Beloved British comedian and LGBTQIA+ ally Dawn French has issued a public apology after sharing a video that drew criticism for how it referenced the October 7 Hamas attacks and the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict.
Dawn French, best known for her iconic role in The Vicar of Dibley and as one half of French and Saunders, the brains behind Absolutely Fabulous, faced swift backlash online after posting a 40 second video intended to satirise political justifications for violence.
The video, which used exaggerated tones and sarcastic phrasing, was interpreted by some as trivialising the horrors of the October 7 attack in which Hamas killed approximately 1,200 people and took 250 hostages.
In the clip, French mimicked what she described as political rhetoric: “Yeah, but you know they did a bad thing to us … and we want that land … and we have history … Those people aren’t really even people, are they?”
She concluded each line with “no”, implying her rejection of the logic.
The backlash was swift, including criticism from fellow entertainers.
Actress Tracy-Ann Oberman said she was “saddened” by the video, writing: “This mocking voice ‘bad thing’ of October 7 that Dawn (who I revere by the way) appears to be mocking involved the most horrific terrorist attack.”
Comedian Lee Kern added: “What you sneeringly mock as a ‘bad thing’ included the grieving children I met in hospital… You proactively broadcast – with misplaced pride – a wicked glee in your mockery and dismissal of Jewish suffering, pain and death.”
French responded by removing the video and issuing an apology: “OK, it’s important to address this. I posted a video in the style I’ve been using for social media in an effort to convey an important point. I clumsily used a mocking tone.”
“My intention was NEVER to mock, or dismiss, or diminish the horror of what happened on Oct 7 2023 and what continues to unfold from that brutal, unthinkable, unforgivable, savage attack,” she said.
She clarified that her intent was “to mock and point the finger of shame at the behaviour of the cruel leaders on all sides of this atrocious war,” but admitted, “clearly I failed to do that, and that’s on me.”
French also expressed empathy for victims on both sides, stating, “My heart broke” for those “killed, tortured, [raped] and kidnapped,” and described feeling “helpless and hopeless” as the “carnage and destruction worsen.”
“I hope you will understand my intention was not to offend, but clearly I have. For which I am sorry and I have removed the video.”
Leave a Reply