Comedian Nick Giannopoulos referred to Geoff Shaw – who controls the balance of power in the Victorian parliament – as a “poofter bastard” in front of more than 300 guests at the Premier’s Dinner in Melbourne last Friday.
Giannopoulos performed his set at the Princess Theatre, in the character of Petroula, a Greek cleaning lady whose speaks a mangled version of English.
“I’ve performed Petroula since 1987, and she will be in my new show at the Regent Theatre in January,” he told The Age.
“She’s actually based on my mum. She does use terms like ‘poofter bastard’ but she doesn’t know what they mean. That’s the joke.”
Giannopolous said he was lampooning Shaw’s infamous scuffle with an elderly taxi driver on the steps of state parliament during the sketch.
“It wasn’t me calling him a poofter bastard, it was me in character as Petroula satirising the situation,” he said.
According to reports, Mr Shaw has responded by apparently inviting Giannopoulos to join him for a political fundraiser in his seat of Frankston.
However, gay groups have found the comments to be offensive.
”I’m disappointed that in 2013 a comedian needs to resort to derogatory remarks to get a laugh,” said Jed Gilbert, president of gay and lesbian community radio station Joy 94.9.
Source: The Age