Breastfeeding mother asked to leave Arj Barker’s comedy show

Internationally renowned comedian Arj Barker asked a mother and her baby to leave his Melbourne show.

Comedian Arj Barker asked a breastfeeding mother to leave his show. Picture: Rob Leeson

A breastfeeding mother has been told to leave a Melbourne comedy show after an internationally renowned comedian said she and her baby were “ruining his train of thought”.

Comedian Arj Barker asked the mother and baby to leave about 15 minutes into his show at the Athenaeum Theatre, calling her out in front of the entire audience.

Speaking on Monday morning, the mother who was expelled from the theatre, Trish, said it made her feel “pretty humiliated”.

“He was quite intimidating, he was standing right in front of me,” she said to 3AW.

With seats close to the front and to the side of the aisle, Trish said she had an “escape plan” if the baby got “rowdy”.

“We were sitting there and she gurgled a little bit, it was probably the equivalent to if someone was coughing,” she said.

“(Barker) said “I speak baby, and she said ‘take me outside’”.

“I was actually breastfeeding when he came and stood in front of me, he came and basically started telling me to leave.

“I said to him “do you actually want me to leave” and he said yes.”

Despite audience members telling her to stay, Trish said she did not feel comfortable to remain and left the theatre.

“You lose yourself a bit when you have kids and I was trying to get back to enjoying something before kids,” she said.

Having successfully attended a Melbourne International Comedy Festival show by Dave Hughes with her tiny daughter, Trish said there had been no issues.

“Hughsey was absolutely amazing, (the baby) had a bit of a giggle, he made a joke about his own kids and moved on like a true professional.”

Disappointed in Barker’s response, Trish said she would not be attending his shows in the future despite being a long-term fan.

Another attendee said Barker had “demanded” her seven-month-old cousin to “leave his show”.

“A woman has purchased a ticket, for a night out with her sister and friend, to laugh and enjoy herself and you badger her and encourage her to leave and get a refund,” she wrote online.

“With all of the hatred and violence women are faced with, among the countless atrocities happening within the world today, I ask you to simply take a long, hard look at yourself.

“Thanks to the countless women, and one grandfather, who left in protest. Atrocious. You’re in the City of Melbourne, at an International Comedy Festival.

“Have an ounce of respect.”

Barker stood by his actions when he addressed the incident on Monday.

In a statement supplied to The Australian, he said “felt bad” for how the event transpired but would do it again if he had to.

“The Atheneum was pretty full and everyone seemed in a great mood — then I heard a baby – not crying but ‘talking’ as they do – a few rows from the stage,” Barker said.

“I made a few jokes about the baby not disrupting my show, and they were well received,

then moved on.

“A few minutes later the baby called out again. In my experience of doing comedy for nearly 35 years, an audience’s focus is a delicate thing.

“If a noise or movement distracts people mid joke, the pay-off can be greatly diminished.

He said when there was about 50 minutes left of the show, he “calmly informed” the woman her baby could not stay in the theatre.

“I felt bad doing so and stated this at the time as well as several times throughout the remainder of the show.

“I also offered her a refund as she was getting up to leave — not because I felt at fault but because I felt bad for her having to leave.

“I want to be very clear that this was difficult decision that I made on behalf of the other 700 or so audience members who deserved to see the show they had paid for, uninterrupted.”

He reinforced the event was “strictly” for audiences over the age of 15 and also said he had no idea the mother had been breastfeeding at the time.

“For the record, I support public breastfeeding, as it’s perfectly natural,” he said.

“This was a difficult situation and I did what I thought was right, but I do feel bad for any upset it has caused the parties involved, or my fans, or babies.”

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival said in a statement they were advised of the situation on Saturday.
“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,” they 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.”