British comedian Jimmy Carr may well have gone about endearing his Kiwi fans the wrong way, after a Twitter gag that came at the expense of both Dunedin and New Zealand's quake-ravaged towns.
The comic, who has earned a reputation for toeing the line between funny and offensive with regularity, is currently in the country as part of his Best of, Ultimate, Gold, Greatest Hits world tour.
The objectionable joke was made on Monday night, just minutes ahead of his show in Dunedin.
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"Went to Napier, destroyed by an earthquake - rebuilt - beautiful town. Went to Christchurch, destroyed by an earthquake - rebuilt - beautiful town," he wrote on Twitter.
"I'm now in Dunedin. I'll tell you what this town needs..."
While the tweet received more likes and retweets than anything else Carr's posted in the last two months, it also garnered swift rejection from those who felt the joke went too far.
Twitter user Annelise Joy wrote that the pain of the earthquakes was still raw, and said the quip showed a lack of respect for those who died in them.
Another noted that Carr may not be asked back on Three's The Project if the tweet blows up in his face, while others thought wishing an earthquake on a city was simply unfunny.
Not everyone was upset about the joke, however, with others saying those hurt by it were too easily offended - and others still noting that Carr's correct to state Dunedin needs a renovation.
Newshub.
