Inexcusable jibes at Jewish couple
A Jewish couple, one of them disabled, attended a comedy performance by Reginald D. hunter at the edinburgh Fringe. Mr hunter made an antisemitic joke and one of the couple heckled, ‘Not funny.’ Mr hunter and members of the audience then targeted the couple, allegedly making a specific reference to their Jewishness, and also whipped up the crowd of about 300, none of whom came to their defence. i am a practising Catholic. Come and have a go at me and see how i handle it, Mr hunter. Or do you only pick on vulnerable people?
Tom Parry, Holywell, Flints The only good thing to emerge from the truly shameful baying of an antisemitic mob at an edinburgh Fringe venue is that, thanks to a critic’s disgusted review, the story made it into the Mail.
Once, not only across the British isles but throughout europe, scotland stood alone in having no history of institutional persecution of the Jews. indeed, Jews would flee to scotland from every corner of europe, including england, to seek refuge. The late, great critic and writer David Daiches (1912-2005) cited as his greatest pride that he was both a Jew and a scot. i can only offer my sincerest apologies to the couple so heinously targeted at the Fringe.
ALLAN MCGREGOR, Glasgow
THERE should be no imposed limits on grounds of good taste for any comedian. sharp observation and a talent for delivery define their status and ultimate success. On tour in 2003, Rob Brydon delivered two hours of unadulterated fun and laughter, exhausting for both comic and audience, and well worth the pricey tickets. No swearing, no lazy political references or trite comments about sex, ethnicity or anything else personally insulting. A lasting treat. Billy Connolly, a naturally funny man like Tommy Cooper, could get away with anything on stage, making it look unplanned, although their acts were honed to perfection. some lesser talents liberally sprinkle their acts with the F-word and try to engage the audience with trendy political bias. This would apply to Reginald D. hunter at the Fringe. The shame spreads to the audience. some will laugh out of embarrassment, with others wishing to appease and follow the herd. it takes a brave person to make a stand against it and i applaud the couple who did.
ANDREA CROOKS, swansea MIRIAM MARGOLYES has called Dickens’s Fagin ‘Jewish and vile’. she is describing herself. we have no need for self-hating Jews. There are already enough people who hate us.
ELAYNE M. BENJAMIN, london nW4