Originally Posted by
Kalador
Mike Ward went to far and probably got what he diserved, yes by singing in front of the pope ''little jeremy'' became public personality exposing himself to jokes, but the thing here is when Mike Ward choose to name him and joke on his ''uglyness'' and ''bad singing'' for more than 230 shows it's gona affect the life of the personne being joked on, i think the responsability is shared a bit as he could have choosen to never became a public figure and by choosing to become one you expose yourself to jokes but it's moslty Mike Ward responsabilty. Also part of it is that he sugested that his parent were making money out of is back witch is close to diffamation.
Mike ward is a funny guy and he's humour is always border line, i went to see him 1 week ago in a free show in a festival and it was funny as hell, that doesn't change the facts that even if he's jokes are funny it can destroyed the life of somone... Canada as freedom of speech but this right is not something that goes over anything... we had another case similare to this where some radio host (jeff filion) would just go on mocking a girl doing the weather (Sophie Chiasson) evey day saying she was dumb and ugly, that she had sex to get her jobs and other thing, he lost is case to as it was considered diffamation judge said ''comment were sexist, mean, incited hatred, were without cause, wounding and injurious. These comments are a threat to the dignity and honour of human kind in general and particularly to Miss Chiasson'' here to i support the judgement, it's not cause your victims is a public figure that you can say anything without consequence...
also the case is going to appeal, higher court might view thing the other way around....