Paul Currie, the comedian at the center of recent allegations of anti-Semitism at a London venue, has broken his silence and is seeking witness accounts to shed light on the incident.
Plea for Witness Accounts
Currie has reached out to attendees of his show at the Soho Theatre on February 10th, urging them to share their firsthand experiences. He made a public appeal via Instagram, stating,
“I am pleading for any of the 140 audience members who attended my show SHTOOM… to send me their statement of what they saw.”
Allegations and Currie Banned
The controversy erupted when audience members accused Currie of harassing Jewish attendees who declined to stand for the Palestinian flag during the performance. Liahav Eitan, one of the individuals involved, claimed he was told to “get the f*** out” by Currie.
In response to the incident, the Soho Theatre issued a statement condemning such behaviour, asserting that actions like these have no place on their stages. They announced their decision not to invite Currie back for future performances
Review of Upcoming Gig
Following the Soho Theatre incident, an upcoming gig featuring Currie at The Stand Comedy Club in Glasgow has been placed “under review.” This decision indicates the potential cancellation of Mr. Currie’s appearance.
On top of this his upcoming show in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in Australia is also met with criticism and he was subsequently removed from the line-up.
Audience and The Comedian’s Accounts
Eitan, recounting the incident, described feeling targeted by Currie’s aggressive behaviour, which culminated in a confrontational exchange at the end of the show.
If you want to read more on this issue, click HERE! You can read more on how the allegations started and how other Jewish comedians reacted. Other witnesses corroborated Eitan’s narrative, highlighting the uncomfortable atmosphere created by Currie’s actions.
Currie defended his actions, quoting Mexican poet Cesar A. Cruz on Instagram:
“Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” He implied that those present at his show would understand the context behind his statement.
Community Response
Organisations such as the Campaign Against Antisemitism have condemned the alleged discriminatory abuse against Jewish attendees, emphasizing the need for accountability. The Metropolitan Police confirmed that enquiries regarding the incident are ongoing.
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