A scheduled performance by comedian Reginald D Hunter at Eastwood Theatre in Giffnock has been canceled following accusations that his jokes at the Edinburgh Fringe were antisemitic.
The decision to drop the show came a day after Hunter apologized for what he described as an “unfortunate incident” during his performance in Edinburgh.
The controversy arose when two Israeli audience members objected to a joke in which Hunter compared an abusive wife complaining about being abused to “being married to Israel.”
The audience members left the venue and were reportedly heckled by others in the crowd.
East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure, the organization managing Eastwood Theatre, stated that they canceled the September 28 show due to Hunter’s “controversial comments.”
While they expressed support for artistic freedom and encouraged audiences to be open-minded, they emphasized their commitment to community values of diversity and inclusion.
The organization has assured all ticket holders that they will receive refunds.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism expressed concern over Hunter’s jokes on social media, highlighting the responsibility comedians have to their audiences.
Meanwhile, Police Scotland confirmed they were aware of a “hate incident” but concluded that no crime had been committed.
In response to the backlash, Hunter took to social media to express regret for any “stress caused” but defended his approach to humor, stating that pushing boundaries is part of his job as a comedian.
Despite the controversy, Hunter repeated the joke during his Thursday night performance, which was met with laughter and applause from the audience.
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