Fun House legend Pat Sharp was the celebrity guest at the Conference News Agency Awards last Friday, where he gifted events boss Lizzy Eaton a shirt featuring him and his famous 80s mullet.
With Eaton joining him on stage at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London, Sharp cracked a joke referencing the fact she was wearing the T-shirt. He said:
That’s the only way I’ll get on your t**s today.
I’m sure you were expecting something much cruder given the headline, but apparently having her breasts referenced in front of hundreds of people at an award bash was too much for Lizzy Eaton, who witnesses say was left in tears over the incident.
She later took to LinkedIn where she described feeling ‘humiliated’ by Sharp’s joke:
Yesterday I was publicly humiliated, in a sexual nature, by the celebrity host of an industry event, on stage in front of 400 of my colleagues and peers.
Afterwards I was in complete shock and hadn’t really processed what happened. Today I am struggling with it – I feel sad, dirty and, frankly, violated.
I have worked incredibly hard to earn my reputation and hopefully be an inspiration to other young women in the events industry.
Yesterday however, I was belittled, sexualised and objectified in front of hundreds of people I respect.”
She added: “I hope by speaking up I am holding men accountable for this kind of behaviour and reminding them that it is absolutely unacceptable, especially in a professional setting.
Special thanks to Emily Simmons-Wright who called the man out just as publicly as he had humiliated me. I left the room immediately and didn’t get to witness it, but I heard it was very powerful.
The situation has resulted in 61-year-old Sharp losing his job at Greatest Hits Radio, where he’s hosted a show since 2019. The radio network announced that Sharp will ‘not return to the station with immediate effect’.
Sharp did apologise for the remark, not that it’s done him much good:
Last Friday, I made a joke on stage which was not well received.
I upset one individual in particular and for that I am truly sorry. I apologised at the event to anyone who was offended and I have apologised to the individual personally too.
It’s a weird one because you have to consider the lady’s feelings given how much she says she was affected by the comment, but at the same time it sounds like a joke Jimmy Carr would come out with and get away with 10/10 times. Indeed, she has every right to feel upset and fair play to Pat Sharp for apologising (what else can he do?), but it seems like a massive overreaction from Greatest Hits Radio to fire him over it.
Oh well, good luck on your future endeavours, Pat. Never forget:
For the plumbing tycoon accused of telling a racist joke at the British Curry Awards, click HERE.
