Edinburgh Fringe Festival: Tourette's charity asks for apology over Funniest Joke winner Olaf Falafel

A Tourette Syndrome charity has asked for an apology after a pun inspired by the neurological disorder won Funniest Joke at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Olaf Falafel was revealed on Monday as this year’s winner of Dave’s Funniest Joke.

His pun goes: “I keep randomly shouting out ‘broccoli’ and ‘cauliflower’ – I think I might have florets.”

Suzanne Dobson, the chief executive of Tourette’s Action in the UK, told the BBC: ”Humour is a great way of educating people – but not only is it not funny to poke fun at people with Tourette’s, it’s not even that funny a joke, is it?”

Tourette’s Action has now urged Olaf Falafel and Dave to apologise and try to see things from the perspective of someone with Tourette Syndrome, according to the BBC.

Ms Dobson told the platform that the charity had received several calls about the joke on Monday.

Kate Stone, one of the judges of the competition, told the BBC’s Newsbeat: “It’s a good one, it’s a pun, everyone kind of recognises it as – it’s intended to be a joke and I think that’s one of the things that matters the most for this.”​

This year’s Funniest Joke winner was selected via a vote by the public after a panel of experts picked out a shortlist.

The Independent has contacted Olaf Falafel and Dave for comment.