Jimmy Carr has explained why he waited until the age of 26 to lose his virginity.
The Eight Out Of Ten Cats comedian, 53, spoke to Louis Theroux about how he thought his religious upbringing and relationship with his mother affected when he lost his virginity.
He explained on The Louis Theroux podcast: “I was enmeshed with my mother and maybe that was, you know, a part of it. I'm sure that's what a psychotherapist would say.
“I was Christian and then I had a close relationship with my mother. It's not a race. I think it's a good thing to talk about... it feels like there's a perception that everyone else is having more fun than you.
“I think now more than ever with social media, the comparison is the thief of joy. Everyone is having a f**king amazing time online.”
Carr also said he thinks it’s a topic which should be more widely discussed.
“I think it’s very good to talk about this because there is a lot of pressure on young men to lose their virginity. It’s that weird thing at the moment where the world is harems and peepholes,” he said.
“It’s a small percentage of men getting all the girls, and everyone else is hopelessly addicted to porn.
“I think it’s very good to be open about it and say not everyone develops at the same time.”
On the podcast, he also defended his performance at a controversial gig in Saudi Arabia and said people should “give up” on the idea that the Middle East is the same as Western Europe.
He was among the stars who were criticised for taking part, with concerns over Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and Human Rights Watch claiming the festival deflected attention from the government’s “brutal repression of free speech and other pervasive human rights violations”.
Carr spoke about his decision to perform, arguing that people’s perceptions of the Middle East should change.
He said: “I played it. I loved it.
“I think we need to give up on the idea that the Middle East becomes Western Europe.
“The Middle East is a very different place and the same people that will tell you ‘diversity is our strength’ will tell you ‘don’t go there. They’re not like us’.
“The thing that I like about Saudi Arabia is the direction of travel. Look at where it was 10 years ago. Look at where it is now. The direction of travel is pretty good.”
Speaking about freedom of speech and his material potentially offending people, Carr added: “You have to deal with the consequences. If you’re going to say that, you’ve got to be willing to say it and go, yeah, I don’t regret telling that joke. That’s fine.
“Some people really were upset by it. That’s OK. I’ve got the people that come and see me and they really like that stuff, and I’ve got to serve them, not someone else.”
Human rights group Amnesty International has since criticised the comedian’s comments as hypocritical.
Felix Jakens, Amnesty International UK’s head of campaigns, said: “This is entertainment-washing in action – using big-name comedians and glossy festivals to project reform while repression continues offstage. No amount of laughter can disguise the reality of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.”
