalai Lama over the video.

“I told some jokes – I felt like they were well-researched about their culture and religion and it went well in the room, went well online, then they found it and now they’re very upset,” Spears said. 

“No apology, absolutely not. I stand by it, they’re just jokes and there’s no malice behind it.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone or make anyone cry, but I can’t control how people perceive my jokes. “My intention is to make people laugh.”

Spears’ website claims he is “infamous for his confident, dark and dangerous material … His stand-up comedy has been campaigned against by media professionals and earned him thousands of death threats”.

Club owner Morry Morgan said he welcomed the group’s choice to protest outside his venue. “I think it’s great that Tibetans feel comfortable to protest,” he said.

However, he added: “The Rubber Chicken comedy pub hosts a monthly dark comedy special to ensure comedy is never censored.”