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Shelter refuses donations from offensive Xmas song

This news post is over 9 years old
 

Housing charity distances itself from offensive comedian

Housing charity Shelter is refusing to take donations from a Christmas album after it was branded offensive and demeaning.

Comedian Dapper Laughs (pcitured below) said an amount from each play on Spotify of his Christmas album, Proper Naughty Xmas, would go to a homeless charity.

But the comedian – real name Daniel O’Reilly – has been accused of trivialising homelessness as every 10,000 plays of the album would raise less than £40.

In one of the songs O’Reilly refers to homeless people as “tramps” while other songs are replete with misogynistic, offensive language and references.

And in one of his recent tweets the comedian, who has his own show on ITV2, pokes fun at homelessness: “Just gave my number to a homeless woman…then asked ‘Your place or mine?’”

Although O’Reilly hasn’t named which charity he would donate to, Shelter moved quickly on social media to distance itself from any potential donations tweeting: “Just to confirm: we won’t be accepting donations (however small!) from @dapperlaughs.”

However O’Reilly hit back at the mounting criticism from Twitter users.

“As stupid as it is I made this to raise money for the homeless. Let's hope u haven't stopped that.”

The latest controversy comes just a day after 700 people signed a petition demanding that the self-styled “proper lad” should not be allowed to bring his tour, Socially Unacceptable, to Cardiff University in February.

Cardiff University Students’ Union president Elliot Howells said: “Over the last few days we have been canvassing students views on this issues and they have overwhelmingly told us they don’t want him (Dapper Laughs) here.

“This gig will not go ahead and similar performers will not be welcomed at our venues.”