What the BBC article doesn’t mention is that he followed the joke up with a comment on the Jewish Chronicle having a paywall, saying “Typical fucking Jews, won’t tell you anything unless you subscribe.” If you don’t think that’s racist, I don’t know what to tell you, quite apart from it leaning into the “Jews only care about money” antisemitic trope. Saying “It’s just a joke” afterwards doesn’t really help. It might be, but that doesn’t make it a non-racist joke. The joke is, anyway, inaccurate; the JC doesn’t have a paywall.
I’m opposed to cancelling people because of what they say. Just filling in the story that the BBC decided not to mention.
ACO_22 on
Once again crying wolf over something that isn’t AS at all.
Soon enough breathing wrong will be considered AS
Edit: so the article tried to make it seem like the Israel joke is the AS bit and makes no mention of the actual AS comments that did occur. Scummy article
antbaby_machetesquad on
I can’t see a problem with the first joke, it’s edgy and may offend some people but so what, it even works perfectly well if you switch Israel for Palestine.
The second one that was reported is a lazy antisemitic joke about Jewish tightness, but it’s no worse than any other joke based on stereotypes, it’s not inciting violence or anything.
This censorship by venues is a worrying trend.
OfficialGarwood on
The joke about Israel was perfectly fine and not antisemitic. The joke about the paywall absolutely was.
april9th on
He was never notable at any level in the US, but made a whole career in the UK doing the circuit saying Americans are racist, British people are nice and he doesn’t face racism here and what he doesn’t isn’t really racism because yada yada.
Maybe we can question why the British public lapped up being told they’re not racist by a Black man as a comedy routine but don’t like it when the same Black man minimises other forms of discrimination. Or not.
Lastaria on
Criticism is Isreal is fine. Rolling out an antisemitic joke about an article being behind a paywall playing on a dreadful stereotype is not okay at all.
Minimum_Airline3657 on
Do you know the D in his name stands for Delicious
Wonderful_Dingo3391 on
People who get upset about an edgy stand up comedian need to stay away from the Edinburgh festival and do something else. Comedians are meant to cross the line. The pro israel cancel brigade are out again. They will invent some crap about him soon and make a documentary.
Deadliftdeadlife on
It’s a joke, it’s fine.
That said, it’s the BBC’s choice. They can do what they like
penguinsfrommars on
Good. Used to like him. Bitterly disappointed to learn he’s an antisemitic AH. Hope he loses more gigs.
I feel there’s hypocrisy from people on attitudes to cancelling comedians for offensive jokes.
Would I think Reginald’s jibe at a Jewish anti-semitic trope here is funny? Not really.
Do I think he, as a comedian, has the right to say it in a club? Yes, I do.
Do I think everyone should find that funny? No.
Do people have the right to be offended? Yes, including heckling, but by that point, people tend to walk out anyway if it crosses that line.
Do comedy clubs have the right to choose who is billed and not billed? Yes. They can choose the acts they want based on what they think their general audience wants to see.
Reg tends to be one of those comedians that pushes lines. [it isn’t the first time his material has landed him in trouble](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/22346517). I doubt it’ll be the last
12 Comments
[deleted]
What the BBC article doesn’t mention is that he followed the joke up with a comment on the Jewish Chronicle having a paywall, saying “Typical fucking Jews, won’t tell you anything unless you subscribe.” If you don’t think that’s racist, I don’t know what to tell you, quite apart from it leaning into the “Jews only care about money” antisemitic trope. Saying “It’s just a joke” afterwards doesn’t really help. It might be, but that doesn’t make it a non-racist joke. The joke is, anyway, inaccurate; the JC doesn’t have a paywall.
I’m opposed to cancelling people because of what they say. Just filling in the story that the BBC decided not to mention.
Once again crying wolf over something that isn’t AS at all.
Soon enough breathing wrong will be considered AS
Edit: so the article tried to make it seem like the Israel joke is the AS bit and makes no mention of the actual AS comments that did occur. Scummy article
I can’t see a problem with the first joke, it’s edgy and may offend some people but so what, it even works perfectly well if you switch Israel for Palestine.
The second one that was reported is a lazy antisemitic joke about Jewish tightness, but it’s no worse than any other joke based on stereotypes, it’s not inciting violence or anything.
This censorship by venues is a worrying trend.
The joke about Israel was perfectly fine and not antisemitic. The joke about the paywall absolutely was.
He was never notable at any level in the US, but made a whole career in the UK doing the circuit saying Americans are racist, British people are nice and he doesn’t face racism here and what he doesn’t isn’t really racism because yada yada.
Maybe we can question why the British public lapped up being told they’re not racist by a Black man as a comedy routine but don’t like it when the same Black man minimises other forms of discrimination. Or not.
Criticism is Isreal is fine. Rolling out an antisemitic joke about an article being behind a paywall playing on a dreadful stereotype is not okay at all.
Do you know the D in his name stands for Delicious
People who get upset about an edgy stand up comedian need to stay away from the Edinburgh festival and do something else. Comedians are meant to cross the line. The pro israel cancel brigade are out again. They will invent some crap about him soon and make a documentary.
It’s a joke, it’s fine.
That said, it’s the BBC’s choice. They can do what they like
Good. Used to like him. Bitterly disappointed to learn he’s an antisemitic AH. Hope he loses more gigs.
Just to ask, but when right-wing comedians like Leo Kearse go off about [about cancel culture and wokeism in comedy](https://www.spiked-online.com/2021/07/15/cancel-culture-is-a-grave-threat-to-comedy/), can they explain the difference between that and what Reginald D Hunter came out with?
Or can someone explain the difference between Reg’s joke here and Jimmy Carr’s [Holocaust joke about the Gypsies](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/feb/04/jimmy-carr-condemned-for-joke-about-gypsies-in-netflix-special)? (Yes I know Jimmy has made his career of trying to offend as many people as he can). Btw that didn’t get attention until it happened to be online.
I feel there’s hypocrisy from people on attitudes to cancelling comedians for offensive jokes.
Would I think Reginald’s jibe at a Jewish anti-semitic trope here is funny? Not really.
Do I think he, as a comedian, has the right to say it in a club? Yes, I do.
Do I think everyone should find that funny? No.
Do people have the right to be offended? Yes, including heckling, but by that point, people tend to walk out anyway if it crosses that line.
Do comedy clubs have the right to choose who is billed and not billed? Yes. They can choose the acts they want based on what they think their general audience wants to see.
Reg tends to be one of those comedians that pushes lines. [it isn’t the first time his material has landed him in trouble](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/22346517). I doubt it’ll be the last