Comic kicked off Canadian tour after blithe remarks about Holocaust

Irish comedian says it's a comedian's duty 'to be reckless and irresponsible'.

Just for Laughs has dropped Irish comic Tommy Tiernan from an upcoming national comedy tour in the aftermath of highly controversial comments he made about the Jewish community.

Tiernan had been part of the Montreal-based company's "all-star edition" tour and was scheduled to perform from Oct. 28 to Nov. 15 at events across Canada, including a stop at Massey Hall on Oct. 29.

Company spokesperson Lisa Lee confirmed Tiernan, 40, is "not on the tour anymore. Both parties agreed that it's better that he (Tiernan) not be on this tour."

Lee said a replacement is being sought for the tour, which begins Oct. 19 in St. John's, Nfld. and is hosted by Ottawa-born comic Sugar Sammy.

While the dates still appear on Tiernan's website, a spokesperson refused comment and referred inquiries to Just For Laughs CEO Bruce Hills.

Last month, Tiernan made highly inflammatory remarks about Jews during a question-and-answer session at the Electric Picnic Art and Musical Festival in Ireland.

While insisting in advance that his comments should not be taken seriously, Tiernan said he was responding to a complaint from a Jewish couple following a show in New York at which he was accused of being anti-Semitic.

His remarks, including profanity and a blithe reference to the Holocaust, sparked an angry reaction from Irish politicians and religious leaders.

In a statement, Tiernan said he was "quite bewildered" by the uproar and said he had not intended to cause "hurt to others."

"The things that I said in front of a live audience were in an attempt to explain my belief that one of the duties of the comic performer is to be reckless and irresponsible and that the things that they say should never taken out of context," the statement added.

Prior to being removed from the Just For Laughs website, a statement – including a video clip of Tiernan performing – lauded him for entertaining audiences "by tackling topics of sex, family and religion with intensity and honesty that's as thought-provoking as it is funny. That honesty has led the Irish Senate to accuse him of blasphemy."