Comedian apologises for rape joke about assault victim

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 21 Oct, 17:32 · Archive

Belfast comedian Vittorio Angelone has apologised for making a joke referencing sexual violence about Rebecca Goodwin on a podcast.

Belfast comedian Vittorio Angelone has apologised for a joke he made about content creator Rebecca Goodwin on the 'Have a Word' podcast that referenced sexual violence. During the episode, recorded in September or October 2025 and later published, he asked fellow comedian Freddy Quinne, 'if you're here, who's raping Rebecca Goodwin?'. Goodwin, who reported a rape to police in July 2025 and had recently spoken publicly about her experience, was not informed of the joke in advance. She posted an emotional video on social media after clips emerged online, stating it would 'forever live with me that it was allowed for my name to be used as the punchline of a malicious "joke" about such a serious issue'.

Angelone issued a statement apologising for the remark. He said: 'I made a joke that I shouldn't have made and I'd like to say sorry. The joke referenced sexual violence. At the very least I should have run the joke past the person mentioned and then still not told it because it isn't funny.' He added that he had let his 'need for validation supersede my own standards and morals'. The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre issued a statement condemning the joke, arguing that rape jokes 'do not exist in a vacuum' and contribute to normalising sexual violence and misogyny.

How it is being reported

• Vittorio Angelone apologises for 'pathetic' sexual violence joke about Rebecca GoodwinBelfast comedian Vittorio Angelone has apologised for a joke referencing sexual violence he made about content creator Rebecca Goodwin on the 'Have a Word' podcast, saying it was 'completely pathetic'Daily Record · 21 Oct, 15:43
• Vittorio Angelone apologises for rape 'joke' about sexual assault victimBELFAST comedian Vittorio Angelone – who has been criticised for making a rape "joke" about a woman who had recently spoken publicly about being the victim of a sexual assault – has issued a statementThe National · 21 Oct, 15:21

In this story: Vittorio Angelone · Rebecca Goodwin · Rape Crisis Northern Ireland · Dublin Rape Crisis Centre · Belfast

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