Julian Clary made an infamous sexually explicit joke about Norman Lamont at the 1993 British Comedy Awards.
What he said
On stage, Clary joked that he had just been engaging in a graphic sexual act with Norman Lamont, who had appeared earlier in the show to present an award. He then delivered a punchline playing on Lamont’s association with the Chancellor’s red Budget box, saying that this act had taken place and “talk about a red box,” or very similar words, linking the sexual innuendo to Lamont’s ministerial briefcase.
Context and aftermath
The joke was delivered to a live television audience and initially drew loud laughter in the room, and Lamont himself did not lodge a formal complaint. However, several tabloid newspapers attacked Clary the next day and campaigned for him to be taken off TV, and he later said that the incident led to a period where he was effectively banned from live television and his career stalled for a time.
