The US comedian who booted a mum and her bub from his show on Saturday night has spoken with the woman live on breakfast radio — and then ended up clashing with one of the show’s hosts.
Comic Arj Barker called in to 2DAY FM’s Hughesy, Ed & Erin on Tuesday morning to offer his side of the story when he ended up in a spat with presenter Erin Molan.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Arj Barker clashes on air with Erin Molan.
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The saga began when Barker was performing during the Melbourne Comedy Festival on Saturday night, and asked a mother and her seven-month-old baby to leave the show, as he found the baby’s presence disruptive and worried about the impact on the audience.
Barker told the hosts he did not like seeing “my jokes get robbed of their tension and get much less response because of disruption”.
“I didn’t feel good about it, but I thought: ‘Ya gotta go’.”
The mum kicked out of the show, Trish Faranda, responded with an apology for the disruption but said she wished he had “been a bit nicer about it”.
“It was extremely disappointing how you handled it. You offered me a refund of $25, but I’d rather you’d let me leave with my dignity,” she said.
Molan then jumped in, asking Barker what his response was.
This sparked a jab from the comedian who quipped: “Thank you, I know how a conversation works”.
As footage later posted to the Hughesy, Ed & Erin Instagram page showed, Molan appeared stunned by the remark.
Meanwhile, Barker and Faranda appeared to settle their differences.
Molan then jumped back into the conversation with a dig at Barker.
“I’d also say that we’ve had Arj on this show twice, and he’s shut me down on both occasions, so maybe sometimes the way that he speaks to people doesn’t always come across that well. I’d say that.
“Have a good day everyone, take care,” Molan added, attempting to end the segment.
But Barker was quick to defend himself once more: “Oh, OK, well I’ve had an experience where you’ve talked over me, so …”
“Well, you know, I’m a radio host Arj,” she fired back.
“You say, ‘I know how to have a conversation’, but we’re trying to facilitate a chat on air that is a little bit awkward and has a bit of history.
“And like last time you came on, you were rude to me again. That’s my observation.”
The comedian apologised as Molan had the final say: “I’m happy to cop it once – but that second time was actually rude.”
‘Never my intention’
On Monday, Barker told 7NEWS that “at the time I did what I thought I had to do to ensure the enjoyment of the audience”.
“I’m distressed, to be honest, that so many people are upset, it was never my intention,” he said of the “snap decision”.
“My goal is to do a great show and make people happy for an hour, unfortunately, not everyone left happy.
“I have no hostility towards the woman, the child or the people who are mad at me … I will try to learn from it and find if there is a more gentle solution if this ever happens again.”
The comedian said he was unaware Faranda was breastfeeding at the time of the encounter.
“I could not see the woman well enough to know a detail like that,” he added, before joking: “To suggest that I have something against babies, I was a baby for probably like three years.”