People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, is how the old saying goes. Whether or not Jimmy Carr the comedian, realised that he ran the risk of becoming media fodder over his financial affairs, he is now paying the price for his considerable success.
The lesson learnt here (maybe) is that it's OK and good to poke fun at the beleaguered bankers as a prominent satirist, but only if you're confident of a clean financial slate yourself, surely?
In Carr's defence he probably didn't read the small print about his investments. He's busy writing the jokes that have brought home his fortune and kept several TV hot seats very warm. Like a lot of busy people coping with wealth he probably thought he'd put his financial affairs in the hands of the experts. I may be reading between the lines here, but he probably didn't know exactly what was going on.
Unfortunately for Carr, he has a reputation for being financially astute and there are those who've been waiting for their moment for him to demonstrate his fallibility. It's not surprising that his competitors on the comedy circuit can't wait to shoot him down – there are very few vacancies for panel show hosts and they may feel that Carr has had his day. I must admit it would be nice to see somebody else in the driving seat for a change, maybe a woman?
If you earn your living on the cutting edge of satire, there is always the risk of payback. Carr's star will undoubtedly rise again and he'll be laughing all the way to the right bank. Hopefully one a bit closer to home next time!
Lynne Parker
