Barker expressed regret over the situation and offered the woman a refund as she exited the show.
“It’s regrettable for any discomfort it caused her or her family, but had the show’s policy been followed, this incident wouldn’t have occurred,” he stated.
The woman recounted to 3AW that her baby had made minimal noise, akin to someone coughing and that Barker had made a remark about it before requesting her departure.
“People weren’t visibly reacting. The baby wasn’t crying—just being a baby,” she remarked.
Feeling humiliated and intimidated, the woman expressed gratitude that approximately a dozen others left the show in solidarity with her.
As the mother of a seven-month-old, she noted that Dave Hughes had handled a similar situation with professionalism in a previous comedy set.
“You tend to lose a bit of yourself when you become a parent. I was trying to rediscover something I enjoyed before having kids,” she shared.
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival acknowledged the incident from Saturday night, clarifying that it was not under their direct management.
“Arj is an independently produced show at a venue not overseen by the festival. However, interactions between performers and audiences require sensitivity and respect,” stated a festival spokesperson.
While infants are generally permitted in festival-managed venues, attendees are encouraged to sit toward the rear with their child to facilitate a swift exit if needed, minimizing disruptions for performers and other patrons.
