SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO : Comic Draws Fire of AIDS Protesters
About 25 protesters from an AIDS coalition smashed watermelons in front of the Coach House concert club Wednesday night as comedian Gallagher was preparing to perform.
The protest, sponsored by ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) Orange County, was in response to a recent show at Lake Tahoe at which Gallagher included an AIDS joke in his act.
“AIDS is not funny,” screamed protest organizer Jan Speller as concert-goers were driving into the club parking lot. “We’re here to express our outrage of Gallagher’s recent statements. We’re not about to sit back and let these comments go by.”
“It’s particularly painful,” said protester Joseph Amster, “considering that this week marked the passing of Orange County’s 1,000th AIDS death.”
Gallagher--who uses sledgehammers to smash, pulverize and spray his audience with watermelons and other food items--would not comment directly. But a Coach House official released a statement from Gary Proper, the comedian’s manager. “The Lake Tahoe AIDS reference was an isolated event,” said the statement. “It was a one-time event. Gallagher has and will never include material about AIDS again.”
Gallagher ends a six-night stand at the Coach House on Saturday night.
ACT UP Orange County demonstrated last month at the Pacific Amphitheatre in Costa Mesa, where comedian Andrew Dice Clay was performing.
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