Lee Mack responds to backlash over joke about Jill Scott
Lee Mack has hit back.
Comedian Lee Mack has responded to complaints regarding a joke he made about Jill Scott at the National Television Awards (NTAs) earlier this week.
The comedian and presenter picked up the NTAs Quiz Game Show award for The 1% Club during the ceremony on Tuesday (5 September).
The prize was presented to Mack by retired England footballer and Jungle Queen, Scott, as well as British comedian Mo Gilligan.
When he collected the award, Mack made a joke which left many online to wonder if he would find himself in hot water.
Holding the trophy, Mack joked: “To receive a sex toy like this off Jill Scott is an absolute delight and a pleasure.”
Lee Mack at the NTAs
Following the comment, many took to Twitter to criticise the Not Going Out star. However, speaking to The Sun, Mack defended his joke and said live audiences will always take a joke better than those sitting at home:
“My job as a stand-up comedian is to take the mickey out of them. I decided never to be too cheesy with it. I'm just trying to have a bit of a laugh.
"It’s just like a gig, especially to 100 people. That was most of my Edinburgh [Fringe] shows in the early days, were to 100 people, and it’s quite an intimate laugh.
And the one thing is the audience really can take it, you can take the mickey out of them. It’s the people that are watching that get offended, not the audience. They’re always okay about it.”
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