Thursday, September 21, 2023
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In the world of stand-up, few comics are as fearless, intense and perhaps misunderstood as Tommy Tiernan.
Married with five children, Tommy is the most successful comedian in Ireland. In fact, when it comes to box-office sales in the Emerald Isle, he's second only to U2. And as brilliant as he is at making people laugh, Tommy is just as good at creating controversy.
Like Lenny Bruce - one of his comic heroes - Tommy pushes boundaries to the extreme. He's taken heat for material dealing with 9/11, Down Syndrome and Catholic priests. And how's this for a bit of irony? As a kid, Tommy thought about being a priest. Then, years later, as a comic, he was actually accused of blasphemy in the Irish Senate.
But even all that couldn't prepare him for what happened in 2009. Tommy made some over-the-top remarks about the Holocaust - joking that he would have "got" 10 or 12 million Jews. He says they were meant to be satirical - a parody of anti-Semitism. Instead, they blew up like a Molotov cocktail. And reignited the conversation about what you can - and can't - say, in comedy.
Tommy recently played Laughs in the Park in St. Albans to rave reviews. He continues to be a shining star in the comedy world - as controversial and hilarious as ever.
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