New footage shows comic urging calm at controversial Edinburgh Fringe gig

New footage has emerged of Reginald D Hunter telling his audience to ‘end this peacefully’ after tensions were inflamed by his anti-Israel joke at the Edinburgh Fringe.

The comedian had been reported to police over an alleged ‘hate crime’ at his festival show, after a couple told how they left his show to a chorus of boos and antisemitic jeers after heckling the gag.

However, new footage posted on social media last night shows the couple – named by Chortle earlier this week as long-term activists Mark Lewis and Mandy Blumenthal – leaving the Assembly George Square venue quietly.

One audience member is heard telling them: ‘It’s called comedy’, followed by another inaudible comment.

Hunter is then heard calming his audience, saying: ‘Don’t say nothing to them. Now stop, now stop. Let’s end this peacefully. OK.’

However, Blumenthal then shouts: ‘Enjoy your racism’, prompting the crowd to rile up.

The 24-second clip does not show the build-up to the incident – which started when Lewis vocally told the comedian that his joke likening Israel to an abusive husband was ‘not funny’ – nor the aftermath. But it does raise questions about the narrative that Hunter was inciting his audience.

Here’s the first video clip of Mark Lewis and Mandy Blumenthal on the Fringe.

So far as I can tell, Reginald D Hunter is saying "Let’s end this peacefully".

Mandy says "Enjoy your racism".

And then the audience start laughing at her?

What happened next? pic.twitter.com/zRLw3fSEbX

— James Wilson (@per_incuriam2) August 19, 2024

Police Scotland said no crime had been committed at last Sunday’s gig, although Hunter has lost at least one booking in the ensuing storm.

Daily Telegraphy critic Dominic Cavendish first reported on what he called ‘the ugliest Fringe moment I’ve ever witnessed’, describing how the crowd turned on the couple yelling ‘genocidal maniac’ and ‘you’re not welcome’ as they left the venue following the incident.

This weekend Chortle confirmed that the couple were long-term antisemitism campaigners Mark Lewis and Mandy Blumenthal, pictured above, after they were named online.

Their prominence has prompted some of Hunter’s fans to say the incident was a ‘set-up’ – a charge they strongly deny. 

Lewis, a lawyer who came to prominence representing the victims of newspaper phone 

hacking, was made an honorary patron of the Campaign Against Antisemitism in 2018, having long given them legal advice pro bono. And Blumenthal is the national director of Likud-Herut UK, a Zionist political group.

In 2017 the UK-born couple hit the headlines when they announced they were leaving Britain after being bombarded by anti-Semitic abuse and death threats by Jeremy Corbyn supporters. They have Israeli citizenship and had been visiting Britain for a wedding as well as attending the Fringe. 

Responding to accusations that they had gone to the show to stir up trouble, Blumethal told Chortle: ‘Of course, we didn’t go to the show specifically to be offended.  For such a libellous and nutty conspiracy theory to work we’d have needed to know what Hunter was going to say. Believe me, I never made Hunter be antisemitic. His comment "typical f**king Jews" always wanting money is all him.’

The couple have said Hunter raised his fists at them in a mock fighting stance and told them he’d meet them ‘outside’, and said he offered to refund their ticket price if they left, which they say referred to an ‘anti-Jewish trope’ about being obsessed with money.

After the couple left the venue, the comedian joked about trying to read a review of his act on The Jewish Chronicle website, but said: ‘Typical fucking Jews, they won’t tell you anything unless you subscribe.’

Revelations about the couple’s identity prompted fans to post messages of support such as ‘This sounds like a setup, Reg! They knew you are pro-Palestine and went on purpose to stir up trouble for you’, and ‘So they were plants, sitting in the front row and ready to cause a fuss. Then use that momentum in the press to cause more drama, amplify it and claim to be victims of antisemitism. Disgusting people.’

However other respondents said the identity of the couple made no difference. One said: ‘Instead of this being some elaborate conspiracy against you perhaps telling an antisemitic "joke" is why people are upset. Take responsibility.’

Hunter has previously said he ‘regretted’ what happened,  calling it an ‘unfortunate incident’. In a statement posted to X he said: ‘As a comedian I do push boundaries in creating humour, it's part of my job. This inevitably creates divided opinions but I am staunchly anti-war and anti-bully. I regret any stress caused to the audience and staff members.’

Published: 20 Aug 2024