With less than 48 hours on the countdown clock, David Beckham has still notresponded to British comedian Joe Lycett’s ultimatum. He threatens to put11,000 euros in paper money through the shredder live on the internet ifBeckham does not stop as ambassador of the World Cup in Qatar. Lycett, knownas a man of his word, must have set up the device.
“48 hours to go,” Lycett wrote on social media this afternoon with a photo ofthe shredder. The prankster, one of England’s best-known comedians, madeheadlines last week when he issued the ultimatum in a video, which now has 3.6million views on Twitter.
David Beckham is an icon for the LGBTI community, Lycett stated in the video.He was the first major footballer to do photoshoots for gay magazines, oftenspoke about his gay fans and married a Spice Girl, Victoria. “The mosthomosexual thing you can do as a human being,” joked Lycett, herself part ofthe community.
But his message was serious. Lycett finds it indigestible that gay iconBeckham has signed a deal to promote the World Cup in Qatar, reportedly for 10million pounds (11.5 million euros). He called Qatar “one of the worst placesin the world to be gay.” “It is illegal there, you can get a prison sentenceand, if you are Muslim, possibly the death penalty.”
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Joe Lycet > @joelycett >
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Beckham always describes football as something that can bring about positivechange. He can now prove that, says Lycett. In the video, he picked up a stackof bills – £1,000 for every million Beckham reportedly catches – and pledgedto donate it to charities that support LGBTQ people in football. At least, ifDavid cuts ties with the organization.
,,If you don’t, I will put this money in a shredder next Sunday at noon, justbefore the opening ceremony of the World Cup”, Lycett said. “Not only themoney, but also your status as an LGBTI icon will die.”
The comedian said to broadcast the shredding live on a specially registeredwebsite, benderslikebeckham.com. It’s a pun referring to the movie Bend itlike Beckham , which now means “gays like Beckham”. On the site, a clockcounts down to the possible shredding moment.
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‘Incredibly disappointing’
Beckham has still not responded. Yesterday it became known that he calls theWorld Cup a platform for progress, inclusiveness and tolerance, according tothis The Guardian. The former footballer has been under fire for some timebecause of his deal. England’s largest LGBT support group called it”incredibly disappointing” that someone who is “on a pedestal” with thecommunity is taking money to promote an event in Qatar, reported TheGuardian.
The committed Joe Lycett is not one for half measures. Two years ago he hadhis name officially changed to Hugo Boss, after the eponymous fashion brandhad repeatedly threatened with lawsuits against small companies that also have’Boss’ in their name. Last year, he tackled Shell with a documentary seriesfor alleged ‘greenwashing’, or advertising as if you were very environmentallyfriendly, while Shell is not, according to him.