Jo Brand’s Joke Once Caused a Police Investigation and Led to Piers Morgan Calling For Her to Be Fired

Back in 2019, Jo Brand found herself at the center of a storm of criticism following a joke she made about exchanging milkshakes with battery acid when targeting politicians. The English comedian, renowned for her edgy humor on panel shows and stand-up gigs, has a reputation for pushing boundaries. However, this particular quip crossed a line, resulting in significant backlash.

The BBC promptly removed the joke from repeats, and the incident ignited a fierce debate, with some viewers even calling for her dismissal. The controversy escalated to the extent of prompting a police investigation, as detailed by the Mirror.

In June 2019, during a conversation with Victoria Coren Mitchell on the Radio 4 panel show Heresy, Brand was posed with a question about the nation's unanimous sentiment regarding the tumultuous period of Brexit-fueled divisions.

However, Brand stunned listeners by humorously expressing a fantasy of throwing acid over politicians she disapproved of. She said, "I would say that but that is because certain unpleasant characters are being thrown to the fore. And they are very very easy to hate. I am kind of thinking, why bother with a milkshake, when you could get some battery acid? That’s just me, sorry."

She further added, "I'm not going to do it, it's purely a fantasy. But I think milkshakes are pathetic." Brand's fellow panelists chuckled at the joke before the host swiftly moved to the next topic. Yet, enraged listeners took to social media to express their anger.

One user wrote, "Jo Brand said acid should be thrown in nigel farages face  then said it was a joke and people laughed." Another user chimed in and said, "If Frank Hester is being investigated by police for a 4-year-old joke about Abbott, will the Met now be throwing the same diligence into charging Jo Brand for her 'joke' about throwing Acid in the face of Nigel Farage?"

Brand is recognized for her direct comedic approach, employing it to deliver harsh commentary on various topics, as per Express Standard. However, this particular joke led Farage to urge police action against Brand. While the joke did trigger a police investigation, it was soon dropped mere days later. The force said, "Police received an allegation of incitement to violence on 13 June, relating to comments made on a radio programme.

The referral has been considered by the MPS and no further police action will be taken in relation to this allegation." Additionally, several comedians still backed Brand back then, one of them being Lee Hurst.

Hurst said, "Jo Brand is a comedian. She has made a joke. You may not find it funny or you may find it funny. Comedy is subjective. If you criticize her because you like her target, but defend other jokes of a similar nature against targets you don't like you are a hypocrite." Piers Morgan stood with the calls for Brand's dismissal, accusing the BBC of applying double standards.

He said, "Why did the BBC instantly sack Danny Baker for an offensive royal baby tweet but won’t sack Jo Brand for saying she’d like acid to be thrown at politicians?” Meanwhile, Brand offered an apology for her joke, yet she maintained that it was not a mistake.