Arj Barker ejects breast feeding mother

Comedian Arj Barker is making headlines this morning after asking a mother to leave his Melbourne International Comedy Festival show after her baby began making noises during the performance.

The recent incident involving comedian Arj Barker and a breastfeeding mother has ignited a debate touching upon various social issues, including the rights of breastfeeding mothers and the respect owed to performers in the arts industry.

Barker explained that he asked the mother to leave his show due to the disturbance caused by her baby's crying, which he felt was interfering with his performance and the experience of the 700 paying audience members. Despite feeling remorseful about the situation, Barker offered the woman a refund as she exited the venue.

Trish Faranda, the mother in question, expressed her surprise at being thrust into controversy simply for attending the show with her child. She shared that she had hoped to enjoy a night out and reconnect with aspects of her pre-baby life. However, she found herself unexpectedly embroiled in a contentious situation.

Barker clarified that his objection was not against breastfeeding itself but rather the disruption caused by the baby's noise, which he found challenging to perceive from the stage. He emphasised that his decision would have been the same regardless of whether it was the mother or father with the noisy child.

Opinions within the comedy community have been divided. While many have supported Barker's actions, none were willing to publicly endorse them. Morry Morgan, founder of the Hard Knock Knocks comedy school in Melbourne, suggested that bringing a young child to a comedy show violated an unwritten rule of respect for performers, akin to how it would be viewed in other performing arts contexts.

Regarding the handling of the situation, Faranda expressed that she would have been more amenable to leaving the show if the matter had been addressed differently, finding Barker's approach intimidating. However, she acknowledged the stress that comedians face in maintaining the quality of their performance and the financial stakes involved for various stakeholders.

Despite differing opinions, Morgan disagreed with the notion that Faranda had been humiliated, asserting that there is no obligation for comedians to prioritize the comfort of individual audience members. He suggested that sitting in the front rows of a comedy show entails a certain level of awareness and understanding of the environment.