Reginald D. Hunter
| Reginald D. Hunter link (Comedian) | |
|---|---|
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| Born | 26 March 1969 |
Reginald Darnell Hunter is an American stand-up comedian based in the United Kingdom.
Background
Born in Albany, Georgia, the youngest of nine, Reginald D Hunter undertook an acting internship in Jackson, Mississippi, at age 20.
In 1996, Hunter travelled to the UK as a summer student at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and 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. In 2013 he toured Ireland with his show "In the Midst of Crackers".
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.[1]
Edinburgh Fringe 2024
In August 2024, during the Gaza 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." During the 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.
After his performance, Hunter referenced a review of one of his shows in 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 (CAA) criticised the joke, and mentioned previous jokes that Hunter had made about the Holocaust. The East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure organisation said it had cancelled a planned show at the Eastwood Theatre in Giffnock because of "a commitment to our community, and to our values of diversity and inclusion".
Police Scotland concluded that "no crime was established." 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". British comedy news website Chortle later named the couple as Mark Lewis, a member of UK Lawyers for Israel and his partner Mandy Blumenthal, the national director of Likud-Herut UK. Blumenthal was a founder of, and "leading figure" in the CAA, sitting on its committee, and Lewis is a longstanding patron.
Legal proceedings
The CAA brought a private prosecution against Hunter alleging three offences under section 127 of the Communications Act 2003, relating to posts he allegedly published on X in September 2024. Hunter failed to appear at the initial hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 30 May 2025, and a summons was issued by the court requiring him to attend at a future date.
Case dismissed
On 23 December 2025, District Judge Michael Snow overturned the summons and dismissed the case against Hunter. Judge Snow stated that the CAA had misled the court in their application, falsely leading him to believe Hunter's messages were anti-Semitic, and had failed to comply with disclosure obligations, describing the actions of the CAA as "abusive" and an attempt to have Hunter "cancelled". He further stated: "[...] my view of the conduct of the CAA is consistent with them as an organisation which is not “playing it straight” but is seeking to use the criminal justice system, in this case, for improper reasons."[2]
In a landmark ruling, Judge Snow ordered that his judgement be disclosed and attached to any future case brought by the CAA.[3]
References
- ↑ https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/comedy/features/reginald-d-hunter-interview-no-matter-how-clear-i-am-people-misinterpret-8954443.html
- ↑ "Judge quashes antisemitism case against comedian Reginald D Hunter"
- ↑ "My view of the conduct of the CAA is consistent with them as an organisation which is not 'playing it straight' but is seeking to use the criminal justice system, in this case for improper reasons."
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