Omar Hamdi (comedian)

Omar Hamdi is a British comedian and television host. His parents, who are from Egypt, moved to the UK in the 1970s.[1] He is best-known as one of the presenters of the BBC Wales consumer affairs programme X-Ray.[2]

Early life

Hamdi is a native of Cardiff, Wales.[3] He initially got into comedy through his ex girlfriend who suggested that he use comedy as an outlet for his energy.[3]

Career

He is a comic, appearing at major comedy clubs in the UK[4] including The Comedy Store.[5] His stand-up comedy is autobiographical, including varying perspectives on nationality, gender and love,[6] as well as a satirical take on the big issues facing the world.[7]

He began performing stand-up shortly after graduating from Leeds University.[8] He made his national TV debut in 2014, performing stand-up on Seann Walsh's late night show.[9] He also starred in the chat show "Free Speech"[10]

Hamdi has been heavily involved in the Muslim comedy circuit, including the 2015 HaLOL Christmas Comedy Special [11] and the 2017 Super Musilm Comedy Tour, that played 11 British cities.[12]

In 2015, Hamdi performed his routine, In the Valley of Kings, at the Edinburgh Fringe. Reviews stated he "delivers with vigour, but he's neither funny nor subtle enough to make an impact."[13]

In 2016 he guest starred in the BBC One political talk show Sunday Morning Live. His appearance led to a public disagreement between him and Lily Allen.[14]

In 2018 he starred in the BBC One special "The Miners Who Made Us", where he was challenged to perform a stand up show in front of an audience of former coal miners.[15]

On 16 July, 2019, Hamdi co-founded Pathos Communications, Ltd., [16] a personal branding and PR company, based in London, UK.[17]

He has conducted sometimes controversial celebrity interviews with personalities such as former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson,[18] politician and reality star George Galloway,[19] and the original Darth Vader, actor David Prowse.[20] In his 2016 interview with Hamdi, George Galloway revealed for the first time details of the sexual abuse he suffered as a child at the hands of an army officer.[19] Hamdi received criticism for his perceived efforts to help rehabilitate Robinson's reputation and public standing.[21]

Writing career

As well as TV hosting and stand-up, he writes for newspapers and magazines, and has been published in two books, Pause for Thought[22] and Don't Panic I'm Islamic.[23] For the latter he undertook a stand-up and book tour around the UK,[24] after it was selected as Sunday Times Humour Book of the Year.[25] He has also written and presented on four series of BBC Radio 2’s award-winning show Pause for Thought.[26] He claims to rarely watch stand-up on television,[27] or any television at all.[28]

References
  1. "UK comics: 'Arabs aren't funny'? That's a joke". english.alarabiya.net. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  2. "Episode 7, Series 16, X-Ray - BBC One". BBC. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  3. "Behind The Mic: Spotlight on Welsh comedians". Wales Online. Wales Online. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  4. "Omar Hamdi - Glee". Glee. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  5. Omar Hamdi (2015-05-10), Omar Hamdi Comedy Store January 2015, retrieved 2017-12-27
  6. FM, Player, Episode 68: Omar Hamdi, retrieved 2017-12-27
  7. "Fringe Q&As: Omar Hamdi on politics and the Fringe punters". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  8. "Omar Hamdi". IMDb. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  9. "2014, Seann Walsh's Late Night Comedy Spectacular - BBC Three". BBC. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  10. "How is it right to have a lower minimum wage for young adults age 18-21?, Episode 6, Series 3, Free Speech - BBC Three". BBC. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  11. https://tiemotalkofthetown.wordpress.com/2015/12/19/notodonaldtrumphalol/
  12. https://www.arabnews.com/node/1586516/lifestyle
  13. https://www.chortle.co.uk/shows/edinburgh_fringe_2015/o/24233/omar_hamdi%3A_in_the_valleys_of_the_kings
  14. Lily (16 October 2016). "@Omar_Hamdi_Com lol at you, a comedian saying 'celebrities' shouldn't talk about politics, on a political tv show this morning. pic.twitter.com/jCScieim0G". @lilyallen. Retrieved 2018-01-20.
  15. "The Miners Who Made Us - BBC One". BBC. Retrieved 2018-01-20.
  16. https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/t1NaDSd2jkeZjB2k22ferD7VjKo/appointments
  17. https://www.pathoscommunications.co.uk/
  18. "When a Muslim comedian had dinner with ex-EDL leader Tommy Robinson". The Independent. 2015-12-23. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  19. "Who is George Galloway really? Perhaps London's next Mayor?". New Internationalist. 2016-02-02. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  20. Team, X.-Ray (16 Mar 2017). "The force is strong with @Omar_Hamdi_Com and @isDARTHVADER at Film & Comic Con Cardiff. @BBCXRay strikes back 7.30pm FRIDAY @BBCOne Walespic.twitter.com/pbDQlKuc1s". @BBCXRay. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  21. https://jacobinmag.com/2018/08/tommy-robinson-fascist-bbc-prison-sentence
  22. 2, B.B.C.R. (2016). Pause for Thought: Foreword by Chris Evans and Vanessa Feltz. Watkins Media. p. 14. ISBN 978-1-78678-009-6. Retrieved 5 January 2018.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. Gaspard, L.; Duffy, C.A.; Riddell, C.; Wheatle, A.; Manguel, A.; Farhi, M.; Aboulela, L.; Mahfouz, S. (2017). Don't Panic, I'm Islamic: Words and Pictures on How to Stop Worrying and Learn to Love the Alien Next Door. Saqi. p. 180. ISBN 978-0-86356-993-7. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  24. "Don't Panic, I'm Islamic: Extreme Comedy NOW! | Saqi Books". www.saqibooks.com. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  25. Rudd, Reviews by Matt (2017-11-26). "Books of the year: Humour". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2018-01-20.
  26. "Comedians at the Super Muslim Comedy Tour 2017 | PennyAppeal.org". www.pennyappeal.org. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  27. Owens, David (2014-06-19). "Behind The Mic: Spotlight on Welsh comedians". walesonline. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
  28. ""It was a brilliant bill, such a mixed bill" - Omar Hamdi on his Asian Network Comedy show appearance, Harpz's Love Friday mix!, The Asian Network Breakfast Show - BBC Asian Network". BBC. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.