Digital Content Creator
Irish comedians have banded together to create Comedy Safety Standards (CSS), a new organisation campaigning to create a safer and more inclusive comedy scene in Ireland. We caught up with comedian Alison Spittle to find out more.
In June 2020, Twitter feeds around Ireland were set alight with debates, allegations, and revelations surrounding sexual misconduct* within the Irish comedy circuit.
As women shared their stories of gaslighting, sexism, and abuse, many comics used their own personal platforms to offer words of solidarity, but the incident ultimately highlighted the lack of formal guidance and support available to victims.
"There's no HR department in comedy," Alison agrees, speaking over the phone. "There's basically a whisper network which, unfortunately, didn't reach enough people nor did it protect people."