Ivor Dembina

Ivor Dembina
Birth name	Ivor Joseph Dembina
Born	(1951-04-14) 14 April 1951 London, England
Medium	Stand up, writer, Comedy Club Curator
Nationality	British
Years active	32 years
Genres	Alternative comedy
Subject(s)	Jewish culture, Current events, Sex, Human interaction, Racism
Spouse	Joan Mary Badcock 1979-1990, Judith Hilda Dimant 1994-1996
Children	Anja Mary, Luis George
Website

Ivor Dembina is a stand-up comedian in the alternative tradition from London, UK.^[1] He runs the Hampstead Comedy Club in North London, which he founded in 1994.^[2] He is cited as an early influence by Stewart Lee.^[3] He wrote for the first season of the Omid Djalili Show on BBC1.^[4] He appeared in the first season of Eye Spy as 'Jewish Dad' on Channel 4^[5] He was the first stand-up comedian to perform a solo comedy show at the UK Houses of Parliament.^[6][7] Ivor's comedy focuses on his Jewish background and his political outlook^[8] He toured his show about the Israel/Palestine conflict, 'This is Not a Subject For Comedy' in Israel and on the West Bank.^[9]

Controversies

Ivor has attracted attention for his outspoken anti-Zionist views and socialist beliefs.

In 2004 Ivor was detained for several hours by Israeli police as he entered Tel Aviv airport, on his way to perform stand-up comedy in Israel and the West Bank. His name was flagged up by security forces as a 'known radical'. ^[10]

In 2008 Ivor organised a comedy event entitled '60 Years: What A State' on Israeli Independence Day, (Yom Ha'atzmaut). Featuring Jeremy Hardy, Mark Steel, Reginald D Hunter and Shazia Mirza it was on the same evening a gala event at the Wembley Arena celebrating 60 years of the Israeli state, organised by the Zionist Federation. Ivor branded the gala's headliner, Jewish comedian Jackie Mason a ‘bad Jewish joke' for his apparent Zionist views and for refusing to share a stage with Palestinian comedian, Ray Hanania. ^[11]

In 2011 Ivor's Edinburgh Fringe preview show was deliberately disrupted by Zionists.^[12]

In 2013 Ivor joined other artists and writers including Nigel Kennedy, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown and Mark Steel at St James’s Church, Piccadilly for Bethlehem Unwrapped, a festival that drew attention to the Israeli separation wall. ^[13]

In 2014, Ivor caused consternation among sections of the Jewish community for organising a benefit show for the people of Gaza (with Daniel Kitson, Josie Long and fellow Jewish comic Andy Zaltzman).^[14]

Also in 2014, he angered some other Jewish comedians by banning them from his from his club because they publicly endorsed and received payment from an organisation that he claimed was racist, the Jewish National Fund.^{[15][16][17][18][19]}

In 2015 Ivor also attracted the interest of the political community for his willingness to tackle sensitive subjects including the Holocaust, Israel and Jewish stereotypes.^[20]

In February on the same year, he joined 700 other UK artists including Brian Eno, Mike Leigh and Liz Lochhead as a signatory to a cultural boycott of Israel. ^{[21] [22]}

Personal Life

Ivor has made no secret of his sexuality. In 1998 he wrote and performed a show entitled SadoJudaism in which he talked about the worlds of fetishism and prostitution through Jewish eyes. ^[23]

Notable performances and tours

The Cochrane Theatre

In 1994 Ivor hosted a benefit for 'Jewish Socialist' magazine at the Cochrane Theatre with Jo Brand, Jeremy Hardy, Linda Smith and Arnold Brown ^[24]

Middle East

Ivor toured the Middle East and the West Bank with his show, This is Not a Subject for Comedy in 2003.^[25]

UK Houses of Parliament

Ivor performed the first ever comedy gig at the UK Houses of Parliament in 2010.^[26][27]

Edinburgh shows

Ivor has performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe since 1991^[28][29]

Show Title	Co-performer/Guests	Year	Venue
Comic Abuse	Compere Ivor Dembina with Jack Dee, Jo Brand, Mark Thomas, Phil Cornwall, Felix Dexter, Dave Cohen, James Macabre, Patrick Marber and Jim Tavare	1991–1993	Pleasance Courtyard
Stand Up Jewish Comedy	solo show	1994	Pleasance Courtyard
Arab and the Jew	Omid Djalili	1998	Pleasance Courtyard
Ivor Dembina: Jewish Comedy – Free at Last	solo show	2007	Linsay's Basement
This is Not a Subject for Comedy	solo show	2008	Espionage
Laughing Horse Free Comedy Selection	Compere Ivor Dembina with a mixed bill	2008	Espionage
Free Jewish Comedy	solo show	2011	The Counting House
Ivor's Other Show	solo show	2011	The Counting House
Old Jewish Jokes	solo show	2012	Bar 50
Old Jewish Jokes	solo show	2013	Bar 50
Zapp & Dembina – Comedy After Lunch	Andy Zapp and guests	2013	Cowgatehead
Free Gaza!	Daniel Kitson, Josie Long and Andy Zaltzman	2014	Gilded Balloon
Old Jewish Jokes	solo show	2014	Gilded Balloon
Zapp & Dembina	Andy Zapp and guests	2014	Cowgatehead

Written Works

Ivor has contributed to many comedy books and been featured in several others.

Contributor

Title	Editor	Released	Publisher	Notes
Because I Tell a Joke or Two: Comedy, Politics and Social Difference	Stephen Wagg	2004	Routledge	ISBN 978-1134794331
Getting the Joke: The Art of Stand-up Comedy	Oliver Double	2005	A&C Black	ISBN 978-0413774767
Funny You Should Say That: A Compendium of Jokes, Quips and Quotations from Cicero to the Simpsons	Andrew Martin	2006	Penguin	ISBN 978-0140515091
Dim Wit: The Funniest, Stupidest Things Ever Said	Rosemarie Jarski	2008	Random House	ISBN 978-1407024684
How to Be Averagely Successful at Comedy	Dave Cohen	2013	Acorn Independent Press	ISBN 978-1909121614
Performing Live Comedy	Chris Ritchie	2013	A&C Black	ISBN 978-1408146439
Words from the Wise: Over 6,000 of the Smartest Things Ever Said	Rosemarie Jarski	2013	Skyhorse Publishing, Inc	ISBN 978-1628732733

Autobiographies

Ivor features in the autobiographies of many well known Stand-Up comedians

Title	Author	Released	Publisher	Notes
Can't Stand Up for Sitting Down	Jo Brand	2010	Headline Review	ISBN 978-0755355266
A Young Man's Passage	Julian Clary	2011	Random House	ISBN 978-1448116584
My Favourite People and Me 1978–1988	Alan Davies	2009	Michael Joseph	ISBN 978-0718154875
Hopeful	Omid Djalili	2014	Headline	ISBN 978-1472218612
How I Escaped My Certain Fate: The Life and Deaths of a Stand-Up Comedian	Stewart Lee	2010	Faber and Faber	ISBN 978-0571254804
Mack the Life	Lee Mack	2012	Bantam Press	ISBN 978-0593069424
My Name is Daphne Fairfax: A Memoir	Arthur Smith	2009	Hutchinson	ISBN 978-0091921033

Comedy Clubs

Since 1985 Ivor has founded and run several comedy clubs. The Hampstead Comedy Club is the only one still operating.

• Founded the Red Rose Comedy Club in Finsbury Park, London in 1985.^[30]
• Founded the Comedy Boom with club promoter, Addison Cresswell in Edinburgh in 1987. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe's first venue for Stand-Up Comedy.^[31]
• Founded the Hampstead Comedy Club in 1994. It was originally held at the Washington Arms in Belsize Park, London. It currently resides at the Camden Head in Camden Town, London.^[32]
• Founded the Brixton Comedy Club in the Hobgoblin, Brixton, London in 1999.^[33]

References