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Comedian told by school to avoid rape jokes. He tells rape joke anyway—and school stands up to him.
Comedian Hannibal Buress was told by Loyola University Chicago to avoid content about rape, sexual assault, race and sexual orientation. He told a joke about rape anyway — reportedly about priests molesting kids — and the school stood up to Buress. (Image source: YouTube screenshot)

Comedian told by school to avoid rape jokes. He tells rape joke anyway—and school stands up to him.

Hannibal Buress opened his Saturday show at Loyola University Chicago with images projected on a screen of an email he said the school sent him warning the comedian to avoid content about rape, sexual assault, race, and sexual orientation.

And Buress went ahead and challenged the school's warning, according to the Loyola Phoenix, the student newspaper of the prominent Catholic college.

“Y’all f*** kids, right?” Buress reportedly quipped, Consequence of Sound said, presumably a reference to the Catholic church’s history of child abuse.

With that, Buress’ microphone was turned off, the Phoenix said, adding that the angry crowd booed but then quieted down to hear the comic perform without a mic.

But then the background music volume was increased, attendees told the paper, and Buress left the stage.

Audience members spoke out on Twitter. One noted, “Loyola just cut Hannibal’s mic. This is ridiculous. We want Hannibal," the Phoenix said.

Campus Safety reportedly stationed officers at the front of the stage, and student Ally Boly told the paper the situation appeared as though it could escalate.

“I literally thought like I was about to witness a riot, and I was ready to participate,” Boly told the Phoenix. “Also it’s wild that Loyola preaches about speaking up and speaking out, but they’re gonna censor someone doing just that, like that’s wild. Also I’m really impressed with all the Loyola kids that stood their ground and refused to leave without an explanation.”

Leslie Watland, assistant director for Loyola's Department of Programming, told the paper that student development administrators — not students themselves — made the decisions during Buress' show.

Did the comedian finish his show?

After 15 minutes, Buress returned to the stage to a standing ovation, the Phoenix said, adding that the comedian reportedly said he was going to follow Loyola’s content restriction until he saw he’d already been paid for his services.

Loyola’s communications office didn't immediately respond the paper's request for comment.

Here's a clip of Buress' performance, presumably before his mic was turned off. (Content warning: Profanity, if you hadn't guessed by now):

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