Controversial American comedian Reginald D Hunter, whose career was badly damaged when he cracked a joke comparing Israel to an abusive partner, is trying to make a comeback, with fresh material about Jewish people.
Hunter hit the headlines almost two years ago when an Israeli couple was told to leave one of his Edinburgh Fringe shows after objecting to his act.
The performer, who had been a regular fixture on television comedy shows, referenced 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."
The couple, sitting in the front row, were rounded on by other audience members when they objected by calling the joke “not funny”.
They were sworn at, called "genocidal" and told they were "not welcome" by fellow spectators, some of whom shouted "Free Palestine" as they left.
He subsequently landed himself in even more hot water when he commented on a JC piece on his show, which he incorrectly believed to be behind a paywall, joking: “Typical f***ing Jews, they won’t tell you anything unless you subscribe. It’s just a joke.”
Hunter is returning to Edinburgh later this year and recalled the controversy at a warm-up show in Walthamstow, East London on Monday evening.
He told the audience: “I got cancelled 22 months ago at the Edinburgh Festival because I did this joke about Israel, and before I knew it, I was playing off-the-grid places like this, talking to motherf***ers like you.
“Take it from me, Jews cancel way better than feminists.”
The crowd of a few dozen at Walthamstow Trades Hall who had paid £16 (plus a £1.60 booking fee) reportedly took the gag in good humour.
He admitted that the impact of the original joke, which was judged not to be a crime by Police Scotland, had a profound effect on his personal as well as professional life.
He went on: “I have moments when I think to myself, I messed up real bad by making that joke because it’s affected all the people who depended on me. I’m estranged from my family.
“My daughter hasn’t spoken to me for two years, and I have all kinds of tax problems.”
Later he joked that he was “not mad” because it was not like Mossad had made his phone explode.
However, another Jewish-themed skit about Hollywood legend Sammy Davis Jr towards the end of the performance received a very cool reception, according to a journalist who was present.
Hunter said: “Sammy realised this: all the talent in the world doesn’t mean anything in Western culture if you are unaffiliated. You have to have your own gang to help you get to the top. You have to have your own gang to make problems go away. Sammy was unaffiliated.”
Hunter related how Davis apparently sought refuge with black people, Irish Catholicism, Buddhism, Islam, and Satanism.
Nothing worked for Davis Jr, who needed “something stronger than Satan”.
He added: “Six months later, Sammy announced to the world that he was becoming a Jew. I don’t know exactly what that means, but it’s got to mean something, ladies and gentlemen.”
Other controversial material, which was reportedly better received, covered subjects such as grooming gangs, Jimmy Savile, Donald Trump trying to help the American football team at the World Cup and the crimes of Nicola Sturgeon’s husband.
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