Open-Mic Nights: Bar Hosts and Comedy Fans

open-mic nights: Gray says his unusual move to post a list of banned behaviours at Wee Johnny's was meant to address the divisive times we live in, not to limit free speech, according to The Chronicle Herald. With the current climate in our society I feel like it's important to make it clear where you stand on anything that comes down to abusive behaviour, says Gray, whose bar hosts regular open-mic nights as well as emerging comics. But he says it's also found lots of support from like-minded comedy fans tired of cracks that are more abusive than funny. When you have a president in the United States as they do saying what he's saying on Twitter all the time, the whole alt-right movement, all that stuff, I just want to make sure it's completely clear where we stand at Wee Johnny's when it comes to discrimination or hateful speech or abusive behaviour. While most professional clubs are self-policing, an attempt to ban certain language or subject matter in comedy is nothing new, says Andrew Clark, director of the Humber College comedy writing and performance program in Toronto. Gray crafted a sign last week to warn audiences and comics alike that they could be asked to leave if they engage in sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, physical intimidation or any other form of abusive behaviour. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.