Scottish theatre cancels Reginald D Hunter show over heckling of Israelis

A theatre has cancelled an forthcoming show by the comedian Reginald D Hunter after reports that Israeli audience members were heckled during his Edinburgh fringe performance after they objected to one of his jokes.

The Eastwood Park theatre, where Hunter had been booked to perform in September and which is based in East Renfrewshire, home to Scotland’s largest Jewish community, cancelled his show owing to “controversial comments”.

The award-winning US comedian addressed what he described as the “unfortunate incident”, which reportedly took place during his show at Assembly George Square Studios on Sunday, in a statement on Thursday which said: “As a comedian, I do push boundaries in creating humour, it’s part of my job. This inevitably created divided opinions but I am staunchly anti-war and anti-bully. I regret any stress caused to the audience and venue staff members.”

It has been widely reported that two Israeli audience members were booed after they complained about Hunter’s joke comparing the Israeli state to an abusive wife.

Hunter allegedly said that an abusive wife complaining about being abused herself was like “being married to Israel”.

Witnesses have claimed Hunter then told a joke about the Jewish Chronicle website putting a review of one of his previous shows behind a paywall, saying: “Typical f------ Jews, they won’t tell you anything unless you subscribe.”

The Jewish Chronicle does not currently have a paywall.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said the force was “made aware of a hate incident”, which reportedly took place at an event in Edinburgh on Sunday. All information gathered was fully reviewed and no crime was established.”

A spokesperson for East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure, which runs Eastwood Park theatre, said: “We defend the freedom of expression of artists and understand that our audiences expect to extend some latitude to many acts, including alternative comedy, which may be controversial in places.

“However, we have a commitment to our community, and to our values of diversity and inclusion, which we take seriously.”

They added that all people who had bought tickets for the show would receive a refund.

Nicola Livingston, from the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities, told BBC Radio Scotland that “comedians need to be allowed to push boundaries” but that the “goading” of the complainers by the comedian and audience “went beyond the boundary”.

“People in the audience, I understand, were saying things like ‘go home’ and ‘you’re not welcome here’, and that starts to change what’s happening because its those sort of views that are leading to trouble right across the country at the moment; intolerance of people who may be here from other countries, who have other ethnicities or religions. We don’t need that intolerance in Scotland.”

Livingston said the decision by Eastwood Park theatre to cancel the show was “probably the right decision” but that she was “very uncomfortable about people being cancelled. It then turns the story into the cancelling and what gets forgotten is why.”

Hunter’s management has been approached for comment.