[hudibras]

Thank you for breaking it down like that, but nobody's saying it wasn't a joke. The point is that it was an offensive joke.

[monksy]

To call it an offensive joke seems like you're perverting what was actually said and would require striping out the context.

Mr. Fry did not say: "Shes a bag lady, too poor to receive this award. Just take a look at her clothes"

That could be considered a joke at the expectation of being posh, at a highly honor awards ceremony, and would be considered offensive to the subject and maybe the audience.