Protest Against Comedian Is Loud But Orderly

By ERIK HAMILTON

Aug. 19, 1990 12 AM PT

COSTA MESA — Demonstrators from Orange County gay and feminist groups protesting controversial comedian Andrew Dice Clay’s performance traded remarks with concert-goers Saturday night, but the demonstration was otherwise peaceful.

About 30 protesters held signs and shouted slogans outside the Pacific Amphitheatre to decry what they called Clay’s hostile humor against gays, women and minorities. The loud but orderly protest was staged by members of the county chapter of ACT UP (AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power) and the South Coast and Bayside chapters of the National Organization for Women.

The demonstration was the first one ever at the concert venue. Costa Mesa police said they beefed up security with 12 additional officers, but the demonstration proved calm, and there were no arrests.

Dave Barton, 30, one of the protest organizers and a member of ACT UP, said the issue of Clay’s humor goes beyond “gay bashing.”

“His act promotes violence against women and minorities,” Barton said. “I don’t believe in censorship, but I believe we have to alert the people to what he is saying.”

As demonstrators held signs reading “Jokes Kill” and “Words Kill,” profane insults were hurled at them by passing motorists and people arriving for the concert.

“It doesn’t make me feel too good to see the hatred of the people who are going to this event,” said Georgia Reed of the South Coast chapter of NOW. “But we have to make a stand and show everyone that not everybody from Orange County supports hate and violence against women.”

Clay’s style of humor has earned the scorn of gay and women’s groups, who contend that the comedian denigrates people. Clay, however, has said that he has dropped his material about gays and that he sees nothing wrong with his current act.

Although the protesters managed to turn a few heads, the majority of the concert-goers seemed nonchalant about the demonstration and concerned only about getting to their seats for the sold-out performance.

“I think this whole thing is overblown,” said concert-goer Richard Pirics, 35, of Huntington Beach, who has seen Clay once before. “He’s just a comic. And I really don’t know what these people have against him.”

Ritchie Black, 32, of Torrance was seeing Clay for the first time.

“It seems these people are far too sensitive,” Black said. “I know lots of Catholics who roar at a good Catholic joke. It’s just comedy.”