Following an overnight firestorm on social media, a London gig for U.S. standup comic Ari Shaffir known for “The Amazing Racist” material has been shifted from The APK to Norma Jean’s.

“I looked at it – I’m going to take it,” Norma Jean’s owner Jonathan Maurice said Monday of the June 3 gig. “He cuts up everybody . . . he does it to everybody, including himself.”

Shaffir’s satirical shorts “The Amazing Racist” for National Lampoon were a viral sensation garnering millions of views, online sources said.

“We decided not to have the show,” The APK owner Joan Brennan said Monday. Overnight, pro- and anti-Shaffir comments had fired up Twitter.com and message boards.

“Love ya, but please don’t support this act. Not funny or clever satire, it perpetuates racism. #notajoke,” said one tweet before The APK dropped the Shaffir gig.

“Don’t they get that this is old material?,” a pro-Shaffir tweet said in part.

“I won’t tell people if I’m ‘really racist or not’ or if ‘I know I’m Jewish’ because they’re both very stupid questions,” Shaffir said in a 2010 comment at his arishaffir.com website. “These pranks make many people laugh and many people angry. If you’re cool, they probably won’t make you angry. If you can’t see the irony or comedic value of a Jew in a Klan outfit who yells at a Latino man to “Go back to Africa” then I can’t help you on your life journey. You’re already lost.”

Later in June, Shaffir plays Winnipeg’s Rumor’s comedy club in Winnipeg for a three-day run starting June 6. Shaffir describes his comedy as a puppet show, but much filthier and without the puppets He hosts podcast The Skeptic Tank and he is a regular guest on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast.

About 70 tickets had been sold for the June 3 date at The APK, Brennan said. They will be honoured at the June 3, 8 p.m. show at Norma Jean’s. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door of the 1332 Huron St. (at Highbury) club.

james.reaney@sunmedia.ca

Twitter.com/JamesatLFPress