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Reginald D. Hunter

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Reginald D. Hunter
Hunter in 2006
Birth nameReginald Darnell Hunter
Born (1969-03-26) March 26, 1969 (age 55)
Albany, Georgia, U.S.
Medium
NationalityAmerican
Years active1992–present
Genres
Subject(s)
Websitereginalddhunter.co.uk

Reginald Darnell Hunter (born March 26, 1969)[1][2] is an American stand-up comedian based in the United Kingdom.

Early life

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Hunter was born in Albany, Georgia, the youngest of nine.[2]

He undertook an acting internship in Jackson, Mississippi, at age 20.[3]

Career

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Stand-up

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Having initially travelled to the UK at the age of 27 as a summer student at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art,[4] Hunter became a comedian after performing his first comedy set as a dare, for which he received £100. Realising that he enjoyed performing comedy, and that it might be profitable, he turned his attention from acting to stand-up.[5]

In 2006 and 2008, Hunter participated in Project X Presents events.[citation needed] In 2013 he toured Ireland with his show In the Midst of Crackers.[6]

Hunter often uses variations of the term "nigga" in the titles of his shows. In 2006, Reginald D Hunter: Pride & Prejudice... & Niggas attracted some controversy, and the poster was banned from the London Underground.[7] His tour with Steve Hughes, called Trophy Nigga, played 55 venues around the UK, but not all the venues used the tour title. Hunter joked that this was because promoters didn't like the word "trophy".[citation needed]

In April 2013, Hunter performed at an engagement for the Professional Footballers' Association. Following the event, PFA chairman Clarke Carlisle accused Hunter of racism, as he had used the word "nigger" during his set. Carlisle also said that some of those present had found Hunter's material "highly offensive". In response, Hunter posted to his Facebook page many photos of himself taken after his set with people attending the event, with most smiling.[8][9]

Reviewing Hunter's 2024 stand-up tour in The Standard, Bruce Dessau wrote that Hunter "moves elegantly from big topic to big topic, concisely skewering each subject", describing him as "a truly talented comedian".[10] Writing in the Edinburgh Evening News, Kevin Quinn described Hunter in his most recent performances as "still not for the faint-hearted and easily offended," commenting that "he does seem a lot more reflective in middle-age".[11]

Edinburgh Fringe 2024 antisemitism incident

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In August 2024, during the Israel-Hamas war, Hunter made a joke referencing a Channel 5 documentary about domestic abuse, telling the audience: "When I saw that, I thought, my God, it’s like being married to Israel."[12] During one performance, a British-Israeli couple in the front row objected to the joke, telling Hunter it was "not funny", after which they were booed by fellow audience members, some of whom shouted, "You're not welcome". The couple then left.

Later in his performance, Hunter referenced a review of one of his shows in the The Jewish Chronicle which was behind a paywall, saying, "Typical fucking Jews, they won’t tell you anything unless you subscribe. It's just a joke". Campaign Against Antisemitism criticised his antisemitism, while also referring to his 2006 joke about freedom of thought and the banning of Holocaust denial in some countries.[13][14][15] A planned show at the Eastwood Theatre in Giffnock, which has Scotland's largest Jewish congregation, was cancelled by the East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure organisation because of, they said, "a commitment to our community, and to our values of diversity and inclusion".[13]

Police Scotland concluded that "no crime was established."[16] Hunter commented after the event that he is "staunchly anti-war and anti-bully", saying that "as a comedian, I do push boundaries in creating humour".[17] British comedy news website Chortle later named the couple as Mark Lewis, a lawyer who came to prominence representing the victims of newspaper phone hacking, and Mandy Blumenthal, the national director Likud-Herut UK. Lewis is a longstanding patron of Campaign Against Antisemitism.[18]

Broadcast

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Audio

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Hunter was one of the hosts of the E4 Laughs at Edinburgh podcast, showcasing the best comedy talent from the 2008 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.[citation needed] He has had numerous appearances on the BBC Radio 4 comedy show The Unbelievable Truth.[19][20] He also appeared on Midweek (BBC Radio 4) on November 15, 2011.

Television

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Hunter made his TV debut on Channel 4's The 11 O'Clock Show in 1998. He has since appeared many times.

Awards

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Hunter was nominated for the Perrier Award in the 2003 and 2004 Edinburgh Festivals.[21]

He won the Writers' Guild Award for Comedy in 2006 for his show Pride & Prejudice... & Niggas.[22]

Personal life

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His mother died in 2004.[23] He has a daughter, born in 2002.[5]

Television credits

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Hunter's credits include:

1998

  • The 11 O'Clock Show (Channel 4)

2004

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2018

2020

2021

Notes

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  1. ^ U.S. Public Records Index, Vol. 1 (Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.), 2010.
  2. ^ a b Maxwell, Dominic (March 10, 2007). "The N-word is out". The Times (Times Newspapers).
  3. ^ "Reginald D Hunter interview: 'No matter how clear I am, people". Independent.co.uk. November 22, 2013.
  4. ^ Reginald D Hunter: ‘The British really reward cleverness’
  5. ^ a b Herring, Richard (January 4, 2018). "Reginald D Hunter". Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast. Episode 160. YouTube. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  6. ^ "Reg D Hunter promises crackin’ show", Cork Independent, April 4, 2013.
  7. ^ "Offensive' poster banned on Tube". BBC News. November 14, 2006. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  8. ^ "PFA's Carlisle says hiring comedian Hunter 'huge mistake'". BBC Sport. April 29, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
  9. ^ "Reginald D Hunter, The Horrible Aftermath". Facebook. April 28, 2013. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
  10. ^ "Reginald D Hunter at Leicester Square Theatre: A comedy virtuoso at work". April 5, 2024.
  11. ^ https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/whats-on/edinburgh-festival-fringe-2024-reginald-d-hunter-still-packs-a-punch-but-shows-his-more-fluffy-side-4739328 [bare URL]
  12. ^ "Reginald D Hunter embroiled in row after Israeli pair are 'hounded out' of Edinburgh fringe show". Evening Standard. August 13, 2024. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Theatre cancels Reginald D Hunter show over antisemitism row". BBC News. August 16, 2024. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  14. ^ "Reginald D Hunter embroiled in row after Israeli pair are 'hounded out' of Edinburgh fringe show". Evening Standard. August 13, 2024. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  15. ^ "Reginald D Hunter at centre of antisemitism storm after Israeli couple 'branded genocidal by Fringe hecklers'". The Independent. August 13, 2024. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  16. ^ "Fringe show cleared by police over alleged 'hate crime' after Israeli's 'hounded out'". August 16, 2024.
  17. ^ "'I am anti-bully' says Reginald D Hunter after Israeli couple hounded out of his Fringe show".
  18. ^ "'We never made Reginald D Hunter be antisemitic'". Chortle. August 18, 2024. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  19. ^ Episode 1, series 4. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  20. ^ Episode 4, series 4. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  21. ^ "Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2011 - past winners". Comedyawards.co.uk. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
  22. ^ Parkin, Simon (June 1, 2017). "Reginald D Hunter on Trump, OJ, Putin and why he loves the UK". Norwich Evening News. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  23. ^ "Black Comedy". October 6, 2004.
  24. ^ "Reginald D Hunter's Songs of the South", BBC Two.
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