Veteran blue comedian Rodney Rude backs in same-sex marriage

RODNEY Rude is famous for his ‘poofter’ jokes but the veteran Australian comic says he’s not fooling around when it comes to his vote on same-sex marriage.

Rude may be crude but even he voted yes to same-sex marriage. Supplied picture

VETERAN Australian comedian Rodney Rude — who has sold millions of albums with politically incorrect gags and “poofter” jokes — says he’s voted yes to same-sex marriage.

The 74-year-old posted a characteristically expletive-ridden social media post today, lampooning politicians for wasting “squillions arguing like they always do”.

He also joked about having sex with a watermelon.

“I’ve just put my yes vote in the mail,” he wrote.

“In the past black people couldn’t marry white people, or Jews marry Christians. We should have moved on from setting these stupid rules. I’m sick of hearing this boring statement: ‘Oh marriage is between a man and a woman’.”

Australian comedian Rodney Rude says he voted Yes to same-sex marriage.

Despite little exposure on commercial TV or radio, Rude sold more than three million albums, videos and DVDs during the 1980s to the mid 2000.

He regularly sold out shows in pubs and clubs across Australia.

Rude — whose bawdy humour rarely missed any social group — said he’d spend his entire life “fighting for freedom of speech and for adults to be able to see, hear, watch and do whatever they choose”.

“I see this whole thing as a freedom of choice issue,” Rude said.

“Who cares who marries who?”

His endorsement came on the same day as seniors advocacy peak body COTA Australia announced its support for gay marriage.

Rude’s comedy was synonymous with “poofter” jokes but he says it is time to legalise same-sex marriage.

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COTA Australia chief executive Ian Yates said the board had “carefully considered” the issue.

He said while there were differing and divided opinions across older Australians, the unanimously view of the board was to support for the right of older Australians to marry their same-sex partners.

“Marriage equality is a matter of rights and fairness — all Australians, of all ages, deserve to be treated equally under the law,” Mr Yates said.

“As the leading seniors advocacy group in Australia, it is important that we declare our support for marriage equality given our commitment to human rights, social inclusion and political equality for all older Australians.”

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