Picture this – you’re having a few pints with your mates down at the pub during an open-mic comedy night.
The aspiring comedian then, without much tact, mildly suggests that a certain public figure (without naming him or her) has a questionable private life.
This segment is recorded by the audience and uploaded to various social media platforms. The whole thing spirals out of control and the public figure must now deal with an overwhelming public backlash.
Innuendo is one of the cornerstones of humour and comedy, and features heavily in one of my favourite sitcoms, Peep Show.
The question is, does mere innuendo and implication constitute defamation actionable at law? There is no straight answer.
When determining whether a statement is defamatory, one of the principal questions considered is what meaning could be conveyed to an ordinary and reasonable person.
